Skip to content
Log in Find an advocate

IEP advocates in Queens, New York

Compare profiles, read parent reviews, and message advocates serving Queens and New York statewide. Many offer a free first call.

8 advocates available for Queens, New York

These advocates can support IEP and Section 504 work for families in Queens. Compare rates, read their backgrounds, and message them directly.

  • By video

    Join on Zoom, Google Meet, or the school's platform.

  • By phone

    Call in when video is not an option.

  • In person

    Some advocates travel to the school when needed.

Clara Liriano

Based in New York, NY

Clara Liriano

Special Education Advocate

Clara Liriano, M.S., is a Special Education Advocate and New York State Certified Special Education Teacher with more than 20 years of experience supporting children and individuals with disabilities.
  • ADHD / Attention, AAC, Autism Spectrum, Behavioral & Emotional, Developmental Delay, Dyslexia
  • From $150 per hour
  • Free first call
  • Meets in person or by video
Message Clara View Clara's profile
Angela Picardi

Based in Wesley Chapel, FL

Angela Picardi

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. My career is defined by a deep commitment to the "whole student," ensuring that those with exceptional needs receive the personalized advocacy and support required to navigate…
  • Autism, Behavioral Support, Intellectual Disability, Learning Disabilities, Multiple Disabilities, Other Health Impairment
  • Contact for rate
  • Meets in person or by video
Message Angela View Angela's profile
Angela Williams

Based in Arlington Heights, IL

Angela Williams

Special Education Advocate

I am a former special education teacher, with experience in public and therapeutic day schools. I am also a BCBA (Board Certified Behavior Analyst) and hold three master's degrees in special education, administration, and behavior analysis.
  • Autism, Behavioral Support, Developmental Delay, Learning Disabilities, Multiple Disabilities, Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Contact for rate
  • Meets in person or by video
Message Angela View Angela's profile
Arielle Allen

Based in Inverness, IL

Arielle Allen

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 special education. I taught for nine years in Chicago Public Schools and four years in a co-op district.
  • Autism, Behavioral Support, Deaf-Blindness, Developmental Delay, Hearing Impairment, Intellectual Disability
  • Contact for rate
  • Meets in person or by video
Message Arielle View Arielle's profile
Brittany Maurizi

Based in Coraopolis, PA

Brittany Maurizi

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 University. Since 2019, I've focused on supporting individuals with disabilities and behavioral challenges.
  • Autism, Behavioral Support, Developmental Delay, Intellectual Disability, Learning Disabilities, Multiple Disabilities
  • From $75 per hour
  • Free first call
  • Meets in person or by video
Message Brittany View Brittany's profile
Chelsea Horlacher

Based in Las Vegas, NV

Chelsea Horlacher

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. But my biggest role is at home, where I endlessly advocate for my amazing son (7) who has autism.
  • Autism Spectrum, IEP Meetings
  • From $50 per hour
  • Free first call
  • Meets in person or by video
Message Chelsea View Chelsea's profile
Dalia Rodriguez

Based in Hawthorne, NJ

Dalia Rodriguez

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.
  • 5.0 rating from 5 reviews
  • Autism, Behavioral Support, Developmental Delay, Intellectual Disability, Learning Disabilities, Multiple Disabilities
  • Contact for rate
  • Meets by video or phone
Message Dalia View Dalia's profile
Diane Plunkett

Based in Kansas City, MO

Diane Plunkett

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. in Special Education and brings more than 30 years of experience as a special educator, interventionist, therapist, case manager, and disability-services professional.
  • Behavioral & Emotional, Behavioral Support, Developmental Delay, Early Childhood, Section 504, Learning Disabilities
  • From $150 per hour
  • Free first call
  • Meets in person or by video
Message Diane View Diane's profile
Classroom desks representing school districts that serve families in Queens, New York

School districts serving Queens, New York

Queens public-school families generally work with New York City Geographic District #29.

  • New York City Geographic District #29

    School district · Primary district for most Queens addresses (5 public schools in city)

  • New York City Geographic District #26

    School district · Also serves some Queens addresses (3 public schools in city)

Confirm your child's district by address. Queens addresses may fall in more than one public school district.

Charts and notes used to explain special education terminology

New York special education terms parents will hear

These New York terms help families identify the correct committee, document, or dispute-resolution route.

CSE
Committee on Special Education, the team responsible for school-age special education decisions.
CPSE
Committee on Preschool Special Education, the team responsible for preschool special education decisions.
IEP
The individualized education program developed for an eligible student receiving special education services.
Impartial hearing
New York’s due process hearing procedure for IDEA disputes.
NYSED state complaint
A signed written complaint asking the New York State Education Department to investigate an alleged IDEA violation.
Parent reviewing evaluation timelines and school paperwork

New York evaluations through the CSE or CPSE

New York generally requires the initial evaluation to be completed within 60 calendar days after parental consent. Separate implementation deadlines apply after the recommendation, and the correct committee depends on the child’s age and setting.

  1. Send a written referral to the correct committee

    Identify whether the child is preschool or school age and where the referral must go. Describe the suspected disability areas and educational impact.

  2. Review consent and evaluation scope

    The proposed evaluation should address every suspected area, including educational, psychological, speech-language, physical, occupational, behavioral, or functional needs as appropriate.

  3. Track 60 calendar days from consent

    The initial evaluation generally must be completed within 60 calendar days after written parental consent, subject to limited exceptions.

  4. Prepare for the CSE or CPSE recommendation

    Review the evaluation data and prepare specific requests for classification, goals, related services, supports, placement, and implementation.

Exceptions and extensions

  • The timeline may be affected when a parent repeatedly fails or refuses to make the child available.
  • Transfer provisions may apply when the receiving district is making sufficient progress and the parties agree to a completion date.
  • New York City routing rules can affect which office or committee receives a referral, but routing should not become an excuse for avoidable delay.
Parent dealing with delays and barriers in the special education process

Where New York families can get stuck

  • The referral is sent to the wrong CSE, CPSE, district, or school contact and is not promptly redirected.
  • The evaluation scope does not address all suspected areas or the need for related services.
  • The parent receives reports too late to prepare meaningful questions for the committee meeting.
  • The recommendation lists services but does not explain how the program will address the student’s documented needs or how progress will be measured.
Advocate meeting with a parent to prepare for an evaluation or IEP meeting

How a New York advocate can help

An advocate can identify the correct referral route, draft a comprehensive request, track the consent date, and review the evaluation for missing data. Before the CSE or CPSE meeting, the advocate can prepare a concise parent position on classification, goals, services, placement, and implementation.

Compare New York advocates who understand CSE and CPSE referrals, evaluations, eligibility, IEPs, services, and placement.

Find advocates

Newly listed

Newly listed IEP advocates near Queens

Recent profiles serving families in Queens and nearby.

See all

Top rated

Top-rated IEP advocates near Queens

Parents gave these advocates the highest ratings on Find Parent Advocates.

See all

IEP advocate cost

IEP advocate rates near Queens

Profiles list hourly rates when advocates share them. We do not set prices.

See all

IEP meetings

IEP meeting advocates near Queens

Advocates who help parents prepare for and attend IEP meetings.

See all

Section 504

Section 504 advocates near Queens

Support for 504 plans, accommodations, and school compliance.

See all

Virtual

Virtual advocates serving Queens families

Work by video and phone when a local advocate in Queens is not available.

See all
Parent reviewing and preparing written special education complaint documents

Filing a New York State IDEA complaint

NYSED’s state complaint process is a written compliance investigation. New York requires an original signature and does not accept a complaint by email or fax. The final decision is not appealable within NYSED, but a party may request correction of factual errors within 15 calendar days.

What the complaint must include

  • A written complaint with an original signature; NYSED states that email and fax submissions are not accepted.
  • A statement of the alleged IDEA violation and supporting facts.
  • Child and school information and a proposed resolution when the complaint concerns a specific student.
  • A copy sent to the school district or public agency at the same time the complaint is submitted to NYSED.

What happens after filing

  1. Intake review

    NYSED reviews the filing for timeliness, required contents, original signature, and jurisdiction.

  2. Investigation

    The state may request written responses and records, conduct interviews, and allow the complainant to provide additional information.

  3. Final written decision

    NYSED issues findings, conclusions, reasons, and corrective action when it identifies noncompliance.

  4. Factual-error review and corrective action

    A timely factual-error request does not pause the original corrective-action deadline. NYSED may clarify or amend the decision if the record shows a factual error that affected the outcome.

Decision timeline

NYSED generally issues the final written decision within 60 calendar days.

The deadline may be extended for exceptional circumstances or when the parties agree to extend it to participate in mediation or another dispute-resolution process.

Due process overlap

NYSED sets aside an issue that is also being addressed in an impartial hearing while resolving non-overlapping allegations. A hearing decision involving the same parties is binding on the issue decided.

Possible remedies

  • compensatory services
  • evaluation or IEP action
  • reimbursement when appropriate
  • district procedure or training changes
  • state monitoring

Can the complaint decision be reviewed or appealed?

NYSED’s complaint decision is final and cannot be appealed to the State Education Department, except for the limited procedures described in its complaint guidance. A party may request correction of a factual error within 15 calendar days by identifying the error, citing where the original record supports the claim, explaining why it is wrong, and explaining how it affected the conclusion. Corrective-action deadlines continue while NYSED reviews the request.

15 calendar days from the date of the decision

Parent facing obstacles while preparing a school complaint

Where complaint filings get stuck

  • The complaint is emailed or faxed even though NYSED requires an original signed submission.
  • The filing does not show that a copy was provided to the district or public agency.
  • The parent attempts to use the 15-day correction process to submit new evidence or relitigate a legal disagreement rather than identify a factual error in the existing record.
  • The complaint combines state IDEA allegations with claims requiring an impartial hearing or a separate Section 504/civil-rights process.
Parent meeting with an advocate to prepare a state complaint

How an advocate can help with a state complaint

A New York advocate can help route and format the complaint correctly, organize the allegations and record, and review the final decision immediately for a correctable factual error. The advocate can also help identify when an attorney should evaluate impartial-hearing or court options.

Find New York advocates who can help prepare a state complaint, organize supporting records, and review the final decision.

Find advocates

People meeting to resolve a school disagreement through mediation or facilitation

Other dispute-resolution options

A state complaint is one path. Mediation, facilitation, due process, OCR, and local escalation each solve a different problem.

CSE or CPSE reconvene

Issues that can be addressed through another committee meeting

A written request to reconvene may be the quickest route when the team has new data or can revise the recommendation.

Mediation

Parties willing to negotiate a special education dispute

New York mediation is voluntary and may result in a written agreement.

Impartial hearing

Formal disputes concerning identification, evaluation, placement, or FAPE

The impartial-hearing process is deadline-sensitive and may require legal or expert support.

Resolution session

A parent-filed due process case during the resolution period

The district generally must convene a resolution meeting unless the parties waive it or agree to mediation.

OCR or Section 504 procedure

Disability discrimination or 504 disputes

These concerns may use different local and federal procedures from the NYSED IDEA complaint system.

Parent on a video call with a remote special education advocate for IEP help in Queens

Remote IEP advocacy is allowed under IDEA

IDEA requires parent participation in IEP meetings and allows meetings by video or phone when you and the school agree. Your advocate does not need to live in Queens.

Remote support is useful when few advocates serve Queens, when travel would raise the cost, or when your school already meets by video. Confirm how the meeting will run before you hire.

How it works

How Find Parent Advocates 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 serving Queens, nearby New York areas, and virtual options statewide.

Contact

Reach out to the advocate you choose. Most advocates start with a free call.

Hire

Enter a professional partnership with your advocate.

Work together

Work with your advocate to achieve your child's educational goals.

Find Parent Advocates is not a party to your contractual relationship with the advocate. We are not responsible for the fees or services provided.

Queens IEP and Section 504 advocate FAQ

Answers about hiring a special education advocate in Queens, New York, including cost, timing, virtual support, and Section 504 help.

What is the difference between a CSE and a CPSE?

A CPSE serves preschool children, while a CSE handles school-age special education decisions.

Can I email a New York State complaint?

No. NYSED’s published procedures require an original signature and state that complaints are not accepted by email or fax.

Can I appeal a NYSED state complaint decision?

The decision is final within NYSED. A party may request correction of a factual error within 15 calendar days, but that is not a general appeal or reconsideration.

Does a factual-error request pause corrective action?

No. NYSED states that the original corrective-action timeline continues while the correction request is reviewed.

How much does an IEP advocate cost in Queens, New York?

Most special education advocates serving Queens charge $75 to $250 per hour or a flat fee for an IEP meeting. Profiles on this page show the rate when listed. Many advocates offer a free first call before you hire.

When should I hire a special education advocate in Queens?

Parents in Queens often hire an advocate when a school denies testing, an IEP, or a Section 504 plan; when IEP goals are not met; before an annual review; or when they need help with IDEA and Section 504 rights.

Which school district serves Queens, New York?

Queens families most often work with New York City Geographic District #29. Confirm your child's district by address. Queens addresses may fall in more than one public school district.

What is the difference between an IEP advocate and a special education attorney in New York?

An IEP advocate helps you prepare for meetings, review school records, and negotiate with the district. A special education attorney can represent you in due process hearings and court. Most Queens families start with an advocate.

Can I hire a virtual advocate if we live in Queens?

Yes. IDEA requires parent participation in IEP meetings and allows meetings by alternative means such as video when you and the school agree. Your advocate does not need to live in Queens. Remote advocates can review documents, join meetings by video, and often cost less when travel is not required.

How long does the IEP evaluation process take in New York?

After you sign consent, schools in New York typically have 60 calendar days after parental consent for the initial evaluation to complete an initial evaluation and hold an eligibility meeting. IEP teams must review the plan at least once per year. An advocate can help track these deadlines.

How do I find a Section 504 advocate in Queens?

Use the Section 504 advocates section on this page or search Find Parent Advocates for Section 504. Compare profiles for experience with accommodations, 504 meetings, and school compliance before you contact someone.

Official special education resources in New York

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 in Queens.

Other cities in New York

Browse advocates in New York, New York City, Brooklyn, Bronx and more, or view all New York advocates.

This school year, don't go alone

Compare IEP advocates before the first meeting.

Browse advocates