Advocate Feature
April Rehrig
Licensed Educational Psychologist | Board Certified Educational
Advocate, Fellow | Founder, Rise Educational Advocacy
This month, we're honored to feature April Rehrig, a nationally
respected special education advocate and founder of Rise
Educational Advocacy & Consulting. With over two decades of
experience as a school psychologist and countless IEPs behind
her, April blends professional expertise in psychoeducational
assessments with building strength-based education plans.
Her signature Build a Better IEP™ curriculum has helped families nationwide take confident, strategic steps toward lasting progress. Get to know April below.
April Rehrig
Licensed Educational Psychologist & Advocate
Licensed Educational Psychologist & Advocate
A Conversation with April
Tell us a little about your background and what led you to
advocacy.
Advocacy has been a lifelong passion. As a teen, I started as
a camp counselor, then transitioned into academic tutoring,
which led to a paraprofessional, substitute teacher,
elementary teacher, and then school psychologist for 20 years.
Advocacy was a natural transition after raising three boys,
while navigating IEPs and 504 Plans for K12 and postsecondary
institutions.
What services do you currently offer to parents?
Rise Advocacy offers a wealth of highly specialized services
and support to families. We provide virtual and in-person
advocacy services nationwide. We also offer Do It Yourself
online IEP workshops, fillable templates and guides, along
with tons of how-to videos on YouTube and Instagram.
What makes your approach unique?
We give families the instructions and directions on HOW to
advocate so parents can navigate the IEP and 504 process with
confidence.
What's one piece of advice you give every parent prepping for
an IEP meeting?
If things aren't working at the table, it's time to change
your approach. Parents make the best advocates; you know your
child best and have been on the team the longest. All you need
is the right tools to advocate like a pro!
What kind of families or challenges are the best fit for your
services?
Rise approaches advocacy differently. We're seeking families
who want to actively collaborate with schools to learn WHAT to
do and HOW to advocate using a strength-based approach. We
help families initiate the IEP or 504 process and modify
existing plans, while avoiding due process and mediation.
How can parents start working with you?
To schedule a specialized 30-minute virtual consultation,
click
https://www.riseeducationaladvocacy.com/contact
Based in Los Angeles, Available Nationwide
April works with families across California and beyond. Whether
you're navigating your first eligibility meeting or looking to
overhaul an outdated IEP, her guidance is clear, strategic, and
rooted in what works.