Reasons You Need an Advocate

Regular Education Difficulties

▪ Your child is having difficulty managing the online environment during COVID-19.

▪ Your child's teacher(s) requested a conference to discuss poor grades, low test scores, &/or behavior problems.

▪ Teachers report that your child fails to turn in assignments, is unorganized, inattentive, impulsive, or misbehaves.

▪ You want teacher conferences to be about how to help your child succeed vs. what your child is doing wrong.

▪ You disagree with the school about your child's ability or behavior & want to meet with the teacher(s) or principal.

▪ Your child is not receiving the needed support from teachers to be successful &/or perform to his/her full potential.

▪ Your child is frequently isolated or removed from the classroom due to distraction or behavior problems.

▪ You suspect a poor match between the teacher & your child's learning style may be the root of your child's issues.

▪ Your child is receiving Tier 2 or Tier 3 support/interventions (MTSS/RTI), but it is not helping him/her succeed.

▪ Your child dislikes school, believes the teacher picks on him/her, or feels he/she can't do anything right.

▪ You feel like the teacher singles out your child, is quick to find fault, or holds your child to a different standard.

▪ You are frustrated with the school and considering private, charter, virtual, or home-school as an alternative.

▪ Your child's evaluation or referral for ESE has been delayed during COVID-19.

▪ The school's Problem Solving (Child Study) Team requested a meeting to discuss your child's performance.

▪ You want support at or in preparation for school meetings to understand the data & evaluation results presented.

▪ You or your child's teacher(s) suspect your child may have ADHD, a learning disability, or a behavioral disorder.

▪ The school wants to evaluate your child for a potential learning or behavioral disability (determines ESE eligibility).

▪ You want the school to evaluate your child to see if he/she is eligible for more support in school (IEP/504 Plan).

▪ The school conducted an evaluation and you have been asked to a meeting to discuss the results and next steps.

▪ You disagree with the school's evaluation, want to know your options, or wish a second opinion (at the school's expense).

▪ You had your child privately tested and wish to share the results & discuss next steps with the school.

▪ You are at odds with the school over the results of their evaluation and need someone to help mediate the dispute.

▪ The results of an independent education evaluation differ from the school's evaluation of your child.

▪ You need help reviewing the results of your child's evaluation and planning the best path for your child's success.

▪ Your child is not getting the program or related services specified in his/her IEP, 504 Plan, or PBIP during COVID-19.

▪ Your child was identified as gifted but is not performing well and may also have ADHD or a disability (twice exceptional).

▪ Your child is eligible for ESE services & you are meeting with the school about an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

▪ Your child has ADHD & you are meeting with the school about a 504 plan, or the school denied a 504 plan for your child.

▪ You want support at or in preparation for IEP or 504 plan meetings so you can provide appropriate input for the plan.

▪ Your child was diagnosed with ADHD, and you don't believe medication is the best way to support his/her success.

▪ You attended an IEP or 504 plan meeting and were not satisfied that it was written to address your child's unique needs.

▪ You disagree with the ESE services or the related services the school believes is appropriate for your child.

▪ Your child is not consistently receiving the modifications or accommodations outlined in his/her IEP or 504 plan.

▪ Your child has been recommended for a more restrictive environment than you feel is necessary for his/her success.

▪ Your child has an IEP or 504 plan, but the goals are too general, or it is ineffective in meeting your child's specific needs.

▪ You want to know more about the McKay Scholarship and Gardiner Scholarship available to students with disabilities.