Children’s Education Advocacy Center

Our Purpose:

Children’s Education Advocacy Center (CEAC) was established to assist families of children with physical and mental disabilities in their relations with the public school systems. In today’s environment our school districts make limited or no resources available to children with special needs under the excuse of budget cuts; however, the state provides additional funding specifically for the education of special needs children.  The parents of these children are not asking for anything elaborate, only for the assistance their child needs to be successful in their education and in their lives.  

Laws Protect our Children, or Do They?

My experience over the past several years has found that most parents are not familiar with the laws regarding their children’s rights to an education, and sadly the school systems use this to their advantage.  Other parents are or have been intimidated by the process they must go through to obtain the help and services their child requires.  More often than not, the parent’s request for services for their child is answered by the Special Education staff and public school Administration telling them No. They tell the parent that can not or simply will not provide the extra help and services that the child requires in order to succeed in school.  The school systems frequently violate the children’s rights and deny them what they require to succeed, and the parents simply do not know how to change the situation.  The people who are supposed to care the most and educate our children are failing them, and this is unacceptable.  The parents of these children are left with a feeling of helplessness, frustration and sadness for their child, and they have nowhere to turn.

How We Help:

The Special Education laws of Oklahoma recognize and require that qualified children with disabilities be provided services and/or accommodations in the pursuit of their education.  My organization, Children’s Education Advocacy Center, was founded so these parents would have someone on their side; someone to sit beside them in these meeting and make sure their child is given the support they need.  Through discussions and collaboration, we work with the school system to develop an individualized education program (IEP) for the child that is appropriate for their needs.  When it becomes necessary, I use the requirements of the law to demand that the public school systems do what is right and what is necessary for the child to be successful. 

My Service is Free of Charge:

This service is provided free of charge for any parent who requests my assistance.  I take off from my work and I travel to where parents need my help, often several hours away.  My husband and I pay all of my expenses.  As gas and food prices have continued to increase, this has become a greater challenge for us.  I would greatly appreciate any assistance and support.   

Who I Am:

I am a special education teacher but first and foremost, a mother of a special needs child.  Having a special need child of my own opened my eyes to the emotional impact and heartbreak a parent faces when they learn that their child will have difficulties for the rest of their life- it isn’t something any parent ever wants to face, but we must.  The situation is only made worse when the public school system refuses to do what is right and what is necessary to properly educate special needs children.  I have faced this first hand; I have fought, I have learned, and now I want to help every parent that I can.

This is my passion; this is my calling.  I have been a school teacher for 11+ years, I am a certified Special Education teacher and I am currently completing my Master Degree in Special Education.  I have worked with and unfortunately fought with many different school systems, and sadly, I can say that the situation is getting worse, not better. 

I will use my knowledge and experience to help parents fight for their children, just as I have fought for my own child. Together we will fight for our children’s educational rights and help them to succeed.

“Advocating for special needs children and the education they deserve.”