Marcia offers guidance, advocacy and support, to navigate the complexities and details of your child’s needs and the school system’s Evaluation, Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and Accommodations process. Marcia has more than two decades of experience as a classroom educator, Director of Education of a Supplemental School Program, social worker and is a parent of two children with educational, social skill and behavioral special needs. She trained as a professional advocate to combine her “inside” knowledge of the education system with her personal experience working with public and private school systems to have her children’s needs met. Marcia understands the “system” from both sides. This enables her to assist parents and schools to see each other’s point of view, and work collaboratively for the benefit of the child. She thinks “win-win.”Parents need someone with knowledge and experience at their side to guide them through the educational maze, so they obtain appropriate services for their child and protect their rights under the law.
Lindner Education Consultants works with parents, schools and community groups to help them ensure all children receive free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment as mandated by the law. We want to create a collaborative atmosphere among parents, teachers, administrators and kids — to get them on the same page, with the right training and guidance— so that your kid can perform as best as they can… in an inclusive environment, as appropriate… and be on the level of their peers.
Families
Identify Learning Issues
We help parents with a range of customized services. These often begin with assisting in the process of qualifying a child — either with unidentified learning challenges or with an already diagnosed special need, for special education services.
Testing
We help parents advocate for testing provided by the public school system or refer them to independent testing resources, if the system’s assessment is inadequate, disputed or refused .
Advocacy For Special Education Needs
We help families with children who require special education as a result of autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, apraxia, dyslexia or other learning disabilities, or emotional/intellectual or health impairments.
Parent Education For Special Education Needs
Once a child has identified special education needs, we educate parents on the services mandated by law and help them advocate for those services with the school system in a collaborative way and assist parents in organizing the documentation needed to obtain services.
Helping Parents Prepare For IEP Meetings
We will prepare families for meetings to create or discuss Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) or 504 Plans. This includes helping families understand testing results and other communication, prioritizing support materials, proposing goals and accommodations, and discussing strategies for the meeting.
Meeting With The IEP Team
We will accompany families to IEP, 504 and teacher meetings as well. We will also work with families to enable their students to understand the services to which they are entitled under their IEP or 504 plans and to advocate for themselves.
Guidance And Applying for Special Grants
Having the financial resources to provide the services your developmentally delayed or medically fragile child needs can be challenging and worrisome. You may feel that the path is riddled with obstacles, as if you have to jump through hoops, and it can be quite tricky. We’re here to help.