IEP Help, Advice Needed!!!!

[taylor3297]

$775.00!!!! YIKES!!!! Around here they are free as they are part of not-for-profit agencies that get federal/state funding for such. I suggest you look at your local ARC or other not-for-profit agency that serves people with developmental disabilities to see if they have a department that employs advocates or somebody who could be an educational advocate. Many times they are found in the Family Support Services Department.

Advocates are free in most states. I have never heard of paying for an advocate.

 

[bookwormde]

Here is the link to the Center for your area that is funded by IDEA to supply information and advocacy

http://www.advocacycenter.com/

 

[carrie6466]

So I spoke with an advocate today and it will cost $775 for her to help me, is this the going rate for advocates? Thanks everyone for all of your support and advice it means so much to me. I feel that even when the district could help they dropped the ball. (1) Last year when I asked the principal to modify ds math program to work on basics...Was told NO can't be done. However this year speaking up at a SEPTA meeting,the head of special head was able to have the teachers modify ds math program! (2) I found out online this year about touch math and told the school,they owned the program and NO one thought to try it with my ds.It is helping ds and I am frustrated that they did not try it without me asking (3) DS scored at a level 1 on the state test in math and was to start AIS services in September, he started TWO WEEKS AGO!!!! The state test for this year is in two weeks!!!!!! So even when he qualified for extra help the district dropped the ballThese are some of the points I want to stress at his next meeting.Because it does not seem to matter to the district that my child knows how to do basic math.I just want my ds to be able to handle money and tell time.Thanks for listening and wish me luck

Does that include review of all the previous paperwork? I know the one we used charges $500 to go to a CSE meeting. The agency has people that review the paperwork and you pay by the hour for that. They do it just prior to your meeting. They also will either go to court with you or help you get a lawyer, if you need one. It didn't actually come to that when we used them, though.

I have yet to find one agency on Long Island that does not charge fees. The school district apparently has some that they 'recommend' that are supposedly free. I'll pass on that.

 

[irishsharon]

Thanks everyone for your support and advice.The non-profit advocate center is who gave me the name of the advocate who charges $775.If I need an advocate to read all the reports and come to the CSE meeting with me this is what I will be charged.I did call another advocacy center and they said as a PP said to send a certified letter to the chairperson of my childs CSE meeting and have them explain to me in writing what they are willing to do and not do.I just feel like we have tried it their way for the past 3 years, why not try it my way.