by Alison Stone | Mar 12, 2026 | Advocacy
I’ve been on both sides of the evaluation request. As an administrator, I facilitated evaluations. As an advocate, I’ve fought with schools that dragged their feet, missed timelines, or conducted evaluations so narrow they missed real problems....
by Alison Stone | Mar 11, 2026 | Advocacy
I’m hearing it in conversations with parents every week: “Alison, I’m worried about what budget cuts mean for my child’s IEP. Can they just take services away? What can I do?” Your worry is justified. Arizona is facing real budget...
by Alison Stone | Mar 10, 2026 | Advocacy
Every day, I work with families whose children are struggling—not with math or reading, but with their mental health. Anxiety that makes it impossible to raise a hand in class. Depression that manifests as “laziness” that the school interprets as lack of...
by Alison Stone | Mar 9, 2026 | Advocacy
I’ve sat at the school’s table. I know how they think, what arguments they make, and what they’re banking on you not understanding. As a special education advocate who spent 25 years in Arizona schools—as a teacher, coordinator, and...
by Alison Stone | Mar 8, 2026 | Advocacy
It’s mid-March, and your inbox is already getting the “spring break” notices and end-of-year reminders from school. But if your child has an IEP, there’s more on your plate than just making sure backpacks are cleared out. I see this every year:...
by Alison Stone | Mar 7, 2026 | Advocacy
You asked for something your child needs. Maybe you requested additional speech therapy. Maybe you asked for a one-on-one aide. Maybe you asked for services to be provided in a different way, at a different time, or by a different provider. And the school said no. Now...
