Lay Advocacy Training

Lay Advocacy Training to help advocate within educational systems.

Lay Advocacy is a multi-session training series which prepares parents of children with disabilities to better advocate within the educational system for their own children and as a volunteer for other families, too. Participants are selected through an application process.

Topics to be covered include:

• Fostering positive interaction between schools and families
• Successful methods to approach CSE/CPSE meetings
• Improving communication skills
• Developing effective IEP or 504 plans
• Accessing and interpreting school records
• Learning about classification, evaluation, and placement options
• Proven techniques to help parents having difficulty with the special education process
• Supporting other parents by attending meetings and conducting phone consultations

Parents who complete the training may be asked to advocate for other families in the year following the training.