Finding a Special Education Advocate

Question:

Is there a certification, licensure, or Code of Professional Responsibility or Ethics Code for special education advocates?

Answer:

No. There is currently no system in place to certify or otherwise regulate special education advocates. Parents must carefully choose a special education advocate because there are no standards or regulations.

Special Education Consulting and Pat Howey have developed a draft Model Code for special education advocates and is soliciting comments on this draft.

http://www.patriciahowey.com/model_code_lay_advocates.htm.

This draft adopts heavily from the Model Rules developed by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations. http://www.paralegals.org/. Please review the comments accompanying the Model Code and submit your comments and suggestions to: patricia.howey@gmail.com.

The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA, http://www.copaa.net/) is also looking into developing a Model Code or Model Rules.

Several groups are looking at regulating or certifiying special education advocates. The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates COPAA, http://www.copaa.net/), in cooperation with the University of Southern California, hosts a Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT) program. http://www.copaa.org/seat/index.html. This is not a licensure or certification program.

Until there are rules and some type of certification for special education advocates, the motto of parents should be, "Let the buyer beware."