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Meet Tracie Kelly:
Learn The Story Behind Why She Created The IEP Advantage Course For Parents and How It's a COMPLETE Game-Changer!
by TRACIE KELLY, IEP Meeting Prep Specialist | November 2024 in Education & Tech
i remember the anguish, the frustration, and the tears that seemed to never end. i recall the days when my son, spencer, was just a toddler, and the signs of asperger's syndrome began to manifest in wayS that felt very overwhelming.
So, when I learned that I could enroll my son into an Early Childhood Special Education Preschool for IEP children at our local school district, I felt so happy to finally have some relief and professional help. However, in the beginning, the journey through the evaluations, consultations, and ultimately the hororrific IEP meetings were a rollercoaster of emotions.
I didn't know then that...
I Should Have Been Prepared!
Back then, my son Spencer's development was far from typical. His unique needs demanded specialized attention and support through therapy. Finding out that the school district would provide all of these services for free, was quite relieving. But quickly, the IEP meetings with the school district felt more like a court room, and like I was on trial against the school district... and it wasn't going well for me!
I was requesting individualized services for my child that I felt he needed, and they said no, that's not how they do things there. They asked me to implement my son's IEP so his preschool and therapeutic services could begin [which I did], while I signed that I disagreed with what was written in the IEP. Because I disagreed, the IEP meetings continued, but now, with the school district lawyers, the school district special education superintendent, and other prominent IEP team members sitting at the meeting table.
I was intimidated, stressed and
if I'm being completely honest...
I Didn't Understand Anything About
The IEP Meeting Process.
Feeling bullied and overwhelmed, I quickly acquiesced to what they deemed as correct for my son's needs. But, this all didn't sit well with me, but I also didn't want to cause too much trouble for my son at school. But, from that point on, every attempt to work with the school district felt like an uphill struggle. For me, it was a vicious cycle of feeling powerless, defeated, bullied, dismissed, and unheard.
The turning point came when I had enough of feeling bullied and I was truly worried about my sons experience in school. He went from being excited to go to school in that first week, to crying, screaming, and refusing to go out the door to school. The worst part was, he was unable to communicate anything to me beyond the screaming, crying, and saying, "no,no,no,...". It was heartbreaking.
All I knew was, at that point...
Something HAD to change!
Enough was ENOUGH!
No child should feel that traumatized and upset about going to school, especially since this was just preschool! So, after just a few months of his being in this program, and not getting the satisfactory answers that I needed from the school, I removed my son and decided that he would be at back home with me and that he'd transition to local "walk-in services". He needed to know that he was safe and that he was never again going back to that school, or any school in this school district again!
Hindsight is always...
20/20!
After all was said and done, while looking back and being glad that the nightmare IEP meetings had ended, I'd be the first to admit that I was completely unprepared for those IEP meetings, and I really didn't understand what I was talking about the whole time. I had just gone from a 3-year-old well check visit at my son's pediatrician and being told by the doctor that she suspected autism, to then being referred to our local school district for an autism evaluation, which led to the IEP meeting. My emotions were running high, I had unanswered questions, and a slew of new fears and worries.
The truth was, had I understood how the IEP meeting process worked, and everything the IEP entailed, those meetings and my son's preschool experience could have gone so much better. I would have known my rights and how to respond to being bullied. I would have known how to advocate for my son to get the needed supports. I would have known to bring an attorney if the other side brought theirs. But I had no idea what I was doing or what I was really asking for! Heck, I didn't even know what an IEP was until I attended the first meeting! And more importantly, I had no idea that the IEP was a legally binding document! I just didn't get it! Ugh... Hindsight is always 20/20.
This Is What I Did Next...
I stepped up and did what had to be done.
My idea was to keep my son home with me for these next few years, since Michigan compulsory education laws didn't require children to attend school until age six. During this time, I indulged his education by delight directed learning, meaning we'd try new experiences for kids his age and go all in on the stuff he enjoyed focusing on. We also spent a lot of time seeing therapists, both school provided and private, as well as going to doctor appointments, attending events within the autism community, and trying out different things to help our son.
During this time, I knew something had to change so my child could have a positive experience at school when we did send him back for 1st grade. I was determined to never, ever, never have a horrible IEP meeting experience again! So the hard work began. I had to figure this out for both his sake and mine!
I began to research everything about the IEP and IEP meetings. I studied it like I was taking a college class. I learned online. I went to in-person IEP events. I spoke to professionals. I spoke to other parents. I read books. I took a deep dive into everything IEP over that year and the end result was that I created a system to use to prepare for my IEP meetings.
I literally typed out a step-by-step system so I wouldn't forget it, and so I'd have it available at my fingertips as needed. I got all the mountains of paperwork organized and under control. In the end, as I was figuring out a new school for my son... I was prepared and ready for a new, positive IEP meeting! Once we made the decision that Spencer would be attending a charter school, we enrolled him and had our first IEP meeting! What a difference being prepared makes!
The IEP Team Said To Me That...
I was THE MOST PREPARED parent they've ever met! Could I imagine if every parent came into their meeting this prepared, what a difference it would make?!
This was the moment that I had my epiphany! I couldn't just keep this IEP meeting prep system to myself! I have to share this with every other IEP parent I can find! Because I knew that every parent I ever spoke with was also struggling with their IEP meetings!
I had designed a proven system that works! This was back in 2006! I burned my system onto CD's and called it "The IEP Help Disk" and mailed it to many parents that I found online. Every parent seemed to be struggling back then with their IEP meetings and I was so happy that I found a way to give back!
Fast Forward to the year 2022...
I was up at my younger son's school to pick him up, and there was an autistic boy there. I thought about his IEP and if his parents struggled still today. Then I thought about the IEP Help Disk that I created long ago...
And I went home that night and looked up on the computer, as I was curious is IEP parents were still struggling. Surely, technology has had to lead to some great advances! But nope! What did I find?
I found hundreds of parents all over Facebook Groups struggling with their kids IEPs and their IEP meetings! And the crazy thing was, was that all these parents are struggling with the same types of questions and problems, just like the parents did when my son was young! And here I was, I knew I had something that could help all parents - My IEP Meeting Prep Course! Sooo... that lead me to another epiphany, only this one was going to take hundreds of hours of work!
I contemplated whether or not I should do it! Afterall, my youngest was getting ready to graduate highschool, and after all these years... I can be done with the schools and walk away from it all! But, I had this nagging feeling and I stared to feel a sense of responsibility... It was a calling! I had created something that could help all IEP parents, and there's still nothing else like it out there. So, I new what I needed to do! I needed to update my system on the CD, and bring it onto the internet, onto a platform where I can share this IEP meeting prep course with parents across the USA!
So, that night as I laid in bed...
I started to get excited! My mind was racing with ideas! I thought about creating a company to serve IEP parents. I started thinking about names, and I thought of, "The IEP Advantage"! So I jumped out of bed and got on my computer to see if anyone owned that business name... nobody did! So I bought it!
IEPadvantage.com
So, over the following year, I got busy. Working with intense passion and dedication every free moment that I had, including working late nights, I prepared, improved, enhanced, and moved my IEP meeting prep course to the internet, where it's now available 24/7 to all parents! As I wrote and wrote and wrote.... hundreds of hours and many months passed by... and finally finished the project! Let me just say, this was no quick or easy task!
But I got it done by my goal time, which was the beginninng of December 2023, just in time for me to speak on stage [and sell my course] at The World Conference on Autism, in Colorado. And the rest, my friends, goes down in history! Here we are today. Over this past year, I've been working on creating an online resource commuity for IEP parents. It's a work in progress, but I have a great vision for just how amazing it will become!
What about my son with autism, you may wonder? Spencer has been breaking barriers beyond all beliefs for many years now! Back in 2016 when Spencer was out of 9th grade, he and his friend rode to McDonalds. Their bikes were stolen. Spencer made a deal with his dad that Dad would buy him a new bike and Spencer would pay him back by the end of summer. Spencer didn't just go get a job, he started a handmade soap business as a way to "make" money. Through his highschool years, Spencer became a public speaker and autism advocate. He even achieved speaking at The World Conference on Autism over two years about autism and entrepreneurship. There's so much more to this story, however, to keep it short... Spencer spent four years here in Michigan, at a local university, where he lived in the dorm, worked his soap business, and studied in the school's Business Honors Program, studying Honors Accounting. He since graduated with high honors, got a job working in accounting... then quit.
You see, while he was in college, he studied abroad in Spain. Then post graduation, he decided he was called to backpack the world! Spencer loves history, culture, people, exotic foods, and travel! And on June 4th, 2024 Spencer flew to Europe to begin his solo adventures. He since has met a girl from Slovania and now they're dating, he's written a book about his journey, and he's continuing his journey onto Thailand, Phillipines, and then Japan. He plans to temporarily return home in February 2025.
Oh, and if you've noticed the ExpeditionSoaps.com advertisements on these pages... check them out! Their story is most amazing to me... because that business belongs to my sons! They started it back when they were just 12 & 15 years old, in 2016! Since then it's grown into quite a successful, popular business! They have an amazing story, products and some gifts for the holidays! I think you'll enjoy seeing their website and new stories, so be sure to click on their links!
Meet the Author:
Tracie Kelly
Tracie Kelly is a mom on a mission to help parents of school-aged special needs children prepare for their IEP Meetings through her revolutionary new systematic step-by-step approach to IEP meeting prep. Driven by her own personal journey through the IEP process for her son Spencer, Tracie’s passion lies in serving other parents who may face difficulties when it comes to their child’s IEP meetings. Recognizing the need for a comprehensive IEP Meeting prep solution for parents, she created The IEP Advantage course, a groundbreaking resource that aims to set a new standard across the USA for parents IEP meeting prep. Upon completing The IEP Advantage course, parents will transform by becoming informed, empowered, and well-prepared as advocates for their children. Tracie’s mission is to equip parents with the knowledge and understanding of the IEP process, enabling them to confidently participate in their IEP meetings and be a champion for their child’s rights. Tracie’s vision is to create a community of “IEP Parents” by bridging the gap between parents lack of IEP knowledge and the rest of the school IEP Team that is better prepared. These IEP parents can then give their children the gift of an exceptional individualized education, knowing they did the best that they could, and therefore setting their children on a path for a brighter and more promising, independent future.
