Advocacy is a Team Effort

We’re Supposed to Be on the Same Side — So Why Does It Feel Like a Battle?

Welcome to this blog — and to a conversation that’s long overdue.

If you're a parent of a child with an IEP, you've probably felt it: the pressure to become an expert overnight, the weight of every meeting, and the sinking feeling that you're the only one truly fighting for your child.

If you’re an educator or administrator, you’ve likely felt something too — exhaustion, frustration, and the sense that no matter how hard you work, it’s never quite enough.

Both sides are tired. And the system? It’s not working the way it could or should.

We Can’t Keep Pretending This Is Working

Let’s be honest: far too often, special education becomes a source of conflict instead of collaboration. Families are forced to push — sometimes fight — just to get the basic supports their child is legally entitled to. Schools, strapped for time, staff, and resources, sometimes default to compliance over connection.

But the hard truth is this: it’s not the families’ job to fix this system.

Yes, parents should be informed, engaged, and empowered — but they should not have to become full-time advocates just to make sure their child gets a fair shot at learning.

That responsibility belongs to our public education system. And right now, in too many cases, it’s falling short.

Schools Have to Do Better

This isn’t about blaming teachers or demonizing districts. Most educators I know are doing the best they can with what they have. But good intentions don’t excuse poor outcomes. When IEPs are copied and pasted, when goals are vague, when services are delayed or denied because of funding or staffing shortages — that’s not a misunderstanding. That’s a failure of the system.

And students are paying the price.

We have to stop treating families who advocate as “difficult” and start seeing them for what they are: essential partners. They know their children better than anyone. When they speak up, schools should listen.

It Doesn’t Have to Be a Fight

Here’s the good news: this doesn’t have to be adversarial. Advocacy isn’t the enemy of education — it’s a vital part of it. When schools and families come to the table with mutual respect and a willingness to listen, real change happens.

That’s why I started this work. Not just to support parents — though that’s a big part of it — but to push for a better way forward. One that holds schools accountable and offers a path to partnership. One where the focus is where it should be: on students, not on bureaucracy or budget excuses.

What This Space Is For

This blog is for parents who are tired of being ignored, and for educators who are ready to do things differently. It’s for naming the problems honestly — and working toward real solutions.

Because every student deserves a team that shows up for them — prepared, informed, and united.

So let’s get to work. Together.