[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-537683-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-537683-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","guidelines-for-choosing-a-lay-advocate-in-special-education","Guidelines for Choosing a Lay Advocate in Special Education","","Guidelines explain how parents of a child with a disability can select a lay advocate who is not an attorney but can support consultation, letter writing, and school meetings. The guidance emphasizes choosing a trained advocate, confirming attorney support or backup arrangements, and evaluating special education experience through districts and dispute resolution work. It also covers understanding costs, the advocate’s role in assisting parents with educational decisions, requesting references, and accessing complaint or additional information through the Disability Rights Bureau.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/guidelines-for-choosing-a-lay-advocate-in-special-education/537683/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/guidelines-for-choosing-a-lay-advocate-in-special-education/537683.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"WPS_1790064749","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-10","2026-10-10",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",9,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What kinds of help can a lay advocate provide for parents and schools?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"A lay advocate can assist with consultation, letter writing, and attending meetings with schools to help ensure the child’s educational needs are met.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What should parents ask about an advocate’s training?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"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":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How can parents understand costs and the advocate’s role?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Advocate fees vary; parents should request a written statement of how the advocate will charge. Parents should also understand that the advocate is a resource for educational decisions and cannot replace the parent’s judgment or act beyond what the parent directs.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},537683,1791710805,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,110,115,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":107,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":26,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":97,"preview_page_count":4},3985747859154,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","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 visit our website.  \n[www.IllinoisAttorneyGeneral.gov](www.IllinoisAttorneyGeneral.gov)  \nSpringfield  \n500 South Second Street Springfield, Illinois 62701  \n(217) 524-2660  \nChicago  \n115 South LaSalle Street Chicago, Illinois 60603  \n(312) 814-5684  \nIndividuals with hearing or speech disabilities can reach us by using the 7-1-1 relay service.","cbCaiu9UIj9vpRFO","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiu9UIj9vpRFO","pdf",260582,"English","# Choosing a trained advocate\n## Advocate training and staying current\n# Attorney support and backup\n# Special education experience\n# Understanding the child’s needs\n# Understanding costs\n# Parents’ role and advocate responsibilities\n# References and follow-up\n# Filing complaints and getting help","[{\"question\":\"What kinds of help can a lay advocate provide for parents and schools?\",\"answer\":\"A lay advocate can assist with consultation, letter writing, and attending meetings with schools to help ensure the child’s educational needs are met.\"},{\"question\":\"What should parents ask about an advocate’s training?\",\"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; parents should request a written statement of how the advocate will charge. Parents should also understand that the advocate is a resource for educational decisions and cannot replace the parent’s judgment or act beyond what the parent directs.\"}]","Guidelines for Choosing a Lay Advocate in Special Education | PDF",1791605164]