Our Core Beliefs

Following are beliefs about schools and parents as advocates upon which our mission, our approach to consulting, and our services are based:

• Schools, which are part of the mass education enterprise, are intended and designed to address the broad needs of all children and then, secondarily, individual student’s unique needs.

• There is no federal or state requirement for schools to provide the level of educational benefit needed to maximize any child's potential.

• School law, regulations, standards, procedures, and operations are frequently confusing, if not overwhelming, for parents.

• Parents know their child better than anyone else.

• Parents whose children have unique needs must thoroughly understand and be able to explain in detail the challenges their children face in school - how their child’s challenges impact access to classroom instruction and their child’s learning.

• Parents whose children have challenges and experience difficulty in school must be knowledgeable, skilled, confident, advocates for their children who understand local school operations and procedures, applicable laws, regulations, and standards, and who understand and use sound advocacy practices.

• Parents must work collaboratively with school staff members to create solutions to their child's school problems, to get and keep those solutions in place, and then to monitor progress.

• Parents are the natural advocates for their children.  When outside parties are brought to school team meetings, trust and collaboration are often adversely impacted.

• However, due to the challenging, complex nature of the mass education enterprise, parents often need to have independent support and assistance available at school meetings.