• Sarah Baum, Special Education Advocate

    Audio Information Session from CSNLG

Today, we’re diving into the critical role of special education advocates with our guest, Sarah Baum. Sarah transitioned from being an educational specialist in public schools to becoming a non-attorney advocate for families navigating the special education system.

We’ll explore what exactly a special education advocate does, how Sarah’s classroom experience informs her advocacy work, and why having an advocate can make a significant difference in a child’s educational journey. Sarah will also share her insights on the challenges facing special education today and offer advice for parents looking to become better advocates for their children.

Bio

Sarah is a non-attorney special education advocate serving the Orange County area. She has years of experience as an Education Specialist in the public school setting. Her professional skills included developing Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), tracking data, recommending and teaching evidence-based interventions and administering assessments. She holds a Master’s Degree in Special Education and has facilitated countless IEP meetings, seeing firsthand the ins and outs of the special education process. Additionally, she provides support to Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) assessors by guiding the assessment process and adding recommendations for supplementary aids and services to reports, based on data analysis and knowledge of resources in the school setting. Sarah is also an active member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) and graduated Special Education Advocacy Training (SEAT) 2.0 with the COPAA organization. As a component of the SEAT program, she completed an internship with an Orange County special education attorney to better understand the complexities of federal (IDEA) and state (California Education Code) special education laws. With her training and expertise, Sarah is amply equipped to assist parents to navigate the daunting special education process.

Contact Information

Reach out to Sarah on her website: EmpowerYouAdvocacy.com