COVID-19 Update:
All public schools (this includes charter schools and virtual public schools) must provide a FAPE to all students found eligible to receive support while on an IEP or 504 Plan. Schools must continue to comply with state and federal guidelines requiring the implementation of IEPs and 504 Plans with fidelity.
AZ Educational Advocate, LLC
Consultation, Collaboration, and Advocacy
Parental Support
The special education process can be overwhelming for even the most educated and involved parents. As your advocate, I am able to support and lead you through the entire process. We will prepare for meetings, attend together, and I will actively engage with the school staff through phone calls, emails and meetings to ensure that your child’s 504 Plan or IEP is appropriate, measurable and serving to
bring meaningful benefit to their educational experience. I will attend MET, FBA/BIP,504, IEP and transition meetings with you, as well as provide classroom behavioral observations when appropriate.
Your Advocate
Laura Passmore, M.Ed. As a certified teacher, I have dedicated countless hours to building multi-modality lessons and modifying curriculum to meet the needs of each individual learner. I’ve developed hundreds of IEPs and led numerous meetings as a special education director. As an advocate, I stay current with state and federal legislation, as well as current curriculum and educational programming through 30 hours of annual conferences and training. I am an expert witness on educational legal cases.
Maximize Potential
I believe that every child has a right to learn and to maximize their potential in the public/charter school setting. My job is to guide the parents through the process, in an effort to increase implementation and compliance from school/district staff as they provide an appropriate education to each child, specifically addressing their unique strengths and needs.
Value
It can be invaluable for parents to have a knowledgeable advocate from the education field by your side through what can be a frustrating and time consuming process of gaining support for your child. Meetings become more efficient and effective when an experienced education professional can help to lead the process, highlight rights and opportunities for support, increase school accountability and answer questions along the way.
Hi Laura,
Hopefully you remember me…Ted Tengel (Mason Tengel’s dad). You’ve been on my heart lately relative to Mason’s academic performance in 8th grade. He received a 4.0 in quarters 2, 3, and 4. Also, his citizenship and work habits “grades” were very good. I cannot help but attribute some of that success to the energy that you created at the end of 7th grade. Mason truly experienced a paradigm shift after that.Thanks!
Hey Laura,
I just finished pulling together the information I needed for XXXX’s IEP meeting in the morning and it has me reflecting on our how different the beginning of this school year is from our last. I needed to tell you again how grateful I am for you! How much I admire and truly love you! I know that XXXX and I would not be in such a positive joyous place if not for you. I am so relieved not to have to sit in another meeting with a group of women who have lost their desire or ability to put the kids first. XXXX was counting down the days to be back at school and was very excited that this year they are having clubs! He signed up for the Year Book, Yoga and ran for president of the Student Council (which he was awarded this morning!!) If you had told me a year ago he would be this bubbly, excited, stressfree, hardworking, enthusiastic, student I would never have believed it. I always KNEW it was in him…but this potential would never have been tapped if not for your love, dedication, hard work, and support!!! My heart is overflowing with joy and gratitude. Thank you for doing what you do!! It is not an easy calling, but my friend you do it with grace and love.We are in a good place! Thank you for believing in my boys and for making me feel empowered and supported!
Hello Ms. Passmore,
I am the school psych that worked with you at XXXXXX. I wanted to let you know that I really appreciated your style. I’ve been in special ed for about 20 years, and have come into contact with many advocates, and most are unreasonable and/or come in guns blazing. You were collaborative, child centered and actually taught our teachers a few things.Thanks again.
For years, Laura Passmore has been helping me and my child navigate the confusing and emotional road of ADHD diagnosis and subsequent IEP and 504 Accommodation Plans. When my child began showing indications that he was struggling in school, I tried to incentivize him to study harder, go to tutoring, memorize facts, read more, practice math formulas, meet with teachers. He was so frustrated that he could not retain information and he learned so differently than the teachers were teaching. I didn’t realize the struggle he was really feeling. I met with Principals and School Psychologists, Gen. Ed. teachers and Special Ed. teachers, but I didn’t know the questions to ask to get to the root of my child’s learning differences.
When Laura and I met, she opened my eyes to the fact that my child had a verifiable reason to have accommodations in the classroom. She advocated for him in meetings with Principals, teachers, psychologists and counselors in order to educate them about my child’s learning style and accommodations that HE IS ENTITLED TO in order to help him learn. I felt supported, having Laura in my corner, and I felt that my child would finally receive the education he deserved because someone who intricately knew the educational system would be speaking for him.As a parent, I only saw my child struggling in school. I didn’t know how to identify his needs or even ask the right questions of the administrators, in order to help my child succeed.Every child deserves the chance to learn. In today’s overcrowded classrooms, with fast-paced curricula and districts that have restricted Special Education funding, it is imperative to have an advocate who knows the right questions to ask and who knows the laws that pertain to Special Education. Laura Passmore puts children first and always keeps the child’s best interest at the forefront of her meetings.Any parent who has a child who is struggling in school, who doesn’t know how to help them, can rest assured that their child will have the best, most well-versed, professional advocate for their child with Laura Passmore in their corner.
Professional, reliable, advocate serving Arizona statewide.
We are committed to quality services leading to a free, appropriate, public education (FAPE) as defined in the federal and state laws. This affords meaningful benefit and progress in the least restrictive environment (LRE) for all students.
Step 1: Contact Laura @ 623-512-8514
Step 2: Consultation
This is an in person 2 hour meeting that includes file review, questions and summary of suggested supports. Release, contract signed. Fee due at time of service.
Step 3: Meetings, Communication & Support