Inform. Advocate. Empower.
For twelve years I worked inside special education. Now that expertise works for your child.
Natalie Blakely is a special education advocate who spent twelve years as a Texas school psychologist, serving families in Richmond, Fort Bend County. IEP, 504 and ARD support from someone who understands the process from the inside.
COPAA Advocate Member
Texas Association of School Psychologists
12 years in Texas public schools
5.0 from 5 Google reviews
Where most families are when they call
Does any of this sound familiar?
The school says he doesn’t qualify.
They keep telling me she’s making progress. She isn’t.
The evaluation came back and I don’t understand any of it.
There’s an IEP, but what’s written isn’t what’s happening.
He’s being suspended for behavior that’s part of his disability.
I’m the only one in that room without a title.
I have been in that room for twelve years. I understand the process, the documents, and the language, and I help you walk in prepared to advocate for your child.
Natalie Blakely
About Natalie Blakely
Twelve years inside the system evaluating needs, interpreting data, and developing programming.
Before I became an advocate, I spent twelve years as a school psychologist in a large Texas public school district. That gave me an inside understanding of how special education actually works: evaluations, eligibility, IEP goals, services, behavior and academic supports, and placement decisions.
I know what to look for in an IEP. I understand what evaluation data means for your child. I know the questions to ask when something does not feel right. And I know how much information parents are expected to absorb while making important decisions for their child.
Today I use that experience to help families understand what their child needs, prepare for ARD meetings and secure appropriate support, keeping the focus where it belongs: on your child.
School psychologist for twelve years in a large Texas public school district
COPAA Advocate Member, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates
Member, Texas Association of School Psychologists
Sam Houston State University graduate
Mother
A plain-English glossary
Walk into the meeting knowing the language.
Special education comes with a language of its own. Understanding these 10 common acronyms can help you follow the conversation and participate confidently in decisions about your child.
ARD
Admission, Review and Dismissal
Texas’s name for the IEP team meeting. This is the committee that decides whether your child qualifies for special education and the supports provided by the school. You are a full member of it.
FIE
Full Individual Evaluation
The district’s evaluation of your child. In Texas, the initial written report is due within 45 school days of the district receiving your written consent.
REED
Review of Existing Evaluation Data
The step where the team decides what new testing is genuinely needed before a three-year reevaluation.
IEP
Individualized Education Program
The written plan: goals, services, accommodations, supports and placement. It is a legal document, and what it says on paper should match what happens in the classroom every day.
PLAAFP
Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance
A snapshot of how a child is doing now: their strengths, their needs, and how their disability affects learning and participation at school. It should be built on data, and it drives the goals and the programming that follow.
MDR
Manifestation Determination Review
Held when a child with an IEP faces a long removal from school or multiple suspensions. It asks two questions: was the behavior caused by the disability, and did the school actually follow the IEP?
IEE
Independent Educational Evaluation
If you disagree with the district’s evaluation you can ask for an independent one at public expense. The district must either fund it or formally defend its own.
FBA and BIP
Behavior assessment and plan
A Functional Behavior Assessment works out why a behavior is happening. The Behavior Intervention Plan is what the school will do about it, and it should teach a replacement skill, not just apply consequences.
LRE
Least Restrictive Environment
The legal requirement that your child is educated alongside peers without disabilities to the greatest extent appropriate. Placement should fit your child, not force your child to fit the placement.
ESY
Extended School Year
Services over the summer, for a child who would lose skills during a long break and not get them back in reasonable time. It is an eligibility decision, not an automatic no.
Bring this list to your next meeting. If a term comes up that is not here, ask them to explain it, and write down the answer.
Services and fees
Plain services, plain prices.
No guesswork. No surprises. Every service and fee is right here, so you know what to expect before we ever talk.
Consultation call
Fifteen minutes to tell me what is happening and hear whether I am the right help. No obligation.
Free
Record review and feedback
IEP and evaluation review, a 60 to 90 minute consultation, and written recommendations you can take into the meeting.
$300
ARD meeting attendance only
Attendance at the meeting with a short strategy session beforehand. Does not include a full IEP review.
$350
Pre-IEP advocacy support
For families waiting on the initial evaluation, where the hard part is waiting for more support. Consultation and guidance, email review, drafted emails, record review including private evaluations, direct school advocacy and meeting accompaniment as needed. Concludes when the initial evaluation is completed, and does not cover reviewing that initial evaluation or the initial ARD.
$350
Comprehensive advocacy support
IEP and evaluation review, a 60 to 90 minute consultation, written recommendations, sample emails, and attendance at one ARD meeting. The most common place to start.
$650
Add-onAdditional meetings
Available with comprehensive advocacy support: each further ARD, Brief, Continuation or Manifestation Determination Review meeting.
$300per meeting
Ongoing advocacy, hourly
Emails, calls, school meetings, travel time, record review and communication with outside providers. Billed in 15-minute increments and invoiced monthly.
$100per hour
Annual packages, paid as a flat fee
Basic annual package
Ongoing IEP review, direct school advocacy where needed, strategy and planning, up to two ARD meetings, and follow-up across the school year.
$1,500
Full support premium annual package
Everything in the basic package, plus unlimited meeting attendance and ongoing email and phone support throughout the year.
$3,000
Students attending a Title I school receive a 10% discount.
Flat-fee services are paid before work begins. Meeting attendance may be virtual or in person.
Not sure which one fits? That is exactly what the free call is for.
How this works
Four steps, and you are never the only one in the room.
01
A free fifteen-minute call
You tell me what is going on. I tell you honestly whether you need an advocate, whether you need something simpler, or whether this belongs with an attorney.
02
Records requested and read properly
The IEP, the evaluation, the progress data, the emails. I read them the way the district reads them, and I tell you what they actually say. I take the time to explain them.
03
Strategy and preparation before the meeting
We agree what you are asking for and why, get your concerns in writing, and work out which questions matter. You walk in knowing what is going to happen.
04
I sit beside you at the table
You speak, and I make sure you are heard. Afterwards we go through what was agreed, what was not, and what happens next.
Reviews
What families and colleagues say.
Some of these are from parents. Some are from the people who sat next to Natalie in schools for years. Both matter, so both are here.
From families
“She took the time to review records, explain complex information in a way that was easy to understand, and helped me feel empowered to advocate for my child. She listened to my concerns, respected my perspective as a parent, and ensured my voice was heard throughout the process.”
“One of the things that sets her apart is her extensive experience, including 12 years as a school psychologist. She understands how schools operate and uses that knowledge to effectively support families and advocate for children.”
Kassandra Arguello
Parent of a child with autism and ADHD · Google review
From colleagues and professionals
“She was always student, but more importantly, human centered. Additionally, she knew the law and worked in the student’s best interest to ensure it was being followed.”
Stephen Schrock
Colleague of five years · Google review
“For ten years now, Natalie is my go-to resource for a balanced, objective consultation that yields actionable recommendations.”
Paula H
Ten-year professional relationship · Google review
“I regularly witnessed Natalie’s expertise that spanned across assessment, the ARD process and IEPs. I can think of no greater individual of whom you can trust with your child’s academic future.”
Brandon Van Winkle
Former intern · Google review
For referring professionals
Referring a family?
Attorneys, physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, speech therapists, BCBAs, occupational and physical therapists: you often see the problem before the school does. Here is when an educational advocate is the right next call.
I do not pay or accept referral fees. Referrals go where they are right for the family.
Natalie Blakely · 936-668-4172 · natalie@blakelyiep.com
Read the full referral guide01
Psychologists. Receiving a diagnosis or private evaluation is often only the beginning. Families may need support informing the school, navigating the school-based evaluation, and advocating for your recommended accommodations to be incorporated.
02
Personal injury attorneys. A child has a traumatic brain injury that affects learning, behavior or communication. While you handle the legal claim, the family may also need support with school evaluations, IEP or 504 planning, return-to-school services, and ensuring medical information is meaningfully considered by the educational team.
03
BCBAs. When behavioral needs follow a child into a public school classroom, families may need assistance advocating for their child’s needs, incorporating behavioral strategies, and advocating for a Behavior Intervention Plan.
04
Speech pathologists. A child receives private speech therapy and their communication needs are affecting learning and behavior in school. Parents may need assistance advocating for your recommended supports, so their child can access education and communicate their needs.
05
Pediatricians. Families may receive a diagnosis, developmental evaluation or treatment recommendations and remain unsure how to pursue appropriate educational support.
How I work
I work for your family, not for the district.
I read the records, help you prepare, and sit beside you at the ARD table so that you can speak with confidence and the team hears what your child needs.
What that means in practice
I can explain how the process is supposed to work, walk you through the options in front of you, help you put your concerns in writing, and attend meetings with you.
What it does not mean
I am not an attorney, I do not give legal advice, and I do not speak in place of you. When a question belongs with a lawyer, I will tell you so and help you find one.
Questions parents ask
The things everyone wants to know first.
What does a special education advocate actually do?
An advocate helps you understand your child’s evaluation and IEP, works out what to ask the school for, helps you put your concerns in writing, and attends ARD meetings with you.
Federal law is explicit that you may bring a person with knowledge or special expertise about your child onto the IEP team, and you are the one who decides who that is.
How much does a special education advocate charge?
The entire fee schedule is published on this page rather than hidden behind an inquiry. Record review is $300, ARD meeting attendance is $350, and comprehensive support that combines both is $650. Ongoing work is $100 an hour, billed in fifteen-minute increments and invoiced monthly. Annual packages are $1,500 and $3,000.
Students attending a Title I school receive a 10% discount. The first fifteen-minute call is free.
Are there free options if I cannot afford an advocate?
Yes, and you should know about them. Partners Resource Network is the federally funded parent training and information center for Texas, and their help is free to every family in the state. Locally, The Arc of Fort Bend County offers meeting support to members for a small fee.
If one of those is genuinely the better fit for your situation, I will tell you that on the free call. You are not wasting my time by asking.
Do I need an attorney instead?
Sometimes, but most special education problems are resolved long before they become legal disputes, and an advocate is usually the right first step.
I am not an attorney and I do not give legal advice. If your situation needs a lawyer, I will say so plainly and help you find one.
Which school districts do you work with?
I am based in Richmond and work across Fort Bend County and the greater Houston area, including Lamar CISD, Fort Bend ISD, Katy ISD and Needville ISD. I also have active clients in Conroe ISD, Brazosport ISD and Magnolia ISD.
Record review, consultation and meeting preparation can all be done virtually, so I can support families throughout Texas too.
Can you guarantee my child will get the services we are asking for?
No, and nobody honestly can. Those decisions are made by the ARD committee, not by me.
What I can do is help you bring the right information to the meeting, communicate your concerns clearly, ask informed questions, and work with the school toward appropriate supports for your child.
Get in touch
Not sure what your child needs? Let’s talk.
Helping families navigate special education with clarity, confidence and support. Tell me what is happening and we will work out the next step together, at no cost.
Phone
936-668-4172Service area
Richmond, Rosenberg, Sugar Land, Katy, Fulshear, Missouri City, Needville and Stafford, across Fort Bend County and the greater Houston area. Virtual support available across Texas.
Response time
Typically within 24 to 48 business hours.
Request your free 15-minute call
The more you can tell me now, the more useful that first call will be.