Services
Pamoja Special Education Advocacy provides general disability, education, and advocacy information only. We do not provide legal advice. If, at any point, you believe legal advice should be obtained, please contact an attorney to provide these services.
Consulting
I can help families navigate the special education process. I can provide recommendations for their child’s educational needs related to their disability, based on evidence-based practices. I can help families complete a referral for special education, answer questions, help caregivers prepare for an IEP meeting, and offer suggestions for the IEP. I cannot provide legal advice. If legal assistance is needed, please contact a qualified lawyer.
Advocate
It can be challenging and intimidating to attend an IEP meeting alone. Even the most well-informed caregivers can have their ideas muddled and forget all they know when it comes to a meeting about their child with school personnel. Sometimes an advocate can help provide the assurance and calm needed. At other times, it might be beneficial to have an advocate help both entities come to sound, logical agreements for how to best meet the needs of the student with the disability. The development of an individualized plan is vital, requiring time and listening to all perspectives to create a legally defensible, meaningful IEP in which the student’s needs are met.
IEP and Progress Monitoring Reviews
I can help you more fully understand the IEP, identify what questions you need to ask for clarification and ensure you agree with decisions made. The IEP is a legal, binding document stating your child’s specific, individualized, specially designed instruction intended to help meet the needs associated with the diagnosed disability and provide meaningful access to the general education curriculum. It is imperative that you, the caregiver, fully understand and agree with its contents.
Additionally, I can do reviews of progress monitoring data of IEP goals and benchmarks to determine, not only if the legal requirements of the IEP are being met, but also to help determine if a change in strategies, programs, or placement should be discussed.
Observations of Teachers and Students
I am a former classroom teacher and special education teacher. I also have a master’s degree and a doctorate in special education. I have supervised countless hours of field experience and student teaching. I know what to look for in quality instruction, matched to what is explained in the IEP, based in progress monitoring data, and meeting the individual characteristics and needs of the student. I can provide feedback for school personnel on the current instructional program and make recommendations for changes that could further benefit the student.
FBA/BIP Reviews
As with and IEP or Progress Monitoring Review, I can review documentation of a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and/or a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), sometimes called a Behavior Support Plan (BSP). I can help determine if appropriate processes have been followed to determine the function of the behavior in the FBA and if an appropriate function-based intervention has been identified for the BIP/BSP, if the schedule of reinforcement is appropriate, etc. and provide feedback on the process along with recommendations moving forward.
Fee Scale
The fee scale is dependent upon the scope of the work. Depending on the work involved, it could be an hourly rate or a flat rate. An estimate of work required for the case with an estimated fee plus retainer will be provided to the client prior to work being completed for client agreement. The final bill will include finalized travel fees and any additional research, paperwork, meetings, phone calls, etc. that were required to meet the needs of the case. This additional work will be communicated to the client ahead of completion.
Book a Consultation
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