Special Education Coach and Advocate for Your Child's IEP

Learn the IEP process from a former special education teacher and campus leader who has sat on the school's side of the table. When you need more than coaching, we step in as your advocate.

Book a Free Consultation

Or call (512) 865-1937

Response commitment: submissions during business hours get a reply within 2 hours. Outside business hours or on weekends, expect a response within 24 hours.

What a Special Education Coach Actually Does

A special education coach helps you understand the system your child's education runs on and gives you the words to speak up inside it. That means reading evaluations and progress data the way school staff read them, knowing which requests must be made in writing, and walking into a meeting with a plan instead of a knot in your stomach. The IEP Coach goes one step further than advice. We coach you, and when the situation calls for it we act as your advocate: reviewing records, writing to the district, sitting in the meeting with you, and negotiating the services your child is owed. You can read more about that side of the work on our special education advocate page.

Most families who reach out fall into one of three groups. Some are brand new to special education, holding a first evaluation report or a 504 plan and unsure what any of it commits the school to do. If that is you, start with what an IEP actually is. Others have been in the process for years and feel talked over, rushed, or quietly dismissed at every meeting. And some are simply comparing options: do this myself, or bring in outside help. Coaching exists for exactly that decision, because once you understand the process you can tell the difference between a school that is trying and a school that is stalling. When the school is already ignoring the plan on paper, see what to do when the school is not following the IEP.

Coaching vs. Advocacy: What You Actually Get

Pure coaching stops at advice. You get information and preparation, then you carry it into the room alone. Our model is different. Coaching is the foundation, and advocacy is available the moment you need someone at the table with you, speaking on your family's behalf. Alan Driggers is a former special education teacher and behavior specialist and a former 504 coordinator, with master's degrees in special education and educational leadership. He has written IEPs, run ARD and IEP meetings, and made the calls districts make, which is why he can tell you what the school is likely to say before they say it. Texas families also get added depth in the ARD meeting process.

In the first few weeks, the change is concrete. We read the current IEP or 504 plan line by line and mark where goals are vague, where services are thin, and where accommodations were never carried into the classroom. We build a short list of gaps worth pressing on, put the right requests in writing, and prepare you for the next meeting so you know your talking points, your documentation, and your limits before you sit down. Families usually tell us the biggest shift is that meetings stop feeling like something happening to them.

If that is the kind of support you want for your child, the next step is a short conversation about where things stand.

What coaching includes

Coaching is for parents who want to understand the system, not just survive it. Together we will cover:

  • How to read evaluations, present levels, and progress reports the way school teams do
  • How to spot vague goals, thin services, and accommodations that never reach the classroom
  • How to write requests that trigger the school's legal obligations
  • How to prepare for an IEP or ARD meeting so you are not caught off guard
  • What FAPE, LRE, Child Find, and prior written notice mean in plain language
  • Behavior support: FBAs, BIPs, suspensions, and manifestation determination reviews

Coach or advocate?

Coach

  • Teaches you the IEP process
  • Prepares you to handle meetings yourself
  • Best when you want confidence and control

Advocate

  • Reviews records and communicates with the school
  • Sits beside you at meetings
  • Best when the school stalls, denies, or delays

Many families start with coaching. If the situation escalates, your support scales up to full advocacy without starting over with someone new. Learn more on our special education advocate page.

When coaching is the right fit

  • Your child is new to special education and the paperwork feels like a foreign language
  • A meeting is coming up and you want to walk in prepared, not anxious
  • The plan looks fine on paper but your gut says your child is not making progress
  • You want to handle meetings yourself but need an expert to pressure-test your strategy

If the school is actively refusing evaluations or not delivering services already written into the IEP, coaching alone is usually not enough. Those situations call for advocacy. Start with our guide on what to do when the school is not following the IEP.

How it works

1

Intake

Tell us about your child, the school, and what has happened so far.

2

Consultation

We review your situation and agree on a plan: coaching, advocacy, or both.

3

Support

We build your strategy, prepare you for meetings, and attend with you if needed.

Coach and advocate vs. lawyer

  • A special education attorney handles litigation, due process hearings, and court filings
  • A coach and advocate works earlier and more collaboratively
  • We focus on getting evaluations ordered, goals rewritten, and services delivered
  • If your case truly needs an attorney, we will tell you directly and help you prepare for the handoff

Virtual coaching, nationwide

  • All coaching and advocacy is virtual by video, phone, and email
  • IDEA is federal law, so your child's core rights apply in every state
  • We attend IEP meetings remotely, which most districts now accommodate
  • Texas families get added depth in the ARD process, TEA complaints, and evaluation timelines

About your coach

  • Former special education teacher with a specialization in behavior
  • Former campus leader and 504 coordinator
  • Holds master's degrees in Special Education and Educational Leadership
  • Has written IEPs, run meetings, and managed the district side of the process
  • That insider knowledge is now on your side of the table
Book a Free Consultation

Or call (512) 865-1937. Start with a short intake so we can understand your situation before we talk.

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