Honored to Present at the New England NATSAP Conference:
Bringing School Districts to the Table for Student Funding
“Honored to speak at the New England NATSAP Conference on bridging schools and therapeutic programs to ensure students get the support — and funding — they deserve.”
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I was truly honored to present this week at the New England NATSAP Conference on a topic that lies at the heart of my work — “Bringing School Districts to the Table: Unlocking Funding for Students Who Need It Most.”
For over two decades, I’ve worked with families, advocates, and programs navigating one of the most complex and emotionally charged issues in special education: how to secure appropriate services and placements when a student’s needs exceed what a public school can provide. Too often, families are left to shoulder the impossible — trying to find a therapeutic or specialized program that fits their child’s needs while also figuring out how to pay for it.
Now, more than ever, this conversation matters.
Across New England (and the country), social service systems are overwhelmed, mental health needs are skyrocketing, and students are going without the structured, individualized support they need to make progress. We’re seeing longer waitlists for residential and day treatment programs, overburdened school teams, and families who simply don’t know where to turn.
But here’s the truth: school districts can and should be part of the solution.
Under both state and federal law, districts have an obligation to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) — and that includes the services and settings a student requires to make meaningful progress. When approached strategically and collaboratively, it is possible to build bridges between public schools and private therapeutic programs to ensure that students receive the help they need — and that funding follows the student.
In my presentation, I walked participants through:
How to reframe conversations with districts from “we can’t pay for that” to “what are our obligations under IDEA?”
Key legal tools, like Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs) and Prior Written Notice, that create accountability and transparency.
Case examples where persistence, documentation, and collaboration led to fully funded placements and services.
This is not about conflict — it’s about connection. It’s about bringing educators, clinicians, advocates, and families together around a shared goal: helping every student reach their potential, regardless of the complexity of their needs.
I left NATSAP inspired by the passion in the room — from program directors to clinicians to parent advocates — all working toward better outcomes for young people in crisis. These conversations are the spark we need to push systems forward.
Because when we bring school districts to the table, we bring students closer to the services they deserve.
#theraputicfundung #asktheadvocate #specialeducationadvocatema
