Services

What does an advocate do?

An advocate can help you through the special education process in many ways:

Assist in understanding parental and child rights under IDEA and state law
Assist during the referral process or eligibility determination
Interpret evaluation reports
Evaluate current and proposed Individual Education Program (IEP) goals and objectives
Evaluate Functional Behavior Assessments (FBAs) and Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs)
Suggest appropriate services, programs, accommodations, and/or modifications to meet the individual needs of the student
Analyze progress monitoring data
Prepare parents for IEP/504 meetings
Attend IEP/504 meetings
Draft communications to school/district personnel
Evaluate whether a child's placement is appropriate
Assist with the dispute process, including providing advice as to when an attorney may be necessary

What does the process look like?

Every child has unique needs, and each family has a different idea of what they need from an advocate. No matter what your child's situation looks like, the basic process is the same for everyone:

Schedule your initial 30-minute consultation.
After the consultation, you will receive a formal proposal outlining how an advocate can help. This includes an initial cost estimate as well as a contract to retain services.
If you decide to move forward, you will return the signed contract as well as a $300 deposit (to be used toward services rendered).
You and your advocate will work together to get your child the education they deserve.

How much will it cost?

Many factors go into the total cost of advocacy services for a specific family. Our services are billed hourly, so you will be charged only for the actual amount of time spent working for your child.

Advocacy services are $120 per hour. This includes reviewing educational records, research, writing and reviewing correspondance, attending meetings, and any additional services needed.
Phone calls are $25 per hour
If you choose ONLY to have a records review, you will be billed a one-time fee of $200.
An additional $0.60 per mile will be charged for all travel to and from meetings/observations outside of a 30-mile radius from the SEAC office in Huntersville, NC. Meetings can be attended virtually for no additional charge.

We recognize that not everyone can afford to pay for the services of an advocate. While our fees are significantly cheaper than attorney fees, we understand that they are cost prohibitive for some. The "Resources" tab above provides a list of some free resources. Additionally, we have an online course which teaches you how to be an advocate for your child. It can be found at the "Parent Advocacy 101" tab above.

Schedule Your Consultation

Please use the widget to the right to schedule your 30-minute initial consultation. After scheduling, a confirmation email will be sent to the email address provided. Please reply to the email with copies of any relevant documents (IEP/504/evaluation reports) by the Friday prior to your consultation. Failure to do so will result in cancellation of your consultation. Contact admin@advocacyofthecarolinas.com if you have any questions or need assistance.

Email: admin@advocacyofthecarolinas.com
Phone: 704-372-4700