What I bring to the table- my own story | Special Education Advocacy ...

It was said recently that educational advocates shouldn?t get emotionally involved in their cases.? That point is well-taken.? It is.? However, I think the personal relationships one develops with their clients make them a better advocate.? From my vantage point, it was a bit surreal to attend a net-working event last week where seven very well-known special education attorneys (3 school, 3 parent, and the Director of the BSEA)? sat on a panel in front of a room full of advocates and evaluators.? Listening to their back-and-forth commentary was fascinating.? It was strange to know all but one on a first name basis because of our family?s special education journey coupled with my work, where I routinely work with many of these folks on behalf of clients.? One of the reasons I do my job well is that I?ve been ?there? as a mom.

A request for hearing is the special education equivalent of a lawsuit, there are other places on this website where you can read about my work regarding these requests.? Right now, I write as a mom.? When the ?end of the rope? utilizing the team meeting process has been reached, we?ve filed for hearing.? It hasn?t been fun, but it achieved what my kids needed.

• We paid a private attorney to try to obtain speech and language therapy for our daughter.? (After this, and thousands of dollars on advocacy and legal fees, our money, and that of our parents, ran out).? Then, when we were officially broke, the Disability Law Center took my daughter?s case.
• A special education advocacy organization, MAC, represented Andrew to obtain necessary supports (ie: 1:1 staffing and consultation) to allow him to successfully be included in general education.? The best special education aide ever worked with him.
• The same special education advocacy agency assigned one of their private attorneys to help obtain a preschool program for my youngest child, in Early Intervention from age 18 months on, after the district found her eligible for related services only.? She thrived and made amazing progress in their preschool program with two phenomenal teachers after we reached a settlement agreement.
• ?Last year, I filed pro-se after the district refused to conduct initial testing.? For all intents and purposes, school districts don?t have a right to refuse to do initial testing in a child?s suspected area of disability.? Their lawyer, who is reasonable and who I like working with, told them to do it; it got done.
• I filed pro-se regarding the lack of home services in the fall and we came to a settlement agreement.

Four kids= five hearing requests in 11 years.? (We?re headed to #6).

I?m sure the comment ?she is an awful mother? has been made, along with worse.? I recall the comments by the former team chairperson, no longer associated with our district, alleging that my son came to school twice in the same, dirty clothes and calling me names I would like to forget.? I?ve been there when the relationship is so broken down, you have no other choice but to litigate.? Like many of you, I didn?t plan on having 3 children with disabilities, all different and all in need of unique supports.? Yet, it?s my responsibility to ensure they receive appropriate services.? In 5 times out of 5, I?ve been successful.

As a mom whose chosen profession is as an educational advocate and special education professional, I offer the following.? This is a dance you and your school district will have to do until perhaps your child is 22 years old.? Parents and school districts need to effectively partner to create success for a student.? They also have to trust that each party truly wants to ensure success for the student.? Money and pride sometimes get in the way.

I get it.? When I am working with a district in a team meeting, during a phone call, or representing a family at a team meeting, or even supporting them in the hearing process, I get it.? As a single mom, I understand doing it alone.? Even when I was married, I get doing this all without a lot of financial resources, never going on vacation (even if my kiddo with autism could handle it), and always both trying to support other parents, yet also letting special ed overtake my personal life.

It?s my hope that, by providing the empathy and understanding I can and do, I am a better educational advocate who does my job effectively and with understanding.? A little kindness goes a long way.

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Laurel Collins is a Boston-based educational advocate who works with children with autism, sensory processing disorder, emotional disabilities & developmental delays.

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