Self-advocacy is a crucial skill for all children, but it is especially important for those with special needs. Learning to express their needs, understand their rights, and communicate effectively can empower them to navigate both school and life with confidence. One teacher recently shared in one of the comments in my Instagram post a powerful moment when a student proudly described herself as a "very determined self-advocate"—a testament to the impact of teaching these essential skills.

I know, it seems silly that I would have a favorite word for an IEP goal. I often tease the teams I work saying, "You know I would like you to add my favorite word here…" But why is consecutive my favorite word?

Let's be honest; there are a million things to consider when examining an IEP. It really can get overwhelming. Where do I start? Why do I need to worry about anything other than goals? Isn't this the school's job?

As a teacher, I can't tell you how frustrating it is to suspect a child has a learning disability just to have the school refuse to test them. Fixing this issue has become a passion for me. But the question remains for many parents, 'when should I ask for my child to be evaluated?'

Most of my readers are already in the throws of an IEP, so this process is behind them. However, if you are reading this and that describes you, please leave your experience below for others to read and learn from. Two of my three children have been evaluated. My youngest has been through 6 evaluations (2 through the school and four private.) Our experiences have been vastly different, but there are some constants, so I will speak to those. But please know no two experiences are the same.

Yay! You did it. You successfully advocated for your child to be tested for a learning disability. Congratulations! You have jumped the first hurdle of many.

My child has been diagnosed, but the school said that doesn’t matter.” This statement is one of the most common frustrations I hear from parents.

Okay, this might sound cheesy, but the best "gift" I ever gave my dyslexic child was access to Learning Ally.

Embracing a growth mindset through discomfort can be challenging, but it is an important part of your child's personal development.

I think the easiest way to tackle this topic is to go with the old-fashioned, who, what, where, when, why?

Why is it so hard to identify dyslexia? I often tell my clients it is because dyslexia is found in the subtests. But what does that mean? It means if you only look at composite scores on psychological and educational evaluations, you may not see evidence of dyslexia.

If you didn't know, I was a teacher. I have taught many grades in many different states. I love teaching, I love shaping lives, and I love making each kid feel like they belong, even though they are unique.

This has been a hot topic in the reading round for several years. If you’re in the know, you will know that this hot topic is “the science of reading .” Although new to many, the science of reading has been around for decades, and researchers have compiled literally thousands of studies conducted in multiple languages. These studies have been put together, peer-reviewed, and widely accepted as evidence to inform how proficient readers learn to read and write. In addition, we have learned through this research why some readers have difficulty learning to read and what remediation can be implemented to mitigate those struggles.

Unless you are brand new to the IEP arena, the term SMART goals are probably not new to you. However, a refresher on a SMART goal and how to help craft them with the IEP team is never a bad idea.

As kids get older and enter middle school and high school the information in their IEP are no longer left to just one or two adults. They may have 6, 8 ,15 adults at school that SHOULD know the ins and outs of their IEP but probably do not. So here are a few tips to help with self advocacy.

This post was inspired by a follower asking the following question: my son's IEP goals have been carried over from year to year, although in 7th grade, all assessments are from first and 2nd grade. I disagree that these are his baselines. How can I get them to update this information?