Feel Validation when you work with this Special Education Texas Advocate.
Shared Experience you want to avoid and a track record of results you want for your child
Who is Virginia?
Special Education Advocate Texas
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.
Breadth of Perspective.While living in Illinois, I became a gifted education advocate because our local school district refused to place my oldest son in Honors’ classes because of his ADHD. After appealing his case to the High school successfully, I differentiated instruction for exceptional students as part of a parent support group. Additionally, the Illinois State Board of Education trained me to write IEPs with parents at their meetings. Finally I could assist families with Special Education services.
Texas Trials and Tribulations
Breadth of knowledge. On moving to Texas, educational services for my middle son became a problem. There was no improvement in his reading skills and he had meltdowns in the middle of class. My oldest son was informed that his accommodations no longer applied to Advanced Placement classes. Moreover, my daughter was struggling to submit school work even though she had 504 accommodations. Because of this, in four short years, I initiated and experienced all dispute options available to parents of children with disabilities: Texas Education Agency and Office for Civil Rights complaints, a 504 Administrative hearing, Mediations and a Due Process Filing. My time was filled with school challenges.
In the Trenches with Families
Witness at Hearing. At about the same time, the state agency for parent training and information (PTI) was hiring. I accepted a position as a Regional Coordinator for Region 13, disseminating information to professionals and parents on a daily basis. One day, I met a parent who asked some questions about her son’s IEP. After this, she hired a Special Education Advocate and I attended an ARD meeting for him, with them, where his eligibility was revoked. Ultimately, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld her son’s eligibility for Special Education (Lisa M. v Leander ISD) two years later.
I left the PTI to become a professional Texas Special Education advocate because this experience shouldn’t be yours. In other words, I can now help you from the very beginning, when you are trying to get Special Education eligibility. As of today, I have secured school services, agreements for private services for numerous children and training for staff.
I’ve litigated ‘failure to identify’ issues.
By winning a Due Process Hearing for a child where the parent win rate is around *5% in Texas, I became the first Special Education Advocate to successfully litigate in Texas without a “second” or an attorney. In the Hearing Officer’s decision, she cited the Lisa M. case.
This case has helped inform educational policy at the state level.
Most importantly, it feels satisfying to stand on the shoulders of the brave parent I helped years ago.
*AS OF JULY 2021
What You Should Expect
I developed an IEP Toolkit for thousands of Angelman Syndrome Parents, providing families a blueprint for navigating Special Education.
I’ve solved “mysteries” where poor academic performance is due to a previously unidentified disability.
I’ve secured eligibility, individualized services and supports under IDEA, where a 504 has been recommended, and six-figure settlements.
I repair difficult conversations and damaged relationships with school personnel.
Sustain collaboration with teachers and specialists which leads to measurable observable improvements within months.
Children have been exited out of disciplinary placements, and compensatory services are provided with my direction.
I regularly speak at National Conferences on Topics such as Advocating for students with Mental Health Disorders, Autism, Dyslexia and co-morbid conditions that schools fail to identify. Also, I bring this information to you in your services and consultation.
Above all else, I’ve represented parents in Due Process Hearings in the non-attorney representative role on various disabilities, but in 99% of cases, have been able to reach resolutions that work for families and schools. If school personnel have buy-in to the solutions that we propose, they are likely to implement them with Fidelity.
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