Online Special Education Advocacy

The IEP meeting had just ended.

“That went pretty well,” you confidently say to yourself, walking towards the school parking lot.

There was a thorough discussion of the ins and outs of your child's disability…

A roundtable conversation about academic modifications, appropriate breaks, and redirects…

Schedule changes were discussed and observed…

You spoke up and voiced your concerns, opinions, and recommendations to the staff and they seemed to be attentive to your needs.

That is... until you received a copy of the new IEP a few days later.

* buries face in hands *

All you want is for your child to get the services they need, get the education they deserve, and create a safe environment for them and the rest of the classroom.

Instead, you're feeling shrugged off, steamrolled, and gaslit.

With the lack of changes… despite speaking up.

The bullying and anxiety your child experiences… despite voicing your concerns.

And the school's lack of refusal to do... well, anything.

You begin to wonder if all of the fight is even worth it and seriously begin to contemplate pulling them from the system altogether and homeschooling.

You see other parents at local get-togethers and inside Facebook groups get the accommodations they need for their child.

I took your class last year and I have a 4-year-old with autism in pre-k in TN. We were so worried about his IEP last week, fighting for him to stay on a modified schedule in order to receive outside therapies, which the school wasn’t allowing without it being an unexcused absence, so we were at risk of being removed from the program. The school said they can’t provide FAPE on the modified schedule, they didn’t accept the letter of medical necessity from the developmental pediatrician, etc. (Lots of obstacles for us!) We reached out to many state resources and talked to lots of professionals, but I kept wanting to tell you about it! For days and weeks leading up to the IEP I had to keep reminding myself “Do not email Lisa Lightner! You can do this!”

I rewatched so many of your lectures and I had my little lighthouse in mind and all my data and I was just so prepared.

We got everything we wanted, and what my son was entitled to, and didn’t ruffle any feathers of the IEP team while doing it. I have a whole life of advocating for my son ahead of me and I know how important this is. Anyway, after we finally got our ask- the modified schedule- I still wanted to email you! I thought it might be nice for you to know that your “Don’t IEP alone” program is exactly that. I felt like you were helping me the whole way, so I wasn’t doing it alone. So many other parents are out there are doing the same thing. I hope you realize the huge difference you are making for so many families and the lives of our children by teaching these skills!

— Kaleigh B

Over the past decade, I have attended hundreds of IEP and 504 meetings and manifestation hearings. With all kinds of kids and parents and school teams.

And what I've learned is this: Our kids may be very different from each other. But IDEA and the IEP process never changes. It is the same process for every child.

This exclusive academy contains the exact framework, resources, and tools that I use with my paying clients -- and now, I'm making them available to all parents.

Best of all, when you follow the prescribed IEP process (per IDEA) and have solid documentation, IEP meetings are nothing more than an annual formality.

I want to provide you with comprehensive lessons to expertly guide and provide new ideas to use in your own advocacy. Plus, the camaraderie of LIVE virtual chats and private FB group convos to keep you encouraged, motivated and informed so you're never left questioning or alone in the process.

Sure, other websites offer IEP training.

But, not many of them are created by someone who is both a parent and an advocate. And a former teacher.

The school staff or clinicians put most resources together, not parents or advocates.

With this IEP Academy, you don't just get a bunch of hard-to-understand, dry, and impersonal information (boring!)

You get me teaching you everything I know (think: parent-to-parent) -- PLUS a live community where you can find support and answers to your most pressing questions and learn how to get to a "YES!" faster.

Plus, the best and most helpful IEP advice you'll find online; literally thousands of satisfied families depend on it.

I've been saying I would increase the price for over a year. When enrollment opens again in January, it will be $99 more to cover my increased costs.

Is This an E-Book, Lisa?

This is not an e-book. This is an online training course, made up of dozens of videos and printable PDFs to accompany the modules. Make every section work for you to better advocate for your child - PLUS receive access to live Q&A sessions hosted by me virtually on Zoom.

Rest assured - No matter your IEP concern, you can run it through the 4-step process included in this resource and develop a concrete strategy to guide your way forward strategically. And if you run into issues or questions, I'm here to answer them during the question-and-answer timeframe.

Maybe you’ve been an advocate for some time and want an actual roadmap for each student you help. This is a fantastic resource to do that!

You might be thinking, "But I am advocating and speaking up in meetings......"

"I am a good advocate. Do I still need to enroll in the Academy?"

Well, is this you?

Here's the thing. Over 13 years of advocacy, this is what I've learned. Most parents "don't know what they don't know," as the saying goes. They think they are good advocates, and that their team is just extraordinarily difficult. But the truth is that most parents don't know how to use the IEP process to their advantage.

And this is what that looks like:

There comes a time in every IEP parent’s life when he has to stand up and say, “enough is enough.” And that’s the day when you decide to change your child's education experience for the better by digging in and being the best IEP advocate you can be.

I know what it’s like.

When Kevin was a baby, I spent a lot of time just thinking about it.

I purchased a lot of books on the topic. I even attended school district training sessions.

Problem was...

I didn't know what I didn't know. Oh sure, all the IEP manuals and guides stacking up on my bookshelf and hard drive made it look like I was serious. All the charges on my Visa bill made me look pretty serious.

The problem is, I thought I was taking action.

I dabbled.

I did things like stepping out of my comfort zone and speaking up at meetings.

And I would email my team, assuming they would follow through. Yet I never got serious enough about it to really understand my rights and the IEP process defined by IDEA.

But then something happened that rocked me to my very core. And maybe you can relate to this…

One day it seemed like everything was fine. I was just going through life with two toddlers. Then suddenly, I was knee-deep in the Kindergarten Transition process. (and Kevin had just turned 4!)

I can’t even begin to tell you how those meetings shocked me.

It really was the proverbial wake up call when the LEA said "We appreciate your input Mrs. Lightner, but we will not be making any changes to this IEP today."

Because suddenly I realized I had to get better IEP meeting results or Kevin was going to end up in a placement that I loathed... and one that was really inappropriate for him.

You can bet I got serious really quick.

I stopped messing around. I stopped dabbling.

And I started learning my parental rights and how to leverage the IEP process in my favor.

It wasn’t always easy.

I quickly found out the learning curve is steep when you’re trying to learn about IEPs.

But I did it. In just about a year, I went from completely stressing about what his placement would be to a desirable placement. And, that was kindergarten -- he's in 11th grade now and still in the same placement.

-Lisa

"Your product helped me in many ways but to be honest, the biggest role it played in me helping my son was that I didn’t know ANYTHING about IEPs at the time. Therefore, I didn’t know anything was required, that I had rights and that I played a key role in the process. Because of the organizer (and the questions it helped me generate), I went from being a mom whose son never even had an IEP to a mom whose son was approved for a nonpublic school that can meet his needs. I went from being a total rookie to an all star."

But when you arrive at the administrative office the next day to voice your concerns, the SPED supervisor tells you,

“I wasn’t aware of that agreement, I’ll have to look into that when I have time next week.”

As you walk away without any answers once again, you sigh to yourself, "How could I be so naïve."

Instead, you're feeling shrugged off, steamrolled, and gaslit.

From one IEP parent to another - Can we have a real conversion for a minute?

For what you'd pay to hire an advocate for a few hours you're going to have this lifetime of knowledge & access.

Hello, I'm Lisa!

I want to help you be a Better IEP Advocate.

Master the IEP process AND get a path to "YES!" faster using my simple 4 Step Process.

01

Organize

02

Opportunity & Research

03

Communicate

04

Action

Honest, straightforward and (best part) easy to understand IEP information you can implement right away.

Experience Why So Many IEP Parents Trust Us.

What Makes My Academy Different?

Simply put, there's no other program like it on the market.

This signature resource helps shortcut the typically long, painful, and drawn-out IEP process while equipping you with a lifetime of precious advocacy skills you can use for your child—or to advocate for others.

- Complete -

Complete Library of Resources

- New this year! -

Easy

Data Collection

- Be ready -

Prepare for Your IEP Meeting

HERE'S WHAT'S INCLUDED...

Get Everything you Need to Master the IEP Process.

Consider What's Possible

In just a few days, you can completely change the IEP dynamics for your child AND team.

Here's what that would look like....

Is This an E-Book, Lisa?

You might be thinking, "But I am advocating and speaking up in meetings......"

"I am a good advocate. Do I still need to enroll in the Academy?"

You speak up in IEP meetings. But you rarely get your requests added to the IEP.

You read data but feel confused and overwhelmed by it. So you agree that their data points toward progress.

You know your child is struggling but still unsure of exactly what to do.

"It is definitely my go-to for guidance and tools, both as a parent of a daughter with a developmental disability and as an advocate in the community."

~Christina R, Professional Advocate

Organize. Define. Communicate. Action.

–Kim B, Mother of one with Learning Disability

Gain a Confident Ally in the IEP Process

"It felt so empowering to walk into my son's annual IEP with everything laid out and organized so well, as well as having notes written up and pertinent information at my fingertips. Our team was pleased too!"

–Patty H., Mom of 2, one with disabilities transitioning to Middle School

–Erma P.

Find Your "YES!" Faster.

–Lauren R.

REAL RESULTS THAT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES....

Listen to what my friend and neighbor says about this...

Jamie A

Berlyn M

"I am Mom to one son with ADHD and Mild Intellectual Disability. This helped me to learn how to keep track of my son's changing needs and changing IEP plans. It is an awesome tool for staying organized for follow up questions I may need to pose to the IEP team."

–Cindi M.

What is Mastering the IEP Worth to You?

May I ask one question before we depart and go our separate ways?