Latina Nickelson, Special Education Advocate & IEP Coach

10/04/2025

09/26/2025

🎉 Happy 52nd Birthday, Section 504! 🎉
Today we celebrate more than five decades of this groundbreaking civil rights law that fundamentally changed how our society recognizes and protects the rights of people with disabilities.
What makes Section 504 so powerful?
This isn't just a law about accommodations - it's a declaration that people with disabilities belong in all aspects of community life. Section 504 established that barrier removal is a civil right, not a favor to be granted.
Still protecting access today in: • Education - ensuring students can participate fully in their school communities • Healthcare - removing barriers to medical services and communication • Housing - protecting against discrimination in living arrangements
• Transportation - opening pathways to independent mobility • Employment - creating inclusive workplaces
The foundation it built: Section 504 paved the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act and countless other protections. It shifted our understanding from "special treatment" to "equal access."
Every time a student uses assistive technology in class, every curb cut that helps someone navigate their community, every accessible building entrance - these reflect the vision Section 504 brought to life: that access isn't earned, it's inherent.
Here's to 52 years of breaking down barriers and building up communities where everyone belongs! 🌟
What aspect of Section 504's impact means most to you?

09/20/2025

09/18/2025

About four weeks into school, and your child's accommodations still aren't happening consistently?

Stop overthinking whether you have the "right" to ask. Stop wondering if your child "really needs" that extra time or preferential seating.

Here's the thing: Your child's IEP accommodations aren't suggestions. They're legal requirements.

Red flag phrases that mean you need to take action:
🚩"We'll try to remember next time"
🚩"She seems fine without them"
🚩"Maybe he needs to learn to speak up for himself"

Stop overthinking. Start acting.

Send this email TODAY:
"I'm following up to ensure [child's name]'s accommodations are being consistently implemented. Can you help me understand what that looks like in your classroom?"

Your child is a general education student who happens to need these tools. The system needs to prove it's providing access - your child doesn't need to prove they deserve it.

What accommodation do you wish actually happened in your child's classroom? Drop it below 👇

09/06/2025

09/01/2025

Is your gut telling you something is off about your child's school placement? Trust that feeling! 🧡

Many parents hear things like, "Your child is thriving!" in a self-contained classroom, but then their child comes home exhausted, asking why they can't eat lunch with their friends. Sound familiar?

Here's the truth: "Placement" is simply WHERE your child gets their education services. It's NOT a reward, and it's NOT something they have to earn. It's about finding the LEAST restrictive environment where they can truly succeed.

If something feels off, you have power! 💪
✅ Request an IEP meeting in writing (email counts!)
✅ Ask specific questions: "How is this placement truly supporting my child's goals?"
✅ Document EVERYTHING.

Remember, your child has every right to be in general education settings. Schools need to prove why a more restrictive environment is necessary, not the other way around.

Drop a 🙋‍♀️ if you need help understanding your placement options! We offer free consultations.

08/25/2025

When an ESE teacher thanks you for affirming a child as a General Education student first, you know we're on the right track. At SOAR, we're redefining advocacy. It's not just 'inclusion,' it's about rightful presence. It's not just 'accommodations,' it's about removing barriers to belonging. And when it comes to 'collaborative IEPs,' our starting point is always: 'My General Education student needs...' because your child doesn't need permission to be where they already belong.

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08/16/2025

08/04/2025

Y'all, can we have some real talk about this "neuroaffirming" word that's all over our feeds lately?

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE that we're finally talking about this. I love seeing parents share posts about celebrating neurodivergence and honoring different brain types. The awareness is beautiful.

But here's what I'm also seeing: The same neurodivergent traits that get celebrated and accommodated for some children get criminalized and punished for others.

Same neurodivergent brains. Different family backgrounds. Completely different responses from schools.

Y'all, "neuroaffirming" can't just be a trendy hashtag that only works for some of our children. It has to include examining why the same brain differences get treated so differently.

Our children need truly inclusive approaches that see ALL of who they are - their beautiful neurodivergent minds AND their family's values and culture.

School starts soon. Time to make sure "neuroaffirming" means ALL of our children get to belong exactly as they are.

Ready to advocate for truly inclusive support? If you want to ensure your child is seen and supported for all of who they are, DM me "CONSULT" and let's talk.

07/28/2025

3 weeks until school starts" showed up on my feed yesterday.

Know that pit-in-your-stomach feeling that comes with it? Part excitement, part dread, part "what if this year is just like last year?"

Here's what I've learned after years of walking this path with families: You don't have to have everything figured out before the first day.

The truth they don't tell you about back-to-school prep:
Your child's "readiness" for school isn't the question. It's whether school is ready for your child, meaning, do they have the supports, understanding, and legal compliance in place?

You can't prevent every challenge. But you can be ready to advocate when they come up. There's a difference between hoping this year will be better and having the tools to make it better.

What actually matters before school starts:
👉 Reviewing your current IEP for gaps (not perfection)
👉 Practicing your advocacy language
👉 Having your support system in place

Everything else? You'll figure it out together with people who understand this journey.
Your child belongs in that building. They deserve appropriate support. And they have you as their advocate.

That's not hoping. That's your child's education.

What's your biggest back-to-school concern right now? Drop it in the comments - chances are, you're not the only one feeling this way.

07/21/2025

Y'all, we need to talk about something important.

💙With 7.5 MILLION children currently receiving special education services in the US, demand for advocacy has exploded. That's 1 in every 7 students needing support that schools often can't provide.

This isn't about talking bad about anybody - there are amazing advocates out there doing incredible work. But with this shortage of quality support, some well-meaning people are jumping in without the depth families deserve.

Here's what nobody's telling you:
The advocacy field is exploding - and that's bringing some folks who mean well but aren't ready for the weight of your child's future. I'm seeing "advocates" pop up daily with Gmail addresses and weekend training certificates, claiming they've "helped hundreds of families" but have never actually run a business or understood the long-term impact of their advice.

Red flags to watch for:
🚨 Still using Gmail for business (says they haven't invested in the business side)
🚨 Can't tell you WHO trained them, WHEN, or for HOW LONG
🚨 Talk about IDEA law but can't explain how it connects to your child's daily life
🚨 Never ask about YOUR family's values, culture, or long-term dreams

Here's what they don't tell you:
Advocacy isn't regulated. Anyone can call themselves an advocate tomorrow. But your child isn't a practice round. The advocate you choose should understand your WHOLE journey - not just quote laws, but know what success looks like in YOUR home, with YOUR values, facing YOUR specific challenges.

Your child deserves someone who sees their cultural strengths, not obstacles to overcome. Someone who knows "making progress" isn't enough when your child is capable of so much more.
Comment "TRUTH" if this resonates, and I'll send you my "5 Questions to Ask Any Advocate Before You Hire Them" guide.

Because your child's right to an education isn't negotiable. ✊What questions do you wish you'd known to ask? Let's help each other navigate this. 👇

07/14/2025

Y'all want to know what REALLY grinds my gears? LOL

A mama sent me her son's ESY "progress report" yesterday. One paragraph. ONE. PARAGRAPH. For 6 weeks of summer services.
It said: "Student participated in activities and showed improvement."

PARTICIPATED? SHOWED IMPROVEMENT?
That's not data, that's a fortune cookie!

Here's what the school hopes you don't know: They are LEGALLY REQUIRED to collect actual data during ESY. Not feelings. Not vibes. DATA.

How many times did he successfully complete the task?
What percentage of accuracy?
With what level of support?
Compared to what baseline?

Because here's the truth bomb they don't want you to catch: Without ESY data, they can claim your child doesn't need services. "Look, he maintained skills over summer!" they'll say in September.

But if you have REAL data showing he needed daily support to maintain those skills? That's your golden ticket to appropriate services.

Your move: Email your child's ESY teacher TODAY. Say this:
"I need all data collected during ESY, including daily data sheets, work samples, and progress monitoring forms. Please provide within 5 school days."

Watch how fast they scramble to "find" that data they "forgot" to send home.

Who else got a worthless ESY summary? Drop a 🙋‍♀️ below. Let's expose this pattern.