What does a special education advocate do?

Advocates are excellent at helping a parent through the IEP process. They can:

• Interpret testing results and explain the IEP document, both of which can feel overwhelming to anyone who is not familiar with the terminology.
• Accompany a parent to an IEP meeting and make requests or demands that parents may feel uncomfortable making.
• Ensure IEP goals are well written, and suggest new goals that the IEP team might have overlooked.
• Assist with negotiations with the school and district.
• Write letters/emails on your behalf.
• Assist in reviewing documents.
• Help you understand your rights.
• Attend IEP/504 team meetings with you.
• Recommend assessors, schools, and more.

For more information about these professional services, check out our article Special Education Attorneys and Advocates: What’s the Difference?