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
An advocate reads the evaluation reports, drafts your concerns into one page, sits beside you while the team goes through the plan, and follows up in writing on whatever the school agreed to do.
This site publishes advocate pages for 10 Mississippi cities, and the deadline described on every one of them is the same, because the deadline is written into state rules.
Coaching is common in Mississippi. Some parents pay for two hours of prep and then walk into the meeting on their own.
An advocate in Jackson and one three hours away work from the same rulebook, so send the file before you book the call.
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
I’ve been a science teacher, a Director of Financial Aid, and a Dean of Students at a rural community college — always at the table with students and families navigating systems not built for them.
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.
Mississippi sets the rules and the district applies them. That split is why a complaint about a missed service names the district.
20,349 students in this state carry a specific learning disability, which is the largest single category in nearly every state.
The clock parents care about starts at consent. In Mississippi it runs 60 calendar days.
If the team says no, ask for the refusal in writing.
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.
The Mississippi Department of Education oversees special education in Mississippi. It does not license the advocates parents hire.
Membership in a professional body is not a license. It usually means dues were paid and a code of conduct was signed.
Advocates do not decide complaints. The Mississippi Department 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.
No advocate covers every district. A remote advocate who knows Mississippi rules is usually a better hire than a local one who does not.
Nobody here is assigned to you. You compare the profiles and write to whoever fits, in Gulfport or three hours away.
Meeting by video is a scheduling choice and the school has to agree to it. Ask in writing before the date is set.
Remote help matters most where few advocates live nearby. It matters least when your child needs somebody to observe the classroom.
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
Start with the list on this page and open two or three profiles.
Contact
Contact the advocate directly. Nothing on this site routes your message through us.
Hire
Confirm what the first task will be and what it costs. A vague answer here predicts a vague invoice.
Work together
The advocate follows up after the meeting. Reading the draft against the notes is where corrections get caught.
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.
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 remote IEP advocacy allowed?
Video is normal now. A remote advocate reads the file, drafts your concerns and joins the meeting by phone. What a remote advocate cannot do is walk the building or read the room.
How many days does an initial evaluation take?
The deadline in Mississippi for finishing an initial evaluation is 60 calendar days. Put that date on your calendar the day you sign consent, because the district counts from the paperwork and not from the conversation.
How many advocates on this page are based in Mississippi?
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 Mississippi?
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.
How do I file a state special education complaint in Mississippi?
The Mississippi Department of Education takes written complaints from parents about missed deadlines and services never delivered. An advocate can prepare one. The advocate does not decide it and cannot make the district settle.
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.
