Montana advocates who help with evaluations, IEP goals, Section 504 plans, and school meetings. Rates are listed on each profile.
8 virtual advocates who work with Montana schools
The role is narrow and useful. An advocate knows what the school owes your child and holds the team to the date it agreed to.
This site publishes advocate pages for 10 Montana 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 Montana. Some parents pay for two hours of prep and then walk into the meeting on their own.
An advocate in Billings 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 Montana. They join IEP meetings by video or phone, which IDEA allows when you and the school agree.
Virtual · based in Kansas City, MO · works with Montana 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 Atlanta, GA · works with Montana schools
Special Education Advocate
My name is Jalani Traxler and I have loved teaching sense I myself was a student with an IEP receiving my own accommodations in elementary school.
Virtual · based in Las Vegas, NV · works with Montana schools
IEP Consultant
Hey there! I’ve been a special education teacher for nearly a decade, so helping unique learners thrive is truly my life’s work.
Virtual · based in Wesley Chapel, FL · works with Montana schools
Special Education Advocate
With 24 years of experience in the K-12 sector, I serves as a Student Support Specialist specializing in academic and behavioral ESE services.
Virtual · based in Bowie, MD · works with Montana schools
Independent Education Consultant
I am a licensed school counselor with extensive experience supporting students with IEPs and 504 plans, providing academic and career counseling, and guiding families through critical educational…
Virtual · based in Newcastle, OK · works with Montana 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 Coraopolis, PA · works with Montana schools
Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Special Education Advocate
Hi there! I'm Brittany, owner and founder of Balanced Behaviors, LLC. I'm a Behavior Analyst and Licensed Behavior Specialist in Pennsylvania with a Master’s in Special Education from Slippery Rock…
Virtual · based in Atlanta, GA · works with Montana schools
School Psychologist & Parent Advocate
I’m a certified School Psychologist, Parent Advocate, and Coach dedicated to helping families navigate special education with confidence.
Every public school in Montana answers to the same state agency, and a rule the district quotes at you can be checked against what that agency has actually published.
6,240 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 Montana it runs 60 calendar days.
If the team says no, ask for the refusal in writing.
Montana takes state complaints on paper only. Fax and email filings are not accepted, so mail the signed original to Dispute Resolution, Office of Public Instruction, P.O. Box 202501, Helena, MT 59620-2501. Call 406-444-2046 for help with the form. The final report cannot be appealed.
Decision timeline
OPI has 60 calendar days to issue its final report, counted from the day the Dispute Resolution Office receives a complaint that has every required piece in it. Up to the first 15 business days of that go to informal resolution through the Early Assistance Program, and either side can decline.
Training varies, and so does what it proves. A parent who asks how many Montana IEP meetings an advocate sat in last year learns more than a certificate would show.
Check the references and not the letters after the name. Two calls to past clients settle it faster than any credential list.
This costs money. At $75 to $150 per hour, a standard Montana IEP cycle with two hours of prep and two hours in the meeting runs about $400, and that money does not come back if the answer is still no.
A district is allowed to say no. What it cannot do is say no without written notice that explains the reason.
Being listed for Montana is not the same as taking every case here, so read the service area on each profile before you write to anyone.
Somebody who takes Billings cases usually takes cases in the towns around it, so say where you are in the first email.
Meeting by video is a scheduling choice and the school has to agree to it. Ask in writing before the date is set.
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 Montana, including virtual options. Filter by rate, reviews and focus area.
Contact
Contact the advocate directly. Nothing on this site routes your message through us.
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 Montana, including cost, timing, virtual support, and Section 504 help.
What do special education advocates charge in Montana?
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.
Do I need an advocate for a routine annual review?
No fixed trigger exists. The useful test is whether you can tell from the paperwork what the school is actually offering, and whether the last thing you asked for came back in writing.
Are there free IEP advocates in Montana?
Free guidance exists. Parent centers, disability rights agencies and local parent groups all give it, and none of them will attend the meeting as your representative.
What should a records request say?
Ask for the full file, which means every evaluation, the progress data behind each goal and any email where the school said no. Put it in writing and keep the date.
What is the difference between an IEP and a 504 plan?
The short version. IEP means the school changes what is taught and how, and Section 504 means the school changes the conditions around it.
What documents does an advocate need from me?
Write down the two things you want changed and bring the paperwork that shows why. Meetings run long when nobody in the room has decided what the ask is.
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.
