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Emphasis is placed on choosing an advocate with appropriate training, understanding of special education regulations, and experience with relevant districts and dispute resolution. The document advises confirming attorney backup, clarity on costs and written fee statements, and defining the parent role. It also recommends requesting references and using Disability Rights Bureau contacts for complaints or additional information.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":35,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/guidelines-for-choosing-a-lay-advocate-in-special-education/535656/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/guidelines-for-choosing-a-lay-advocate-in-special-education/535656.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"นรินทร์","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-10","2026-10-10",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":44},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What does a lay advocate do in special education cases?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"Lay advocates, who are not attorneys, may assist with consultation, letter writing, and meetings with schools to help ensure a child’s educational needs are met.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"What should parents ask about an advocate’s training and staying current?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Parents should ask where, when, and for how many days the advocate attended training in the last year, and how the advocate stays current with changing special education regulations, statutes, and laws.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How can parents understand costs and the advocate’s role?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"Advocate fees vary, so parents should request a written statement of how the advocate will charge. Parents should understand that the advocate is a resource for educational decisions and cannot replace parental judgment or act on directions not given.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},535656,1791689250,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":34,"category_name":35,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":44,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":14,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":24,"preview_page_count":4},2336475104957,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/22000c4c6bd8a5076e1?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1787554080175789136","Guidelines for Choosing a Lay Advocate in Special Education  \nIf you have a child with a disability, you may decide to hire a paraprofessional or a “lay advocate”to assist you in ensuring that your child’s educational needs are met. These advocates, who are not attorneys, may be able to assist with consultation, letter writing, or meetings with schools. The following are some guidelines to assist you in choosing a lay advocate.  \nSelect an advocate who has been trained.  \nAlthough Illinois does not require special education advocates to be certified, there are training opportunities available to them. Ask your advocate about his or her training: where, when, and for how many days did he or she attend training in the last year? How does he or she stay current with all ofthe changing special education regulations, statutes, and laws?  \nAsk if the advocate has attorney support.  \nSome advocates work independently while others either work under the supervision of a special education attorney or have professional affiliates with these attorneys. Ask your advocate about his/her attorney “backup” and when he or she usually recommends that parents seek legal advice on  \na case.  \nSelect an advocate with special education experience.  \nAdvocates may have differing amounts of contact with particular districts or they may have differing experience with negotiations, mediation, or other dispute resolution vehicles. Ask your advocate about his or her experience with a particular school district or a particular type of representation. For example, if you want an advocate to come with you to an Individualized Education Plan meeting (an“IEP meeting”), ask the advocate about how many IEP meetings he or she has attended, especially in your district.  \nSelect an advocate who understands your child.  \nEvery child with a disability has unique educational needs. Your advocate should be able to explain to you how your child’s disability will affect the child at school. It is preferable to find an advocate who has working knowledge of your child’s disability, or one who is willing to gain the knowledge needed to serve your family’s interests.  \nUnderstand costs.  \nAdvocate fees vary. Some advocates will not charge any money, while others charge an hourly rate or a flat fee for particular tasks. Ask your advocate to provide a written statement of how he/she will charge you in your case.  \nUnderstand your role as parents.  \nThe advocate works as a resource to assist you in making educational decisions for your child with disabilities. The advocate cannot substitute his/her judgement for yours, nor can he/she do things on behalf of you or your child that you have not directed him/her to do. It is important to understand how your advocate sees his/her role. You should also expect regular (and preferably written) updates from the advocate on the status of your child’s case.  \nAsk for references.  \nAsk advocates for references from other families they have served. By talking with other parents who have used an advocate, you can find out important information about the advocate and the services he or she provides.  \nTo file a complaint or if you need additional information, please call the Disability Rights Bureau at  \n(217) 524-2660 or (877) 844-5461 (TTY) .  \n[www.IllinoisAttorneyGeneral.gov](www.IllinoisAttorneyGeneral.gov)  \nSpringfield  \n500 South Second Street Springfield, Illinois 62701  \n(217) 524-2660  \nTTY: (877) 844-5461  \nChicago  \n100 West Randolph Street Chicago, Illinois 60601  \n(312) 814-5684  \nTTY: (800) 964-3013  \n09.19","cbCaipH2zHBTUFRN","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaipH2zHBTUFRN","pdf",253685,"English","# Guidelines for Choosing a Lay Advocate in Special Education\n## Choose a trained advocate\n## Check attorney support and special education experience\n## Ensure the advocate understands your child\n## Review costs and your role as parents\n## Ask for references and contact resources","[{\"question\":\"What does a lay advocate do in special education cases?\",\"answer\":\"Lay advocates, who are not attorneys, may assist with consultation, letter writing, and meetings with schools to help ensure a child’s educational needs are met.\"},{\"question\":\"What should parents ask about an advocate’s training and staying current?\",\"answer\":\"Parents should ask where, when, and for how many days the advocate attended training in the last year, and how the advocate stays current with changing special education regulations, statutes, and laws.\"},{\"question\":\"How can parents understand costs and the advocate’s role?\",\"answer\":\"Advocate fees vary, so parents should request a written statement of how the advocate will charge. Parents should understand that the advocate is a resource for educational decisions and cannot replace parental judgment or act on directions not given.\"}]","Guidelines for Choosing a Lay Advocate in Special Education | PDF",1791600851]