Based in Austin, TX
Chelsea Venegas
Educational Advocate
Chelsea Venegas is a special education advocate serving families in Austin, TX.
- From $175 per hour
- Meets by video or phone
IEP advocates in Abilene, Texas
Abilene ISD staff run the IEP meetings in Abilene. These advocates sit on your side of the table.
5 based in Texas · 3 virtual advocates who work with Texas schools
What an advocate does for an Abilene family
An IEP advocate goes to school meetings with you and argues for services your child is not getting.
Parents in Abilene usually start looking for an advocate when a meeting is already on the calendar.
What the work looks like
Advocates also coach. Some Abilene parents hire one for two hours of prep and go into the meeting alone.
Abilene ISD can charge for copies of a file. Asking to inspect the record in person instead costs nothing under federal rules.
Advocates based in Texas
No advocate in this directory lists Abilene as their home base. These advocates work from other parts of Texas, and each card names the city.
Based in Austin, TX
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
Based in Midland, TX
Kate Keenan
Special Education Advocate
Kate Keenan is a special education advocate serving families in Midland, TX.
- From $75 per hour
- Meets in person or by video
Virtual advocates who work with Texas families
These advocates are not based in Texas. They join IEP meetings by video or phone, which IDEA allows when you and the school agree.
Virtual · based in Las Vegas, NV · works with Texas schools
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.
- Autism Spectrum, IEP Meetings
- From $50 per hour
- Free first call
- Meets in person or by video
Virtual · based in Coraopolis, PA · works with Texas schools
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…
- Autism, Behavioral Support, Developmental Delay, Intellectual Disability
- From $75 per hour
- Free first call
- Meets in person or by video
Virtual · based in San Diego, CA · works with Texas schools
Sanford Autism Advocacy Group
Special Education Advocate
At the Sanford Autism Advocacy Group (SAAG), we are a small but mighty special education consulting group with an emphasis on Autism and IEPs.
- Autism, Other Health Impairment, Speech/Language, IDEA
- From $200 per hour
- Meets in person or by video
Which district is in the room
Abilene ISD takes most Abilene addresses, but not all of them. Check yours before you send a letter, because a request that lands in the wrong district office does not start the evaluation clock at all.
Buildings do not fund services and districts do. Ask which office is deciding before you spend a meeting arguing with the wrong one.
- District Abilene ISD
- County Taylor County
- Public schools inside Abilene 21
- State special education indicators met 42 of 64 · Texas 2026 report
- Size Abilene is the 29th-largest city in Texas by the 2024 Census estimate
- Closest listed advocate Midland, TX
Confirm your child's district by address. Abilene addresses may fall in more than one public school district.
The deadlines that apply in Texas
The clock that matters starts when you sign consent. In Texas it runs 45 school days.
Bring the last two report cards and the current plan. That is usually enough paper to start.
Texas gives a school district 45 school days to finish an initial special education evaluation. A written request for an evaluation has to be answered inside 15 school days. Missed deadlines are handled by the Texas Education Agency, Office of Special Populations and Student Supports, which takes written state complaints from parents.
Who licenses advocates in Texas
Attorneys are licensed. Advocates hold no license, and the difference matters most when a case gets close to a hearing, which is the point where the Abilene district starts talking to its own lawyer.
Abilene ISD does not approve or bar advocates. Federal rules let a parent bring anyone with knowledge of the child to the meeting.
What an advocate cannot do
Advocates are not attorneys. No advocate in Abilene can file a lawsuit for you or give you legal advice about the case.
Abilene ISD answers to the parent on the paperwork, so an advocate can draft the letter and you still have to be the one who sends it.
Local advocates and video advocates
Video is normal now. 21 of the advocates listed for Abilene work with families by phone or video instead of driving to the school.
Ask for two references from cases like yours. Somebody who cannot produce one has not worked many.
Abilene IEP and Section 504 advocate FAQ
Answers about hiring a special education advocate in Abilene, Texas, including cost, timing, virtual support, and Section 504 help.
How much does an IEP advocate cost in Abilene?
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.
Which school district serves Abilene, Texas?
Most of the city sits inside Abilene ISD. The district writes the plan and holds the special education budget, which is why a complaint about a missed service names the district and not the school.
How long does the IEP evaluation process take in Texas?
The deadline in Texas for finishing an initial evaluation is 45 school days. Put that date on your calendar the day you sign consent, because the district counts from the paperwork and not from the conversation.
Are there any IEP advocates near Abilene?
No advocate is listed in every town, and each card here says where that person lives. Somebody who knows the state rules and has an opening this month usually beats the nearest name on the list.
Do advocates handle accommodation plans?
Yes, and the rules differ slightly. Section 504 does not spell out who may attend the way IDEA does, so ask the school in writing before the meeting and keep the answer.
Official special education resources in Texas
Official Texas links for parents in Abilene.
Sources for the Texas rules on this page
- 19 TAC Chapter 89, Subchapter AA, currently in effect (TEA) (19 TAC 89.1011(d)(1))
- TEA, Full and Individual Initial Evaluation timeline (19 TAC 89.1011(d)(1) and Tex. Educ. Code 29.004(a)(1))
- TEA special education complaints process
- TEA special education
Last reviewed 2026-08-11.
Nearby cities in Texas
The same Texas rules apply in Pearland, Round Rock, Carrollton, College Station and the other cities listed here, or see every Texas advocate.
What to do next
Search is free. You contact advocates directly.
Say the name of your school and Abilene ISD in the first message. That is enough for an advocate to know whether they can take the case.
