How to Become a Special-Education Advocate (2025)

Special education advocates help students and their families acquire and retain special education services that best meet their children's needs. These advocates work on behalf of their clients to assist them with understanding how the relevant systems work and to help them get the services they want or need. Some special education advocates are hired privately, while others are available free of charge or for reduced fees through school systems and other organizations.

Advocates vs. Attorneys

Writers at Car Autism Roadmap explain the differences between special education advocates and education law attorneys. While attorneys have law school degrees, some will also have special training in advocacy skills. They are licensed to provide legal advice, work with legal documents and represent their clients in different kinds of court proceedings. Advocates are not allowed to give legal advice or practice law; they do not need licenses and do not have to meet any particular educational requirements.

Effective special education advocates have strong teamwork and interpersonal skills, are empathetic and are able to build collaborative relationships with families and school representatives from diverse backgrounds. Another desired skill is the ability to navigate through local support resources and have a familiarity with the information technology that the schools use. Strong writing, information-gathering and analytical skills are also necessary.

Special Education Advocate Job Duties

Special education advocates often meet separately with schools and parents, and they then act as liaisons between the two parties. They should be very familiar with all of the federal and state laws that pertain to special education services, as well as the school or agency's policies and procedures. A good amount of time will likely be spent explaining all of those details to the parents and caregivers.

Special education students usually go through testing, so their advocates also need to understand how the assessments and reports work. In some cases, advocates may suggest different or additional tests. All of this information as well as the child's education records have to be considered when developing individualized education plans (IEPs) and progress reports.

Staying aware of all the area's special education resources is also in the client's best interests. Sometimes, children need to be referred out to specialists who can better meet their testing and educational needs. The advocate can help with researching the local services, and can help the parents and school staff set up appointments.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

Parents often need help before, during and after meetings at their children's schools. It could be due to the fact that they do not understand how IEPs work and need someone to explain things, or because they are in dispute with the school staff about what best meets their children's educational needs. Special education advocates can assist parents with organizing relevant documents, and they can also accompany parents to the meetings.

Some negotiation is to be expected at the meetings, and this is where a familiarity with relevant special education laws can be helpful. Advocates help families write up IEP and individualized family service plan (IFSP) goals and objectives, and also advise parents on what is contained in Notice of Recommended Educational Placements (NOREPs). When there are disputes, advocates assist parents with understanding how to resolve them. In some situations, referral to a special education attorney is required.

In essence, the goal of a special education advocate is to teach parents how to be more effective at advocating for their child's special education needs. In time, the aim is for the parents to find ways for children to be more independent, and to advocate for themselves. Some advocate work with families for one school year or less, while others stay with families for many years of the child's educational journey.

Special Education Advocate Training

The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) emphasizes the importance of special education advocates, and explains that there are currently no state or federal credentialing requirements for the field. To become a special education advocate, candidates should pursue bachelor's degrees in special education, law or psychology. Courses on disabilities like autism and laws like the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) should be part of the curriculum.

COPAA mentions some of the entities that provide training and certificates for advocates, such as their own agency, plus the National Disability Rights Network and Your Special Education Rights. There are also schools that provide special education law and advocacy training, with classes that focus on working with IEPs, IFSPs, applicable education laws, testing and tactics for effective advocacy.

Special Education Advocate Jobs

To get started as a professional special education advocate, the team at A Day in Our Shoes suggests starting out as an educational surrogate. Some networking will be involved, and it is a good idea to reach out to local agencies that may need volunteers. Another choice is to volunteer to help family and friends. Once a client base is built up and relevant experience gained, special education advocates can seek paying positions.

Job listings from Indeed suggest that the kinds of organizations that hire special education advocates are learning centers, school systems, health and human services organizations and private schools. Many special education advocates also work on their own, and parents hire them privately. In those cases, the advocates may have to spend more time networking and marketing their services. Either way, having that Special Education Advocate Certification could be helpful.

Private advocates usually charge by the hour, and depending on where they are located, this can range from approximately ​$100​ to ​$300​ or more per hour. Indeed shows a yearly special education advocate salary of ​$36,395​, but Glassdoor shows the salary to be more like ​$51,984​.

Advocates who are employed by school systems and other agencies may receive health benefits and more job stability, while private contractors may have to obtain their own health insurance and less dependable income. Having a private practice may mean that the advocate can charge a higher hourly rate, though.

Getting New Clients

Independent special education advocates often rely on referrals to get new clients. Writers at Understood.org post that parents who are seeking these kinds of professionals can go to local advocacy organizations like the Learning Disabilities Association of America, state-sponsored Parent Training and Information Centers, school districts and the COPAA. These groups post lists of available advocates, so it is important to develop relationships with them.

After a parent reaches out to an advocate, an interview may be set up. The advocate can expect to answer questions about their training, experience and fees. Parents may also want to know exactly what the fees will cover, and how much time will be charged. A proposed plan of services, including progress reports, goals and objectives, should also be discussed. It is also not unusual for parents to ask for the names and contact information of previous clients, although privacy laws must be adhered to at all times.

Special education advocates have to be patient with parents and the organizations that they work with. As mentioned, they often act as liaisons, so they have to be effective mediators. Being objective and professional as well as compassionate are all key to being an effective advocate. Parents need to be able to relate to and trust their advocates, and they can often determine this during that initial interview.

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