Find an advocate for your next District of Columbia IEP meeting. Advocates are not attorneys and cannot represent you in court.
8 virtual advocates who work with District of Columbia schools
Advocacy is paid work. The person you hire answers to you and not to the school district.
District of Columbia is one state with one set of deadlines, and the district running your school is where the real answer comes from.
Most of what gets paid for in District of Columbia happens by email.
Request the whole file in writing before you hire anyone. Schools have to hand parents the education records they keep.
These advocates are not based in District of Columbia. They join IEP meetings by video or phone, which IDEA allows when you and the school agree.
Virtual · based in Cumming, GA · works with District of Columbia schools
Founder
I’m Russell Lloyd, founder of YourChild.org, author, mentor, and special education advocate. I review the record, find the gaps, build the strategy, prepare the parent, and lead IEP meetings.
Virtual · based in Houston, TX · works with District of Columbia schools
Special Education Advocate
~Beginning of school year document review sale - $50(Up to 4hrs) Non-Attorney Certified Special Education Advocate with 13 years of healthcare experience & 2 years of advocacy experience.
Virtual · based in Atlanta, GA · works with District of Columbia schools
School Psychologist & Parent Advocate
I’m a certified School Psychologist, Parent Advocate, and Coach dedicated to helping families navigate special education with confidence.
Virtual · based in Austin, TX · works with District of Columbia schools
Special Education Advocate
Hi, My name is David Gonzales. Living in Austin, TX, but originally from Los Angeles, CA. I carry a masters degree in special education and currently practice as a sped teacher.
Virtual · based in Kansas City, MO · works with District of Columbia schools
Navigate Special Education with Clarity and Confidence - Guiding Families. Building Futures.
Dr. Diane is a special education advocate and founder of Steppingstone Services, LLC. She holds a Ph.D.
Virtual · based in Arlington Heights, IL · works with District of Columbia schools
Special Education Advocate
I am a former special education teacher, with experience in public and therapeutic day schools.
Virtual · based in Hawthorne, NJ · works with District of Columbia schools
IEP Consultant, School Social Worker, Advocacy
I am a Child Study Team School Social Worker, with a Master of Social Work from Fordham University. I have core competencies in special education law, mental health, and behavioral health.
Virtual · based in San Diego, CA · works with District of Columbia schools
Special Education Advocate
At the Sanford Autism Advocacy Group (SAAG), we are a small but mighty special education consulting group with an emphasis on Autism and IEPs.
Every public school in District of Columbia answers to the same state agency, and a rule the district quotes at you can be checked against what that agency has actually published.
Scale is not the point. A district with one experienced case manager often runs better meetings than a district with forty schools.
States are allowed to write their own evaluation deadline instead of using the federal one. What District of Columbia requires is 60 calendar days.
Write what you want the school to add on one page and send it in advance, because a team that has read your list cannot pretend it never came up.
OSSE's State Complaint Office investigates written complaints that a public agency broke IDEA or District special education rules. Email a signed complaint to osse.ideastatecomplaints@dc.gov, or mail it to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Specialized Education, 1050 First St. NE, Fifth Floor, Washington, DC 20002. The model form is optional.
Decision timeline
OSSE has 60 days to issue a Letter of Decision, unless exceptional circumstances apply to that complaint. The parent and the public agency can agree to extend that clock to try mediation. The letter is final at OSSE. If the issue is still open, a parent can request mediation or file a due process complaint.
Training varies, and so does what it proves. A parent who asks how many District of Columbia IEP meetings an advocate sat in last year learns more than a certificate would show.
A certificate says nothing about Washington. Ask what the advocate has filed with a district here and what came back.
Advocates do not decide complaints. The Office of the State Superintendent of Education does, and only after somebody files one in writing.
You sign, not the advocate. Consent and the plan itself both need a parent signature.
Being listed for District of Columbia is not the same as taking every case here, so read the service area on each profile before you write to anyone.
Experience with the district your child attends matters more than the number of years printed on a profile page.
IDEA requires parent participation in IEP meetings and allows a meeting to run by video or phone when you and the school agree.
Some districts still prefer everybody in the room. Confirm the format in writing so nobody arrives to an empty table.
How it works
Find Parent Advocates is a free directory, not a referral service. You browse profiles, compare rates and reviews, and contact the advocate you choose. We do not assign anyone to you.
Browse
Compare advocates across District of Columbia, including virtual options. Filter by rate, reviews and focus area.
Contact
Reach out to whoever fits. Most advocates start with a free call.
Hire
Agree the scope and the rate in writing before any work starts.
Work together
Work through the records, the letter and the meeting in that order.
Find Parent Advocates is not a party to your contractual relationship with the advocate. We are not responsible for the fees or services provided.
Answers about hiring a special education advocate in District of Columbia, including cost, timing, virtual support, and Section 504 help.
How much should I budget for one IEP meeting?
Flat fees are common for a single meeting and hourly billing is common for everything else. Many advocates give a free first call. Nobody bills you through this site, so ask each person how they invoice.
Is it too late to bring in an advocate?
Most parents call after a school says no to testing, after goals repeat unchanged for a year, or a week before an annual review. Earlier is cheaper. An advocate hired the night before a meeting can only read so much.
Is remote IEP advocacy allowed?
Yes. IDEA, the federal special education law, requires parent participation in IEP meetings and allows alternative means such as video or phone when you and the school agree. Your advocate does not have to live nearby.
Do I have to use an advocate from my own town?
Every card on this page names the city the advocate works from. Advocates listed under the virtual heading live somewhere else and work with families here by video or phone.
Do advocates here work on Section 504 plans in District of Columbia?
Yes, and the rules differ slightly. Section 504 does not spell out who may attend the way IDEA does, so ask the school in writing before the meeting and keep the answer.
Is a 504 plan weaker than an IEP?
The short version. IEP means the school changes what is taught and how, and Section 504 means the school changes the conditions around it.
These links connect you to your state education agency and complaint options. Advocates on this page can also explain what each step means for your child.
Last reviewed 2026-08-29.
