Find an advocate for your next Mississippi IEP meeting. Advocates are not attorneys and cannot represent you in court.
8 virtual advocates who work with Mississippi schools
Nobody is required to bring one. Federal law lets a parent walk into an IEP meeting alone.
Search happens late. Most people reach this page with a meeting already on the calendar.
Before the meeting an advocate reads the plan against the evaluation and pulls the progress data to see whether the goals actually moved.
Write down what changed at home. Teachers see one room for one hour and parents see the rest of the day.
These advocates are not based in Mississippi. They join IEP meetings by video or phone, which IDEA allows when you and the school agree.
Virtual · based in Atlanta, GA · works with Mississippi 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 Inverness, IL · works with Mississippi schools
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…
Virtual · based in Cumming, GA · works with Mississippi 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 Newcastle, OK · works with Mississippi schools
Special Education Advocate - IEP Consultant
Former special education teacher and educational advocate with experience on both sides of the IEP table.
Virtual · based in Los Angeles, CA · works with Mississippi schools
Strategic Special Education Advocate
I combine the precision of a Columbia Law attorney with over a decade of special education leadership to help Los Angeles families navigate the IEP process with clarity, confidence, and results.
Virtual · based in Katy, TX · works with Mississippi schools
Special Education Advocate
Besides being a parent of a neurodivergent son, I have been a special education teacher, diagnostician, and advocate for the past 30 years. I am a true hands-on, walk in your shoes type of advocate.
Virtual · based in Lamar, CO · works with Mississippi schools
Special Education Advocate
Jordan Kemp is a special education advocate serving families in Lamar, CO.
Virtual · based in Arlington Heights, IL · works with Mississippi schools
Special Education Advocate
I am a former special education teacher, with experience in public and therapeutic day schools.
A written state complaint goes to the Mississippi Department of Education, Office of Special Education and not to the school your child attends.
Autism accounts for 6,651 students counted under IDEA here.
The deadline for finishing an initial evaluation in Mississippi is 60 calendar days. Put that date on the calendar the day the paperwork goes in.
Ask for the evaluation report before the meeting rather than at it, because nobody reads a long report accurately while the rest of the team waits.
Mississippi takes the complaint by mail or fax. The state's model form gives no email address. Fax it to 601-359-1829, or mail it to the Office of Dispute Resolution, Mississippi Department of Education, 359 N. West Street, Suite 301, Jackson, MS 39201. Questions go to 601-359-3498.
Decision timeline
MDE issues its written findings and decision within 60 calendar days. Day one is the day the complaint is first received, whether the public agency received it or MDE did, so the copy you send the district can start the clock.
Mississippi does not license or certify special education advocates. Anyone here can print a card with the word advocate on it.
Advocates who work Jackson and Gulfport cases see the same state rules twice a week, and repetition inside one state is the practice worth paying for.
Advocates are not attorneys. No advocate in Mississippi can file a lawsuit for you or give you legal advice about the case.
Districts in Jackson and Gulfport answer to the parent on the paperwork, so an advocate can draft the letter and you still have to be the one who sends it.
Rates and openings decide most of this. Anyone who cannot meet before your meeting date is the wrong hire, and the second-best advocate who is free this month beats the best one who is not.
Distance is a scheduling problem and not a legal one. Meetings run by video whenever the parent and the school both agree to it.
Video costs less when travel would otherwise be billed. It also removes the excuse that nobody could get to the building.
A phone call cannot read a classroom. If the question is whether the placement fits, somebody has to go and look.
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
Browse by city or take the statewide list. The rules are the same either way.
Contact
Send the same two questions to everybody, which are the rate and the first date they can meet.
Hire
Approve the hours in advance. Most advocates will not bill past an agreed number without asking.
Work together
Keep the timeline updated as things happen. It is the document every later step is built from.
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 Mississippi, including cost, timing, virtual support, and Section 504 help.
What is the hourly rate for a parent advocate?
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.
Is an IEP advocate a type of lawyer?
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.
Can an advocate help with a 504 plan and not an IEP?
Nearly every advocate on this page takes both. Compare profiles for experience with accommodations, 504 meetings and school compliance, and ask the school in writing before you bring anyone to a 504 meeting.
Which plan covers therapy and specialized instruction?
An IEP is the stronger document because it carries goals, service minutes and progress reporting. Section 504 plans are faster to write and easier for a district to agree to.
Who investigates a school for missing an IEP deadline?
Three routes stay open when you disagree. Mediation is voluntary for both sides, a written state complaint is decided on the record by the Mississippi Department of Education, and a due process hearing takes evidence.
What should I have ready before the first call with an advocate?
Start with a one-page timeline of what happened and when. Every advocate you talk to will build the same thing, so writing it yourself saves an hour of billed time.
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 2026-08-11.
