Special education advocacy through a lens of educating parents and guardians about IEPs, in order to empower parents and guardians to be their child’s own, first advocate.

Serving families in Pennsylvania, in the Greater Philadelphia area: Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware Counties, plus Philadelphia.

IEP Coaching Services

  • IEP Review/Analysis and Explanation

  • IEP-Related Questions

  • Meeting Preparation

  • Document Review

  • School Communications Support

  • Post-Meeting Follow-Up

  • Other IEP-Related Support

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About the Founder:

Laura Shipman

  • Taught special education students 2005-2026

  • Most recent teaching position was life skills/autistic support in a middle school setting

  • B.A. in 2005 from La Salle University with a dual major in Elementary and Special Education, and graduated with Honors

  • M.S. in Education in 2008 from Gwynedd Mercy University with a 4.0 GPA

  • M.A. in Reading Education in 2017 from Arcadia University with a 4.0 GPA

  • Served as an advocate pro bono for friends and family for the last 20 years when needed

My Why

I’ve spent the last 20 years writing IEPs- documents that can range from 20-60 pages long. They are long, legal documents with very specific educational terms in them. I had become frustrated in recent years with being discouraged by admin from taking the time to explain the IEP to parents, as well as the data, and the educational terms in the IEP. In founding this advocacy business, I want to sit on the other side of the table. I want to help parents to understand their child’s IEP, and to ask the right questions of the school team. Please contact me if you’d like me to work with you, and for you.

~Laura Shipman

Mrs. Laura M. Shipman, M.S. Ed., M.A. Reading, IEP Coach/Advocate