The School System Wasn’t Designed to Be Easy to Navigate
IEP meetings can feel intimidating. The jargon is dense. The process is slow. And sometimes it feels like the people across the table are speaking a different language. You know your child needs support, but knowing how to ask for it, in the right terms, to the right people, using the right documentation, is a skill most parents were never taught.
You shouldn’t need a law degree to get your child what they need. You just need someone on your side who understands how the system works from the inside.
What IEP Consulting Actually Looks Like
Educational consulting at Mind by Design starts with understanding where your family is in the process. Maybe your child just received an evaluation and you’re preparing for your first IEP meeting. Maybe you’ve been through multiple meetings and feel like nothing is changing. Maybe you’re not sure whether your child qualifies for an IEP or a 504 plan, or what the difference even is.
Whatever the situation, our consultants help you understand the evaluation data, prepare for meetings, identify the accommodations and services your child is entitled to, and communicate with the school team in language they respond to. If you’d like support beyond what we provide, we can refer you to an educational advocate who specializes in attending meetings on your behalf. Our role is to empower you from behind the scenes by helping you understand your child’s needs, the evaluation data, and the options available, so you walk into the meeting prepared and confident.
We also help when things aren’t going as you’d hoped. If you have questions about your child’s school evaluation or feel it didn’t capture the full picture, we can talk through your options, including the process of requesting an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE). If services aren’t matching what’s in your child’s plan, we can help you document what you’re observing and think through next steps for the conversation with the school.
Consulting at a Glance
- Format:
Flexible, based on your needs (one time consultation, meeting preparation, meeting attendance, or ongoing support)
- Insurance:
IEP consulting is an educational support service and is not covered by insurance. See our Billing & Insurance page.
- Note:
Ongoing consultation beyond regularly scheduled sessions requires separate payment. We’ll always let you know in advance.
Ways We Support Families Through the School System
IEP Meeting Preparation
Reviewing evaluation data, identifying your child’s needs, and helping you walk into the meeting with confidence and a plan.
504 Plan Guidance
Helping you understand whether a 504 plan is the right fit, what accommodations to request, and how to make sure they’re implemented.
Evaluation Review
Walking you through your child’s school evaluation or private evaluation so you understand every finding and what it means for services and accommodations.
IEE Guidance
If you disagree with the school’s evaluation, we help you understand your rights and navigate the process of requesting an Independent Educational Evaluation.
Why IEP Consulting at Mind by Design Is Different
Our consultants didn’t learn about IEPs from a textbook. They built their careers sitting on the other side of the table. Every member of our team who provides IEP consulting has direct experience working within school systems, which means they know how eligibility decisions are made, what language school teams respond to, and where the process often breaks down.
When your child has been evaluated at Mind by Design, the consulting team already has the full picture. They’ve read the report. They know the data, because the report was written by evaluators who understand how schools think.
Your Family’s Consulting Team
IEP and educational consulting at Mind by Design is provided by team members with direct experience in school based special education. They understand the process from the district’s perspective, which makes them especially effective advocates from the family’s side.
Jana Parker
Licensed Educational Psychologist, Founder
Jana built her career in school systems before founding Mind by Design. She knows how IEP teams think, how eligibility decisions are made, and how to present evaluation data in a way that leads to action.
Bethanie Sheaffer
Licensed Educational Psychologist, Board Certified School Neuropsychologist (ABSNP)
Bethanie’s extensive school based experience and advanced neuropsychological training make her especially effective at translating complex assessment findings into the specific language school teams need to hear.
Christina Reilly
Licensed Educational Psychologist, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Christina’s dual licensure allows her to support families through both the procedural and emotional sides of the school advocacy process.
Claire Baldal
California Licensed Educational Psychologist LEP #4927
Over the past six years, Claire has worked as a school psychologist in both public and independent school settings, partnering with students, families, and educators to understand each child's unique learning profile. She emphasizes clear, actionable reports designed for families to use, not to sit in a file.
Jenny Ortega
Licensed Educational Psychologist #3766
Jenny brings 20 years of school psychology experience across Bay Area districts, from small private schools and charters to large urban schools, along with deep knowledge of special education law. Raised speaking Spanish and English, she focuses on how cultural and linguistic differences shape learning and welcomes complex cases.
Lauren Taylor
Licensed Educational Psychologist #4948
Lauren is a Licensed Educational Psychologist and credentialed school psychologist who trained at Teachers College, Columbia University and has supported students and families in public schools in California and Arizona. She looks beyond test results to each child’s strengths, interests, and everyday experiences, and turns what she learns into clear explanations and practical next steps.
Families Who Benefit Most from Educational Consulting
This service is for any family navigating the special education system and feeling unsure, overwhelmed, or unheard. You might be a parent preparing for your very first IEP meeting and not knowing what to expect. You might be a family who has been through many meetings and feels like nothing changes. You might have a child with a new evaluation and no idea how to turn those recommendations into school services.
You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit from consulting. Even one session of meeting preparation can make a significant difference in how the conversation goes and what your child walks away with.
Common Questions About IEP Consulting
From Our Blog
Navigating the IEP Process
Read on our blog →Guiding Parents of Struggling Learners: Navigating the Educational System
Read on our blog →Ready to Walk Into the Next Meeting Feeling Prepared?
The school system can feel like an uphill climb, but it doesn’t have to be one you make alone. Our team knows the process, knows the language, and knows how to make sure your child’s needs are heard. Let’s talk about where you are and how we can help.
Phone: (669) 282 2510