See who is based in Chicago and who works with Illinois schools by video before you contact anyone.
4 based in Illinois · 3 virtual advocates who work with Illinois schools
An IEP advocate goes to school meetings with you and argues for services your child is not getting.
Most of the work happens before anyone sits down in a Chicago conference room.
Advocates also coach. Some Chicago parents hire one for two hours of prep and go into the meeting alone.
Records live with City of Chicago School District 299, not with the front office of one building, and a request addressed to the district gets a faster answer than one that is not.
One of these advocates works from Chicago. The rest are based elsewhere in Illinois. Each card names the city.
Based in Chicago, IL
Virtual Special Education & IEP Consultant
I provide virtual IEP and special education support to families in Illinois and beyond. With experience as a Special Education Director, case manager, and special education teacher, I bring both…
Based in Arlington Heights, IL
Special Education Advocate
I am a former special education teacher, with experience in public and therapeutic day schools.
Based in Inverness, IL
Special Education Advocate
I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders at Michigan State University and a Master’s of Education from DePaul University, with a dual certification in elementary and…
These advocates are not based in Illinois. They join IEP meetings by video or phone, which IDEA allows when you and the school agree.
Virtual · based in Atlanta, GA · works with Illinois 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 Buford, GA · works with Illinois schools
Georgia Special Education & IEP Advocate
Dr. Mary Jo Ray-Jewett is the owner and lead advocate of The IEP Guru, LLC, providing special education advocacy throughout Georgia.
Virtual · based in Oscoda, MI · works with Illinois schools
Special Education Advocate | Certified Neurodiversity Coach | Certified Neuropsychology Coach
Michelle Velazquez is a Special Education Advocate, Educational Consultant, Master IEP Coach®, and Certified Neurodiversity and Neuropsychology Coach.
See all 27 virtual advocates who work with Illinois families
512 public schools inside Chicago belong to City of Chicago School District 299. Each one has its own case manager and its own backlog, and the answer you get about scheduling depends on which building your child attends.
Charter and magnet enrollment changes who owes the service. Ask which agency is responsible before the first meeting.
Confirm your child's district by address before you send a letter or name a district-specific process.
The clock that matters starts when you sign consent. In Illinois it runs 60 school days.
Bring the last two report cards and the current plan. That is usually enough paper to start.
Illinois gives a school district 60 school days to finish an initial special education evaluation. A written request for an evaluation has to be answered inside 14 school days. Missed deadlines are handled by the Illinois State Board of Education, Special Education Department, which takes written state complaints from parents.
Certification programs exist and some advocates hold them. None of them is issued by the Illinois State Board of Education, Special Education Department, and none of them is required to sit in an Illinois IEP meeting.
A certificate says nothing about City of Chicago School District 299. Ask instead what the advocate has filed there and what came back.
Advocates are not attorneys. No advocate in Chicago can file a lawsuit for you or give you legal advice about the case.
Nobody can undo a meeting you already agreed to in writing. Read the page you are asked to sign before the room empties.
One advocate listed here, Milicia, works out of Chicago. The others reach Illinois families by video or by driving in.
Read a profile for what the advocate actually did, not for what the profile claims. Case detail is the tell.
Answers about hiring a special education advocate in Chicago, Illinois, including cost, timing, virtual support, and Section 504 help.
How much does an IEP advocate cost in Chicago?
Most advocates on this directory charge $75 to $150 per hour. A standard cycle with two hours of prep and two hours in the meeting runs about $400. Travel and extra meetings cost more.
At what point do parents usually call an advocate?
Bring somebody in when the file stops making sense to you. A routine review with services in place and progress data that moves usually does not need one.
Do I need a lawyer or an advocate for my child?
Two different jobs. The advocate works the IEP process and the attorney works the legal one. If a hearing is already filed, you need the attorney.
Which school district serves Chicago, Illinois?
City of Chicago School District 299 runs the IEP meetings for most Chicago students. District lines and city lines are not the same, so confirm yours by address before you send a letter.
How long does the IEP evaluation process take in Illinois?
The rule here is 60 school days. It covers the evaluation only. Writing the plan after a child is found eligible is a separate step with its own timing.
Official Illinois links for parents in Chicago.
Last reviewed 2026-08-11.
The same Illinois rules apply in Aurora, Naperville, Joliet, Rockford and the other cities listed here, or see every Illinois advocate.
Start with two calls, not six. Ask each advocate what they would do first with a Chicago file, and hire the one whose answer is specific enough that you could write it down as a task.
Say the name of your school and City of Chicago School District 299 in the first message. That is enough for an advocate to know whether they can take the case.
