A person who guides you through student advocacy, education rights, academic support, equity in education, parent coaching
An advocate can:
- Negotiate with the school on your behalf
- Facilitate IEP and other meetings with the school, including mediation
- Advise you on educational services and supports
- Recommend specialists, service providers, evaluators, and school
- Help you write letters to the school
- Review your child’s IEP or 504 plan
- Give you information about the law
They possess knowledge and skills in various fields, such as:
- Teaching methods
- Specific learning and attention issues or other disabilities
- Behavior strategies
- Evaluations
- Mediating disputes
- Knowledge of programs in different private and public schools
- Assistive technology
- Special education law
An advocate can’t:
- Give you legal advice about your child’s rights
- Prepare legal complaints and papers
- Represent you as legal counsel in a lawsuit in state or federal court
- Your state may have specific rules on what advocates can and can’t do.