Advocacy Program :

The RISE Student/Education Advocacy Program provides general and special education advocacy and support for families in Virginia.  Student Advocacy is passionate about students thriving in school.  

When we work with any family, our goals include the following:

1. Ensure the best plan possible for the student's success.

2. Support the family.

3. Help the family understand their rights, the process and the possibilities for their  child.

4. Improve communication between the family and school and ensure the family's voice is understood.

Yes, I need help:

Request support by filling out a contact form below explaining the situation and all parties involved.

What happens next?

Sharon will contact you to set up a free consultation.  If she deems that we can help, she will work within your budget and make the fee appropriate for RISE's level of involvement.  Monies obtained during advocacy is for us to be able to continue advocating for more parents and students.  We desire that this advocacy program be here to support as many as we can handle.

Associated Fees:

Intake: Free

First Consult: $75

On-Going Support: $125/hour or per school meeting 

What is the purpose of an IEP?

The purpose of an IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) is to help your child reach state grade-level standards. To do that, the IEP team will need to set annual goals and measure improvement against those goals. 

At each yearly IEP meeting, the IEP team will review your child’s progress toward annual goals. Sometimes, those goals may not have been met and will need to stay the same for another year. But if your child has met them or the team thinks that they need to be changed, you’ll work to develop new goals for the coming year. 

Setting annual IEP goals takes more than just knowing where your child’s skills are now. It also means knowing what skills need work to make progress toward grade-level standards. As an equal member of the IEP team, it’s important for you to understand and be involved in the process of setting goals. 

Sharon Fitz, will help you to navigate the process and help you to be a strong participating advocate for your child. 

IEP preparation & consultation fee : Between $75 to $150