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Many of you here know that I work as a professional special education advocate on Long Island. My contract precludes me from going to CSE's with private clients. However, I see a huge need out there and think I can help in another way. I'd like some comments/advice on this idea. Private Advocacy Coaching for parents in their home. I would charge the same that math and science tutors get in this area ($80/hr.) which is better than the $125+/hr. that advocates get for going to CSE's (generally, with a $400 minimum). My coaching would be very specific to the child and to the District in question (I now have been to tons of various Districts in Suffolk County) and my services could include any or all of the following: 1. Records review, including explanations of your child's current test scores and what they mean (things like Standard Deviations, SS, Percentiles, etc.). Same with any Present Levels of Performance information. I would put together a Bell Curve specifically using your child's information for you to keep and use at the CSE. 2. Recommendations for what ought to be on the IEP for this coming year (since Annual Review season will be upon us soon). 3. Recommendations for the sorts of evaluations you should ask for NOW from your CSE so that you'll have current information to act on when Annual Review comes along. 4. The rules regarding taping of the meeting. 5. Organization of records. 6. Ghost writing letters (for asking for additional evaluations, for objecting to what was decided, for requesting IEE's, etc.) 7. Tips on tactics that can work. 8. Recommendations for outside evaluators. Do you think there is a need for this sort of service? Are there any other things you think I would be able to do for parents from behind-the-scenes? I'm planning on putting out some advertising soon, so I'd love anyone's input before I do that. Feel free to PM me or to put your ideas on this thread. Thanks everyone. I think their is definatly a need. I wish there were more ppl around here todo this. IEP's and IFSP's are confusing the first time around. We have been fortunate with our daughter having ASD we had great support who are still there for us with our son. Plus the school that we choose to send the kids to for preschool was only for MRDD children.. I wish that more parents got the real help they need when making up the IEP with the teachers and ect.I would clearly hire you for that (we do not live in LI unfortunatly). I am not at the point where I'd take out a loan to hire an attorney or professional advocate yet. The advocacy services through the district or non-profit organizations are free or more affordable but I have not felt that they have been able to tell me much beyond what I already know and they tend not to be specific enough. I'd love to have something in between: someone who clearly knows a lot more than me and can take the time to come and be very specific about what I need to do. So absolutly, I see a great need. I think the main problem you will have is that you will have parents who can't afford full advocacy services or an attorney but do not have enough knowledge yet on how to stand up on their own at a meeting. I think advocacy is a pretty steep learning curve and 3-4 hours alone are not going to be enough. I guess you will just be very specific about what a few hours of advocacy tutoring will and will not do for them. I agree that not having an advocate actually come to a meeting is a drawback, but so many people cannot afford the upwards of $400 per meeting and many just need to have the specifics of their child "translated" for them by someone who is going to be entirely clear. I hear SO many school district professionals who slant the information in their favor. They do not lie, but they couch the information in terms that confuse parents. I'm hoping this service could at least help straighten that out. I'd LOVE to take private clients and go to IEP Team meetings, but I love my job, too, and don't want to quit. I'm hoping this can also work. I think this is a wonderful idea. Advocates are so expensive and some parents learn all they know about rights and procedures from the school which already has its own agenda. Another suggestion would be to contact SEPTAs and see if they would pay you to speak. I know they are always looking for speakers for general meetings. Tzoya, if you are willing to travel into the City - you could make a fortune doing this! $80 per hour is cheap for this type of service. Ghost writing letters alone would be worth it. You truly do not need an Advocate at the meetings, as long as your paperwork is in order and you know what to say. If you could add in "telephone consultation" for meeting (i.e, if there's a problem, the parents could phone you for the answer), that would also be invaluable. If a Service like this were available when we started our insane journey trying to navigate through the BOE last year, we wouldn't be shelling out $5,000 for a lawyer who does nothing but through around his name! Good luck - I know you will be successful with this! NYC is its own crazy world. I know this because I did my practicum with Susan Luger, a really effective advocate in Manhattan. She and her team of advocates work all over NYC. They are very effective in getting private placements for kids. That is their goal -- not getting a good IEP in the local school district, but getting the child OUT of the District at BOE expense. I would STRONGLY recommend her. I CHOSE to not work in NYC because of the crazy system there, so I defintely don't want to keep in touch. I don't think I could be effective except to get kids OUT. And Susan is already doing a great job at that. Parents who can't afford expensive advocates in NYC are really at a loss. No one is going to face that miserable system unless they get paid top dollar. Even me.
I am already speaking at SEPTAs FOR FREE as part of my day job. The advocacy organization I work for is funded to do free workshops and I'm one of the ones who does them. I LOVE this part of my work. I could never have parents call me from a CSE because I am NOT ALLOWED to participate in CSE's in any way except through my job. All I can do is give private, in-home parent training. Anything else is against my contract. But thanks for the suggestions. |
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