Dyslexia Advocates specializes in advocacy for children with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. After a free one hour consultation and our review of any pertinent medical records or school documents, we suggest ways for you to obtain the federally mandated “free appropriate public education” for your child. We can assist you in multiple areas – assessment results, IEP’s vs. 504 Plans, correspondence with the school, preparing for meetings, what to include in an IEP, and much more. Our goal is to make YOU the advocate for your child.

My Story

I graduated from law school in 1988 and practiced law for thirteen years. I then became a stay-at-home parent until my daughter reached middle school age, at which point I searched for a part-time job with hours that coincided with hers. My search landed me in the world of tutoring, eventually specializing in dyslexia.

I have 40 hours of initial training in Orton-Gillingham and multiple hours of additional instruction in structured, multi-sensory literacy. I have tutored dyslexic children one-on-one for over ten years and as a result, I understand the way they learn and need to be taught.

I have also seen first-hand the frustration these children experience in their classrooms, as well as the frustration of parents trying to get help within the public school system. My legal background and knowledge of dyslexia was the perfect match to help fill the void of experienced advocates in the area of learning disabilities.

I have a certification from the William and Mary Law School for completing their Institute of Special Education Advocacy week-long course in Virginia. Acceptance into this program was not automatic and required research, a multi-page application, and approval by a panel of nationally recognized experts in the area of special education law. The course itself was taught by these same experts and more, including Peter Wright of Wrightslaw. The intimate setting (only 50 attendees were chosen) allowed for one-on-one conversations with the best in this business both during and after the seven-hour instruction days.

I recently added to my resume certification from The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) for completing their twelve week Special Education Law & Related Services online attorney training. As with the Institute of Special Education Advocacy, acceptance was limited (less than 40 applications approved nationwide). The course itself required four legal analysis papers written over the twelve week period, each reviewed and critiqued by COPAA instructors.