Advocates here work with Collierville families and Collierville Schools teams. Each profile lists a rate when the advocate shares one.
3 virtual advocates who work with Tennessee schools
Hiring one is optional. Nothing in federal law requires a parent to bring an advocate to an IEP meeting.
Families in Collierville and Brentwood run into the same problem. The school says the current plan is working, and the progress report shows the same goal repeated from last year with the same numbers under it.
After the meeting the work is dull. The advocate reads the draft against the notes and sends a correction back the same week.
Request the full file in writing before you hire anyone. Schools have to give parents the education records they keep.
These advocates are not based in Tennessee. They join IEP meetings by video or phone, which IDEA allows when you and the school agree.
Virtual · based in Hawthorne, NJ · works with Tennessee schools
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.
Virtual · based in Inverness, IL · works with Tennessee 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 San Antonio, TX · works with Tennessee schools
FamilyADDventures.com
Nicole Santiago is a learning specialist and an advocate (IEP coach). She is a member of COPAA.org and ensures special education students receive the most appropriate educational services possible.
See all 26 virtual advocates who work with Tennessee families
Collierville Schools runs the IEP meetings for most Collierville students, and its special education staff will be on the other side of the table when you walk in.
A Brentwood parent group can tell you how the same district handled a case like yours, which is worth more to read than a policy page.
Confirm your child's district by address before you send a letter or name a district-specific process.
The deadline for finishing an initial evaluation in Tennessee is 60 calendar days. Put that date on your calendar the day the paperwork goes in.
Put the request in writing and date it. An email to the Collierville school counts as writing.
Tennessee gives a school district 60 calendar days to finish an initial special education evaluation. No Tennessee 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 Tennessee Department of Education, Division of Special Education and Student Supports, which takes written state complaints from parents.
Training varies, and so does what it proves. A parent who asks how many Collierville IEP meetings an advocate sat in last year learns more than a certificate would show.
Ask what training the advocate actually finished and who ran it. A one-day webinar and a two-year program both end in a certificate.
Advocates do not decide complaints. The Tennessee Department of Education does, and only after someone files one in writing.
Collierville Schools is allowed to say no. What it is not allowed to do is say no without written notice that explains the reason.
Video is normal now. 26 of the advocates listed for Collierville work with families by phone or video instead of driving to the school.
Experience with Collierville Schools matters more than the number of years printed on a profile page.
Answers about hiring a special education advocate in Collierville, Tennessee, 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.
What district will be at my IEP meeting in Collierville?
Most Collierville families work with Collierville Schools. Charter and magnet enrollment can change which agency owes the service, so ask that question before the first meeting.
Is a 504 plan weaker than an IEP?
An IEP provides specialized instruction and related services under IDEA. A 504 plan provides accommodations under a civil rights law and does not require specialized instruction. Eligibility rules differ, so a child can qualify for one and not the other.
How do I file a state special education complaint in Tennessee?
Three routes stay open when you disagree. Mediation is voluntary for both sides, a written state complaint is decided on the record by the Tennessee Department of Education, and a due process hearing takes evidence.
What should I bring to the IEP meeting?
Bring the current IEP or 504 plan, the most recent evaluation report, the last two progress reports and any email where the school said no. An advocate who has those before the call can tell you what is missing in ten minutes.
Official Tennessee links for parents in Collierville.
Last reviewed 2026-08-11.
The same Tennessee rules apply in Brentwood, Gallatin, Bartlett, Germantown and the other cities listed here, or see every Tennessee advocate.
Search is free. You contact advocates directly.
Have the most recent Collierville Schools progress report open on the first call. It shows whether the goals moved at all.
