Special education consulting services for families who want expert guidance while attending school meetings themselves.
Ballou Education’s special education consulting services are built for parents who want expert guidance and clear, honest recommendations — but prefer to attend school meetings themselves.
Our consultants bring more than 32 years of experience with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504, and the special education practices of school districts in Arizona and California, from Scottsdale and the Phoenix metro to Beverly Hills and greater Los Angeles.
We begin with a comprehensive review of your child’s educational records, including IEPs, 504 plans, evaluations, report cards, correspondence, and behavior or attendance data. Then we meet with you to walk through what we found: what is working, what is missing, and what your child is legally entitled to receive — in plain language you can actually use.
Next we help you determine the best school placement for your child and provide a carefully curated list of appropriate placements — public programs, private schools, charters, and specialized options — tailored to your child’s needs, your values and your budget. When it is useful, we conduct school observations so our recommendations reflect the day-to-day reality of each campus, and we help you communicate effectively with your child’s teachers, psychologists and administrators.
Consulting versus advocacy: consulting gives you the analysis and the plan; you run the meeting. Consulting is the right choice when you want to stay in the driver’s seat while a seasoned advocate works behind the scenes. Many families begin with consulting and add direct advocacy later.
We read the full file and prepare a written summary of strengths, gaps and legal exposure.
We walk you through the findings, answer your questions and identify what to request next.
We monitor progress, review drafts and advise as goals are met or new challenges appear.
Consulting gives you the analysis and the plan while you attend meetings yourself. Advocacy means we attend with you. Consulting is the right choice when you want to stay in the driver’s seat while an experienced advocate works behind the scenes.
Yes. We review the records, identify what your child needs, and provide a curated list of appropriate public, charter, private and specialized placements — including school observations when they add value.
It depends on what you need. Some families use a single records review and feedback meeting; others keep consulting support across a school year as goals change and new challenges appear.
Yes. Some families want consulting for the analysis and then ask us to attend a single meeting. We scope that separately rather than requiring a long engagement.
Still not sure where to start? Book a free consultation and we will review what you have, explain what the documents actually show, and tell you honestly whether advocacy is the right next step for your family.
Schedule a free consultation to talk through your child’s IEP or 504 plan and find out how we can help.
