Based in Harrisburg, PA
Boaz Gregory
Special Education Advocate
I’m a special education teacher with experience supporting students with behavioral, intellectual, and learning needs.
- From $100 per hour
- Meets in person or by video
IEP advocates in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Special education and Section 504 advocates for Lancaster School District families in Lancaster.
3 based in Pennsylvania · 3 virtual advocates who work with Pennsylvania schools
What an IEP advocate is
Advocates get hired after a meeting goes badly, rarely before the first one, which is why most of them start by reading a file that already carries a year of history in it.
Lancaster parents tend to call at one of two moments. The first is before an initial evaluation and the second is after a service quietly disappears from the plan.
Before and after a Lancaster IEP meeting
After the meeting the work is dull. The advocate reads the draft against the notes and sends a correction back the same week.
Read the evaluation report twice. The second read is where the missing service usually shows up.
Advocates based in Pennsylvania
No advocate in this directory lists Lancaster as their home base. These advocates work from other parts of Pennsylvania, and each card names the city.
Based in Philadelphia, PA
Karen McCree
Educational Consultant
I began this journey because my own daughter was issued an IEP in 3rd grade. I didn't understand special education.
- ADHD / Attention, Autism Spectrum, Behavioral & Emotional, Behavioral Support
- From $100 per hour
- Free first call
- Meets in person or by video
Based in Avondale, PA
Lisa Lightner
Personalized support from an Experienced Advocate
I'm Lisa Lightner, a Special Education Advocate with 16 years of experience helping families navigate IEPs, evaluations, placement disputes, and special education challenges.
- From $250 per hour
- Meets in person or by video
Virtual advocates who work with Pennsylvania families
These advocates are not based in Pennsylvania. 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 Pennsylvania schools
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.
- Behavioral & Emotional, Behavioral Support, Developmental Delay, Early Childhood
- From $150 per hour
- Free first call
- Meets in person or by video
Virtual · based in San Antonio, TX · works with Pennsylvania schools
Nicole Santiago
Special Education Advocate | National COPAA Instructor
As an experienced Special Education Advocate, Executive Function Specialist, and expert IEP Coach, I offer families pathways to ensure they are informed, prepared, and confident as they navigate…
- Autism Spectrum, Behavioral Support, Learning Disabilities, IDEA
- From $150 per hour
- Free first call
- Meets by video or phone
Virtual · based in Austin, TX · works with Pennsylvania schools
David Gonzales
Special Education Advocate
Hi, My name is David Gonzales. Living in Austin, TX, but originally from Los Angeles, CA. I carry a masters degree in special education and currently practice as a sped teacher.
- From $50 per hour
- Meets in person or by video
See all 28 virtual advocates who work with Pennsylvania families
The district behind a Lancaster IEP
19 public schools inside Lancaster belong to Lancaster School District. 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.
Families who move between Levittown and here change districts, and the new team is not required to keep the old plan word for word.
- District Lancaster School District
- County Lancaster County
- Public schools inside Lancaster 19
- Size Lancaster is the 8th-largest city in Pennsylvania by the 2024 Census estimate
- Closest listed advocate Harrisburg, PA
Confirm your child's district by address. Lancaster addresses may fall in more than one public school district.
What the clock is here
The clock that matters starts when you sign consent. In Pennsylvania it runs 60 calendar days.
If the Lancaster team says no, ask for the refusal in writing.
Pennsylvania gives a school district 60 calendar days to finish an initial special education evaluation. No Pennsylvania rule sets a separate deadline for answering a written request, so the federal reasonable-time standard is what applies. Missed deadlines are handled by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education, which takes written state complaints from parents.
No license, no required certification
Training varies, and so does what it proves. A parent who asks how many Lancaster 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.
Where advocacy stops
No advocate can promise a placement or an outcome in Lancaster. Anyone who does is selling you something.
Lancaster School District is allowed to say no. What it is not allowed to do is say no without written notice that explains the reason.
Who serves Lancaster today
No advocate is listed in every city. A remote advocate who knows Pennsylvania rules is usually a better hire for Lancaster than a local one who does not.
Advocates who take Levittown cases usually take these too. Say where you are in the first email so nobody wastes a week finding out.
Lancaster IEP and Section 504 advocate FAQ
Answers about hiring a special education advocate in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, including cost, timing, virtual support, and Section 504 help.
How much should I budget for one IEP meeting?
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.
Can an advocate represent me at a due process hearing in Pennsylvania?
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.
Is remote IEP advocacy allowed?
Yes, with one condition. The school has to agree to the meeting format, so put the request in writing before the date is set.
What district will be at my IEP meeting in Lancaster?
Lancaster School District runs the IEP meetings for most Lancaster students. District lines and city lines are not the same, so confirm yours by address before you send a letter.
Do advocates here work on Section 504 plans in Lancaster?
Yes. Section 504 work looks the same as IEP work, which is records, a written request and somebody in the room who knows what the school already agreed to.
Official special education resources in Pennsylvania
Official Pennsylvania links for parents in Lancaster.
Sources for the Pennsylvania rules on this page
- 22 Pa. Code 14.123, Evaluation (22 Pa. Code 14.123(b))
- PDE state complaints and dispute resolution
Last reviewed 2026-08-11.
Nearby cities in Pennsylvania
The same Pennsylvania rules apply in Levittown, Scranton, Bethlehem, Harrisburg and the other cities listed here, or see every Pennsylvania advocate.
Before you contact anyone
Send the same two questions to every advocate you contact in Lancaster and Levittown. Ask for the rate and for the first date they can meet.
Keep a one-page timeline of what happened and when. Every advocate you talk to will start by building the same thing.
