Special Education Advocate Massachusetts:
Special Education Advocate Massachusetts: Advocacy for Families Facing Educational Challenges in Massachusetts
My job is to ensure that your child receives the specific resources he or she requires in order to learn and grow.
I bring to the table two decades of experience in negotiating with school districts to achieve successful outcomes for students across Massachusetts for advocacy and include throughout the country for therapeutic consulting.
I have consulted with parents through thousands of IEP meetings. Negotiating with the school district can be anxiety-provoking for parents who simply want what is appropriate for their child. This is where I come in.
Maureen(Special Education Advocate Massachusetts) was trained by the Federation for Children with Special Needs (Certificate Program). She has a B.A in Psychology from University of Massachusetts, a Masters of Science in Human Service from The University of Massachusetts, and a Certificate in College Counseling from UCLA. Maureen completed several advanced legal training courses in Special Education from Suffolk Law School, and has completed many Wrightslaw Trainings throughout the years. Professional Memberships: Special Needs Advocacy Network, (SPANN) Independent Education Consulting Association (IECA) and Therapeutic Consultants Association (TCA) and a Member of Boston Business Woman.
Meet the Team
Founder, Advocate & Therapeutic Consultant
Maureen is a Special Education Advocate Massachusetts with two decades of experience in the Boston area. She is dedicated to ensuring that children with special needs receive a Free and Appropriate Public Education. Book a 30-minute consultation here.
Community and Operations Specialist
Kristen works closely with you and the members of our team to ensure the delivery of impactful and efficient advocacy services. In short, her goal is to support your exceptional experience. Reach out at team@asktheadvocate.org!
What to expect:
We begin with a one-on-one consultation to evaluate your child’s current performance.
Then we review and examine records, evaluations, assessments, developmental history, current and past education plans, report cards and progress reports.
From there I will recommend appropriate services that will meet your child’s unique profile.
Utilizing my extensive proven network, I match the needs of your child to programs, providers and schools.
We collaborate on designing the right path to best serve your child’s unique needs.
To ensure long-term success, I build an education team based on the unique strengths and challenges of your child.
I can also help as Special Education Advocate Massachusetts:
Reviewing current performance and setting measurable goals.
IEP consultation and written feedback.
Recommendations on placement options.
How to build effective working relationships with your child’s team.
Representation at meeting(s) to convey highlights history, performance, strengths and weaknesses, vision, and concerns.
Drafting effective letters for school and other agencies.Identifying supports and services for students heading into college. (Maureen received an advanced certification from UCLA in College Counseling and is qualified to help support your child with Learning Challenges to successfully transition to college.)
Knowledge is Power.
Know your child’s rights.
I possess a comprehensive knowledge of federal and state regulations around Special Education law. I believe in the ability of parents and teachers to work together to avoid conflict and confrontation, to design the very best plan to achieve long-term success. In many cases, this can be done without resorting to legal proceedings.
My approach is always to build a case as if we are going to a hearing—with knowledge of the law, attention to detail, and all the necessary testing and documentation to justify the services we are requesting.
Know what’s out there.
It’s important to know about the different kinds of services that are available. There is an exhaustive list and it is growing all the time. I have successfully advocated for a vast array of services, including but are not limited to:
Home based services
Parent training
Behavioral services
Device training
Recreational activities
Music therapy
Know who to call.
I build a team around your child comprised of the best professionals in their respective fields. Within my network there are proven specialists including:
Neuropsychologists
Board Certified Behavioral Analysts (BCBA)
Lawyers
Assistive Technology Specialists
Augmentative Communication Specialists
Occupational Therapists, Feeding Specialists
Physical Therapists
Speech-Language Pathologists
Chat with me
Let’s discuss your child’s needs and how I may be able to help.