IEP Student Advocacy
I provide neurodiversity-affirming IEP advocacy and educational consultation for autistic students and their families, specializing in autistic burnout, educational disengagement, and recovery.
My approach combines individualized student coaching, family collaboration, and educational advocacy to develop accommodations and support plans grounded in each student's experiences, needs, interests, and goals.
My Approach to Student Advocacy in the IEP Process
I employ a collaborative, semi-structured interviewing approach to identify students’ educational preferences, environmental barriers, participation capacities, and support needs.
Discovery
Rather than relying on a predetermined questionnaire, I take a tailored approach.I use open-ended questions, follow-up inquiries, reflective summaries, and contextual examples to explore students’ experiences across educational, social, environmental, and relational contexts. I let students' responses guide subsequent questions, creating opportunities to explore concerns and preferences that might not appear in standardized accommodation categories.
Autism-Affirming
My approach emphasizes the relationship between environmental demands, individual needs, and students’ capacity for meaningful participation. I work collaboratively with students to evaluate educational options based on their lived experiences, communication preferences, interests, strengths, and goals. I also examine previous educational experiences to identify barriers, understand which supports have been effective, and determine what changes may be necessary.
Advocacy
I integrate immediate advocacy objectives with opportunities to develop self-advocacy skills. Throughout the process, I encourage students to articulate preferences, identify competing needs, consider alternatives, acknowledge uncertainty, and participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their educational futures. I use reflective summaries and clarification questions to confirm my understanding while giving students sufficient time and space to formulate their own responses.
Student Voice
My practice is grounded in a strengths-oriented commitment to autonomy and self-determination. I view students as the primary authorities on their lived experiences, and my role is to translate their perspectives into actionable educational recommendations while preserving their intended meaning. The advocacy process itself becomes an opportunity for students to develop and exercise autonomy, strengthen self-advocacy skills, and participate in decisions affecting their lives.
Student-Centered IEP Services
IEP advocacy involves more than attending a meeting. My services begin with direct collaboration with the student, allowing time to explore their experiences, develop self-advocacy skills, and identify educational priorities. I offer two levels of support to accommodate different needs and timelines, with both including individualized coaching, family consultation, and IEP advocacy.
Foundational package
A collaborative approach to IEP preparation that centers the student's experiences, preferences, and educational goals.
Includes:
Three individual student coaching sessions (60 minutes each)
One parent or caregiver consultation (60 minutes)
Focused review of relevant educational records
Development of a Student Advocacy Profile and accommodation recommendations
Preparation for and attendance at one IEP meeting (up to two hours)
Post-meeting follow-up and recommendations
Additional coaching and advocacy services are available as needed.
For students benefiting from additional time and support
An extended coaching and advocacy process for students who benefit from additional opportunities to explore their needs, develop self-advocacy skills, and participate in educational planning.
Includes:
Six individual student coaching sessions (60 minutes each)
One parent or caregiver consultation (60 minutes)
Focused review of relevant educational records
Development of a Student Advocacy Profile and accommodation recommendations
Preparation for and attendance at one IEP meeting (up to two hours)
Post-meeting follow-up and recommendations
Coaching sessions can be scheduled over several weeks to accommodate students' individual needs and processing preferences.
The Student Advocacy Profile
Every student deserves an opportunity to communicate what they need from their education.
Through individualized coaching and collaborative exploration, I develop a Student Advocacy Profile documenting the student's strengths, interests, educational experiences, participation barriers, preferences, and goals.
Students have opportunities to review and contribute to their profiles before information is shared with their educational teams. The completed profile informs individualized accommodation recommendations and helps ensure that the student's perspective is represented throughout the IEP process.
Initiate a Dialogue with Me
Complete the form with contextual information about your student’s needs, timelines, and desired outcomes, and I will respond soon.