How Special Education Attorneys Help Parents

Often, we hear from parents of special education students, “I’m not sure if I need a special education attorney", or “I don’t know what I need, but I know we need some kind of help". Situations and children are of course unique, but special education attorneys offer help and support in a number of ways that you might overlook because your brain jumps to “attorneys file complaints and go to court, and I don’t think that’s what I need". So, how can special education attorneys help? Let’s talk about it.

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1. Lighten Your Load

Parents of special education students carry a heavy load. Most of the parents we talk to are exhausted. They are parents who are caring for children and often work outside of the home, and on top of that, they must navigate their child’s special education, which can be overwhelming. Special education attorneys can help carry some of the weight by providing parents with support and peace of mind.

2. Gains Attention of the School

Schools and teachers have a lot on their plates, and often, they are doing the best they can with the resources they have. Unfortunate as it is, the reality is that having an attorney step in to help parents advocate for their child gets the school’s attention and bumps you up on their priority list.

3. Encourages Best Behavior

Again, schools and teachers often are doing their best. However, once an attorney gets involved to help parents, the school’s attorney must also step in. The school’s legal counsel is going to have the school and its staff on their best behavior. Schools will be more prepared for IEP meetings, and they will also do a better job of following proper procedures that sometimes might get cast aside.

4. Help With Building and Maintaining Your Child’s Record

A special education attorney can help parents stay organized. An attorney can help you build and manage a file of your child’s special education journey. When you need something, there is no frantic moment of “let me see where I put that", or “I know I have this somewhere". You can pick up the phone or shoot over a quick email to your lawyer who can quickly retrieve what you need at no stress to you.

5. Gets Everyone to the Table

Once an attorney is involved, we often see administrators and teachers who previously did not participate in IEP meetings for a child show up. For parents, having all the teachers and staff working with their children at the table is a huge accomplishment in and of itself. The value of this cannot be overstated. Good communication is critical. Having everyone in the room and at the table for an IEP meeting results in communication that is consistent to all involved and helps that consistency to carry over into the classroom. Consistency is important for your child’s success.

6. Peace of Mind

As a parent, you want to know you are doing all that is humanly possible for your child’s special education. Having a special education attorney in your corner provides valuable peace of mind. You don’t have to know everything or have all the answers. You have someone that can provide that for you, research issues, and give you professional legal advice. All of that means you can sleep more soundly at night knowing you are doing the best you can for your child and their special education.

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For more information about GJK's special education services, contact our team at info@gayjoneslaw.com.