How much are you actually paying your advocates/attorneys and are they even worth it?

[Anonymous]

DD is 9 years old and recently diagnosed on the autism spectrum, dyslexia, and severe ADHD-C. We strongly believe she needs a different placement within MCPS but the school team does not want to recognize her needs with a formal IEP. So far they have been more flexible on a 504 plan. We love our school but know she needs more. We have reached out to a few advocates and attorneys about the case. Most attorneys are saying we need an advocate, too. We had quite a bit fo sticker shock at some of the prices and are curious how much you are actually paying per hour for these services? We will do anything for our daughter, but want to make sure it is worth it in the end.

FWIW, DD has a FSIQ of 112, but low adaptive skills, low performance in reading, and very poor ASD and behavior rating scales. We are also looking for tutor recommendations if you have those, too.

Thank you so much in advance. This is such a minefield.

[Anonymous]

That will be a really tough, expensive battle to get her somewhere else if the school team is resistant to an IEP. What placement do u feel would be better? Even the special ed placements are laden with problems in mcps

[Anonymous]

PP here- our advocate was better than our attorney, Kim Glassman, who was not worth really anything we paid.

[Anonymous]

I would start with an advocate to advocate for the IEP. Them get a lawyer for the placement issue down the line, since you aren't going to go from no IEP to restrictive placement in one step.

[Anonymous]

Advocates are useless. Consider putting that money towards private school, and/or private therapies and keep her where she is.

[Anonymous]

Our advocate is the best money we have spent. Got us a private placement and we use her annually for meetings. They understand the system better than you. You spend money to get started but once a good placement is found it's minimal. If we hadn't found her my kid would have been put on the life skills track (without me realizing this was happening) and likely would have never become literate.

[Anonymous]

Save your money. Don’t hire attorneys or advocates. Pay for outside services and then private school if needed. -parent of a senior

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would start with an advocate to advocate for the IEP. Them get a lawyer for the placement issue down the line, since you aren't going to go from no IEP to restrictive placement in one step.

Nope, just go right to a special ed lawyer. Advocates are not a regulated field - waste of time and money.

[Anonymous]

Just because you think your daughter "needs more" or "needs a different placement" doesn't mean that MCPS will consider it. There needs to be FBA and BIP and the school team needs to be on board. What behaviors are the main concern? Teachers and case managers will take data on those specific behaviors, etc. You can start collecting your own data on how she's behaving daily, school attendance, missing homework/assignments. It's a long process.

[Anonymous]

you are not going to get a placement.

spend the money on outside tutoring or private school.

[Anonymous]

I’ve yet to meet a parent that got what they needed without a lawyer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve yet to meet a parent that got what they needed without a lawyer.

Plenty of us were able to get our kid what they need without a lawyer including outside placement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve yet to meet a parent that got what they needed without a lawyer.

I’m one of the posters who said don’t bother. And how many do you know who didn’t get what they wanted with a lawyer? It’s unfortunate but all of us know so many who have spent a fortune on lawyers for different reasons, especially after 2020 and trying to get compensation or placement or services. We all did the best we could but in the meantime, our kids got older. I’m one who didn’t and just quickly pulled my kid when things got bad. I’m fortunate that I found an alternative that worked and could afford to supplement and spend money on that instead.

Do what is right for your child. You will be the best advocate and always trust your gut.

[Anonymous]

This was back in the day, and maybe things have changed.

My son has mild autism, dyscalculia (disability in math), severe inattentive ADHD and very low processing speed, all of which meant he could not complete any work in the classroom at all. He was given an IEP straightaway, at Bethesda Elementary. He had pull-outs, a scribe (before he was able to write legible with reasonable speed) and group speech therapy for his speech delay, which also doubled as a social skills group.

Later on, with medication, executive function coaching and tutoring, he did a lot better. He was placed in the GT/LD program for middle and high school (gifted and talented, learning disordered, full of kids like him) and did well. He transitioned to a 504, since he did not need the IEP anymore.

This isn't a question of diagnoses, but of degree of impairment in the classroom. In elementary, my son simply could not function without services and accommodations. I've known plenty of ADHD/autistic kids with just a 504, because they were more functional than my son.

So how impaired is she?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Advocates are useless. Consider putting that money towards private school, and/or private therapies and keep her where she is.

This, in less she needs a private as things are that bad, you are better off paying for therapies and tutoring and/or a private school. It will take years to get anything done and many thousands that are better spent on her. Try doing the IEP on your own first with evaluations. Don't tell them you are doing things privately.