Rights
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Special Education Rights and Responsibilities Manual
California special education guidance for parents, advocates, and professionals.
Good questions to ask before choosing an advocate
The right advocate should be clear about what they can do, how they prepare, and when another professional may be needed. These are the kinds of questions worth asking early.
I am not sure what kind of support my child needs yet. Can you still help?
Yes. Marie can help you sort what you are seeing, review the information you already have, and decide what questions to ask next.
Can you help before an IEP, IFSP, or 504 plan is already in place?
Yes. Some of the most useful work happens before a plan is written: organizing concerns, understanding evaluations, and preparing for eligibility or service discussions.
Can you attend meetings with us?
Yes, when meeting attendance is the right fit. Marie can also help with preparation, parent coaching, document review, and follow-up if full meeting support is not needed.
What if the school district disagrees with a concern or recommendation?
Marie helps keep the conversation focused on the child's needs, the available information, and the decisions the team needs to make. She can ask follow-up questions, request clarification, and help document parent concerns without making the meeting unnecessarily combative.
Are you an attorney?
No. Bright Path Advocacy provides educational advocacy, preparation, and family support. If a legal question requires an attorney, Marie will say so plainly.
Helpful resources
A short list of public agencies, parent information hubs, local programs, and service providers families may want to keep handy while sorting through evaluations, services, eligibility, or follow-up support.
Government Services
Federal
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IDEA Parents and Families
Federal parent resources for IDEA, IEPs, IFSPs, procedural safeguards, and dispute resolution options.
Federal
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U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights
Federal civil rights information, complaint guidance, data, and OCR contact resources.
California
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California Department of Education Special Education
State information on special education programs, family involvement, laws, policies, services, and dispute resolution.
California
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Seeds of Partnership Family Empowerment Centers
California family empowerment center information for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities.
Local
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San Diego Regional Center
Regional Center services and eligibility information for San Diego and Imperial County families.
Benefits
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Disability Help Center
San Diego resource for Social Security disability benefits information and support.
Benefits
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Medi-Cal San Diego
County information for Medi-Cal applications, eligibility, renewals, and local support.
Parent Education & Community
Parent info
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Center for Parent Information and Resources
National parent center hub for disability, special education, and family support information.
Parent info
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Learning Disabilities Association of America
Parent resources for understanding learning disabilities, advocacy, support, and school-related questions.
Parent info
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National PTA Special Education Toolkit
Family toolkit with practical information for special education conversations and school partnership.
Local
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Parents Helping Parents
Parent support, education, and resources for families of children and adults with disabilities.
IEP
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Understood: What Is an IEP?
Plain-language overview of IEPs, how they are developed, and what families can expect from the process.
Early intervention
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EI Families: Parent Information and Resources
Early intervention information and family-facing resources connected to parent support and education.
Learning
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LD OnLine
Learning disability and ADHD information for families, educators, and adults.
Recreation
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San Diego Therapeutic Recreation Services
City recreation programs, leisure opportunities, and adaptive activities for people with disabilities.
Cerebral palsy
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Cerebral Palsy Guide
Information and family-facing resources related to cerebral palsy.
External resources are provided for convenience. Inclusion does not mean Bright Path Advocacy endorses or is affiliated with each organization.
Ready to talk with Marie?
The first 30-minute consultation is free. Reach out to discuss how Bright Path Advocacy can support your family.