Finally Heard: Partner with a Trusted Special Education Advocate in Texas.
Shared Experience you want to avoid and a track record of results you want for your child
Who is Virginia?
Your Special Education Advocate in Texas & Beyond
Benefit From Lived Experience
I am a parent of adult children with disabilities. State moves, in their K-12 years, meant advocating with new people over and over. Despite IEP changes, my focus was always the same: grow skills and close the gap through careful planning and persistence.
While living in Illinois, I became a dedicated advocate for gifted education after our local school district denied my oldest son placement in Honors’ classes because of his ADHD. I successfully appealed his case at the High school, setting a precedent and opening doors for other students. Northwestern University’s off-level testing program- NUMATS- was a key factor.
From there I took action by joining a parent support group to develop differentiated instruction for exceptional learners. I also received training from the Illinois State Board of Education to support families directly by writing IEPs and participating in meetings alongside parents. This work allowed me to help families secure the Special Education services their children needed-and deserved.
Texas Trials and Tribulations
When our family relocated to Texas, securing the right educational services for my children became an immediate-and urgent-challenge. Despite clear needs, my middle son made no reading or writing progress and began experiencing meltdowns in the middle of class. My oldest son was informed that his accommodations didn’t apply in Advanced Placement (AP) classes. And, my daughter, though protected by 504 accommodations, was struggling to submit school assignments on time.
Over the next four years, I engaged every formal dispute avenue available to parents of children with disabilities: filing complaints with the Texas Education Agency and the Office for Civil Rights, requesting a 504 Administrative hearing, participating in Mediation, and ultimately filing for a Due Process Hearing.
What began as a concern quickly became a full-time pursuit for accountability and access. I wasn’t only a parent-I became a relentless advocate committed to securing the support my children were legally entitled to receive.
That journey transformed everything. I gained a deeper understanding of Special Education Law, developed a strategic approach to advocacy, and built the confidence to stand firm even in the most complex negotiations. More importantly, my children began to receive the services they needed to thrive. Today, I channel that experience into empowering other families facing similar challenges.
With Families through Every Challenge
Around the same time, I became a Regional Coordinator for the state’s Parent Training and Information (PTI) Center, sharing special education resources with families and professionals. I met a parent with questions about her son’s IEP, who later hired an Advocate. I joined them at an ARD meeting for him, where his eligibility was revoked. Two years later, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld her son’s eligibility for Special Education (Lisa M. v Leander ISD).
I left the PTI to become a full time professional Texas Special Education advocate because what happened to me shouldn’t have to happen to you. Now I support you from the very beginning of the journey, starting with the eligibility process. Since then, I have:
- Secured new eligibility qualifications that were previously unidentified
- Helped families secure school services,
- Negotiated agreements for school-based instruction, private services, and staff training,
- Provided Continuing Legal Education (CLEs) to Attorneys
- Presented on relevant topics to NAMI, COPAA, MHA and LDA
- Become the only non-attorney Advocate to ever win a Due Process hearing in Texas without a legal team
- Become the recipient of an OSEP Guidance “Clarification Letter.”
Child Find ‘Litigation’
In a state where parents win less than 10 per cent of cases, winning a Due Process Hearing was a victory that is a milestone. In the Hearing Officer’s decision, she directly cited Lisa M. v Leander ISD- the case I was a part of years earlier which helped to shape state policy on Special Education eligibility.
What matters most to me though, is knowing that I now stand on the shoulders of a courageous parent I once supported. Her fight laid the foundation for mine-and yours.
*AS OF JULY 2021
What You Should Expect
Some Representative Results:
When I first met with the Angelman Syndrome community, parents told me they felt overwhelmed. So I built something they could use right away: an IEP Toolkit designed specifically for AS and nationwide use. Today, families can use this as a blueprint for navigating Special Education.
I’ve sat at kitchen tables with parents who have told me that they were blamed for their child’s academic struggles- only to discover after digging through paperwork and data-that an undiagnosed disability was the real issue. Solving those “mysteries” changed the trajectory of those children’s lives.
When families were told that a 504 Plan was “good enough,” I helped them push back with results. I’ve secured full IDEA eligibility, individualized services, and supports that reflect each child’s unique needs. In some cases, we didn’t just get services, we got six-figure settlements to make up for years of lost learning.
When communication between families and schools breaks down, I step in to rebuild what others consider un-fixable. I help parents reestablish trust with teachers, specialists and administrators- transforming conflict into productive collaboration.
That shift delivers results. Within months, families often see measurable progress, improved classroom behavior, stronger academic performance, and reliable coordinated supports. I’ve helped students transition out of overly restrictive placements, and prevented placement into disciplinary placements-all while maintaining a focus on solutions instead of blame.
Every client benefits from that same strategic focus. As a National Speaker and trainer, I equip educators, professionals and advocates to navigate the complexities of special education- especially for students with intersecting needs like mental health conditions, Autism, and Dyslexia. This is not theory, it’s practical insight, applied directly to your child’s situation.
And when collaboration isn’t enough, I’m prepared. I’ve represented families in Due Process Complaints. But the truth is, 99% of my cases are resolved before a hearing. Why? Because we strive for a workable solution- and when schools trust in the plan, they implement it. That’s how meaningful lasting change happens.
If your child is not getting what they need, let’s change that. Together.
Questions?
Questions?
DISCLAIMER: Everything displayed on this site shall be regarded as general information and in no way should it be interpreted as specific advice for your child.
Austin, Texas
Virginia Spencer, M.Ed.,
info@lumenadvocacy.com
(630) 251-5658
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