IEP Advocate, Parent, and Teacher Helping Families Navigate Special Education | Abbey Butcher
The Table That Changed Everything
There’s a moment many parents remember forever.
Mine was at an IEP table—except this time, I wasn’t the teacher.
I was the mom.
And despite my years in the classroom, despite my deep knowledge of the system, I walked out of that meeting with a pit in my stomach and more questions than answers.
That moment changed everything.
The Educator in Me
Before that day, I had spent over 15 years teaching in public schools. I worked with students from kindergarten through high school, in both general and special education classrooms. I knew what made a strong IEP. I knew how teams operated. And I knew how hard teachers were trying to support kids—especially when behavior got in the way.
But I also saw how many students fell through the cracks.
Not because they didn’t try.
Not because their families didn’t care.
But because their needs weren’t fully understood.
The Parent in Me
When my own child began struggling, it wasn’t academic. It was anxiety.
Refusal. Overwhelm. Behavior that looked like defiance—but was really distress.
Even getting through the school doors felt impossible some mornings.
I read the books. (The Explosive Child changed everything for us.)
I used the strategies.
Still, nothing prepared me for how hard it would be to get the right support—even as a teacher who knew the language.
That’s when I realized: it’s not about knowing all the rules.
It’s about having someone walk with you while you learn to use your voice.
The Advocate I Became
Today, I walk with families through the IEP and 504 process—helping them gain clarity, confidence, and a plan that actually works.
That might look like:
Teaching the strategies I use through a group coaching program.
reviewing evaluations so you know what they really mean,
adjusting goals and services so they reflect your child’s needs,
or building a plan that supports your child long after high school.
But the work goes deeper than paperwork.
It’s about calming the overwhelm.
Finding your footing.
And showing up to the table steady—because someone’s walking beside you.
Why I Do This Work
I’ve sat at that table as a teacher, a parent, and now as an advocate.
I’ve been the one speaking up.
And I’ve been the one wondering what just happened after everyone left the room.
That’s why I don’t offer cookie-cutter strategies or generic advice.
I offer thoughtful partnership—so your child doesn’t just survive school… they grow into who they’re meant to be.
Your family deserves more than a plan that gets your child through the day.
You deserve one that honors who they are and who they’re becoming.
And I’d be honored to walk that path with you.
Ready to take the next step?
Explore how we can work together on this page.
You don’t have to do this alone.
Always walking with you,
Abbey
