EDUCATION ADVOCATE
Roles of an Education Advocate for Children
Even though parents have the primary responsibility of ensuring their children get the best out of school, sometimes it is never that easy. Student needs differ—which means the decisions that work for one parent may not be applicable in your case. And that’s when you realize the essence of consulting an education advocate, especially if you have a child who needs special education.
Note that the advocates’ roles differ—depending on their field of specialization, level of experience, and training. Let us take a look at some of their typical roles in raising voices for the children.
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Responding to questions and clearing any doubts parents may have regarding the best education different children need.
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Recommending the academic areas that need investigation depending on the needs of your child.
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Examining your child’s school performance report to know whether they need more assessment.
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Documenting and presenting to you everything they believe your child requires for productive education.
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Helping in the development, evaluation, and eligibility of Individual Education Plan (IEP).
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Monitoring the progress of your child in school and suggesting what necessary changes for the best experience.
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An education advocate will provide recommendations on when to consult a physical, educational, or speech therapist and physicians for special needs children.
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Are well conversant with different institutions. So they may recommend transfer to a better place when necessary.
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Coach parents on the best advocacy measures to raise voices for the children.
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They will come through in case of school disputes involving your child and mediate to solve the conflicts.
The Bottom Line
We have discussed just a portion of the large pool of responsibilities education advocates have in real life. And as we mentioned before, the roles are all relative. A professional advocate like Jacque is also responsible for fostering a lively working ecosystem between school districts. They also focus on ensuring school districts’ accountability to state and federal laws that outline your child’s rights.