TED SCOTT-SMITH
SPECIAL EDUCATION
ADVOCACY
I'm Ted Scott-Smith, a special education advocate based in the San Francisco Bay Area, working with families nationwide. Twenty years in classrooms with students of every age and every level of need, and my deepest work is in extensive support needs, AAC, communication, and inclusion.
I help parents review IEPs, prepare for meetings, and find out whether the services on paper are actually happening. I'm also a parent of children with IEPs.
Affiliated with IEP Defenders, a special education law firm that represents families at no cost. When a family’s situation calls for legal representation, that is where I refer.
What Families Say
Talia C.,
Gilroy, CA
Yelp Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I am a mama bear and consider myself educated and tough. Sometimes we tough ones need support too. … With his help, we were able to get the services and support she needed, including speech services that the school initially did not want to provide."
Lauren M.,
New Orleans, LA
Yelp Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Ted is AWESOME! I cannot recommend Ted enough. Even after significant IEP experience, I was still overwhelmed. Ted stayed on top of every detail and communication with the school, making sure the right questions were asked and the services my children needed stayed the focus."
Jennifer C.,
Florida
Yelp Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Ted was an angel when I needed help most. He stepped in before the school year started, knew exactly who to contact, and worked tirelessly to help keep my son at the school where he was thriving. I would absolutely choose Ted again."
Mentewab A.
San Diego, CA
Yelp Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Ted is an amazing advocate. His approach is collaborative and not confrontational, which I appreciate. I recommend him to anyone looking for a great advocate."
Jakeylia F.,
Sacramento, CA
Yelp Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I have had a very positive experience working with Ted as our advocate. He is consistently responsive, patient, and attentive. During our IEP meeting, he made sure I was able to fully express my thoughts without interruption, which I greatly appreciated as a parent."
Wendy S.,
Sacramento, CA
Yelp Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Ted is kind, warm and responsible. Ted will make you feel confident and will guide you through the special education process. … I would highly recommend Ted."
From no general education access to more than two hours a day
San Jose, CA
The situation:
A student had no access to general education and had lost transportation services.
What I did: One well-prepared IEP meeting, where we clarified the district's obligations and what the record showed.
The result:
More than two hours of daily inclusion, transportation restored, and an offer of compensatory services.
Case Examples
Stronger goals and real communication support
Atlanta, GA
The situation:
A family was concerned their child's IEP goals were vague and communication supports were inconsistent.
What I did: Reviewed the IEP and prepared clear, specific recommendations.
The result:
The district strengthened the goals, improved AAC support, added staff training, and increased inclusion.
Preventing an unnecessary school change
Florida
The situation:
A family was told their child would be transferred, despite thriving at their current school.
What I did:
Reviewed the situation, contacted district leadership, and clarified the student's rights.
The result:
The district reversed its decision, without a complaint, a due process filing, or another IEP meeting.
My Story
I’ve spent close to two decades inside classrooms and conference rooms solving real problems for real students. I’ve taught in public schools, led IEP teams, managed caseloads, and consulted for curriculum developers and ed-tech companies whose tools are being used in classrooms today. I’ve trained other teachers at the district level on how to implement curriculum with best practices in a major urban district, making sure what gets rolled out actually helps students.
I’ve also worked alongside many advocates over the years, so I know how teachers and administrators tend to think and operate. My approach is not adversarial. Because I've been a teacher and case manager, I know how school teams make decisions and what makes them engage rather than dig in. My approach is collaborative rather than confrontational..
I’m also a father of children with IEPs, so I know how it feels to sit on the parent side of the table. Every family is different. Every child is different. I keep my practice small so I can dig into the details and deliver problem solving that fits your exact situation.When you reach out, I’m the one reading the files, writing the emails, and moving things forward.
Who I Work With
Families at any stage of the special education process. Whether you’re just starting out or already deep in it, I help you get clarity, spot what’s missing, and take meaningful action.
If you’re feeling stuck, dismissed, or overwhelmed, I help you move forward with a real plan and steady support.
What Sets This Apart
A Special Education Teacher, Not Just an Advocate
I have taught special education in public schools for nearly twenty years. I have led hundreds of IEP meetings from the district side, managed complex caseloads, trained other special education teachers, and supported more than 200 families from inside the system. I opened this practice in 2025.
I am also a parent of children with IEPs. I know what it is to be the one holding the documents, trying to make the right call with incomplete information.
Support That Doesn't Stop at the Meeting
Most of what decides whether an IEP works happens after everyone signs it. I help with behavior, instruction, communication, AAC, and the problems that surface between meetings.
Because I have been the teacher and the case manager, I know how school teams actually reach decisions. My approach is collaborative rather than confrontational, which usually gets a child more than a fight does.
Small Caseload
I work with families across the country, most often by video, and in person where travel allows.
I take a limited number of families at a time. That means replies within one business day, real attention to your child's documents, and someone who stays through the whole process.
Services
IEP Action Plan
A personalized roadmap for your next steps.
$500
Every child, every family, and every IEP team is different. That's why I don't use a one size fits all approach. Your IEP Action Plan is built around your child's unique needs, your family's goals, and nearly 20 years of real world special education experience.
How It Works
Step 1: Complete a Brief Questionnaire
Start by completing a short online questionnaire so I can better understand your child, your concerns, and your goals.
Step 2: Review and Payment
I'll personally review your questionnaire and email you a service agreement along with a secure payment link.
Step 3: Upload Your Documents
Once payment is complete, I'll send you a private Google Drive folder where you can securely upload your child's current IEP and the district's proposed or draft IEP, if there is one. If there's another document that's particularly relevant to your situation, send that too.
Step 4: IEP Review
I'll carefully review the documents you sent in Step 3 before we meet, so I have a thorough understanding of your child's program, strengths, and areas of need.
Step 5: Planning Consultation
We'll meet to discuss your child, your goals, and your concerns. Together, we'll identify priorities, answer your questions, and begin developing the recommendations that will shape your IEP Action Plan.
Step 6: Receive Your IEP Action Plan
After our consultation, I'll prepare a personalized written IEP Action Plan with practical recommendations, strategic questions, and clear next steps tailored to your situation.
Optional 60 Minute Strategy Session: $150
Review your completed IEP Action Plan together, ask questions, and prepare for your next IEP meeting or next steps.
IEP Meeting Attendance
Someone in the room who knows the file.
$700
IEP meetings move fast. Decisions that shape a whole school year get made in a few minutes, often while you're still processing what was said. Having someone beside you who has read the documents, knows what the team is required to do, and has spent nearly 20 years on the other side of that table changes how the meeting goes.
How It Works
Step 1: Tell Me About the Meeting
Reach out with your child's situation and the meeting date if you have one. I'll confirm I'm available before anything else happens.
Step 2: Review and Payment
Once we've confirmed the date works, I'll email you a service agreement along with a secure payment link.
Step 3: Upload Your Documents
I'll send you a private Google Drive folder where you can securely upload your child's current IEP, any proposed or draft IEP, and the assessments or reports the team will be discussing.
Step 4: Document Review
I'll review everything relevant to this meeting, so I walk in knowing your child's program rather than learning it in real time.
Step 5: Strategy Session
We'll meet beforehand to decide what you're asking for, what order to raise it in, and what to do if the team says no.
Step 6: The Meeting
I attend with you and we debrief afterward, so you know what was decided and what to watch for next.
Hourly Support
When You Need One Thing, Not Everything
$175/hour
Sometimes you don't need a full plan. You need someone to read the evaluation that just came home, or help you write the email you've rewritten four times, or tell you whether what the district offered is actually reasonable.
Buy an hour. If that's all you need, that's all you buy. Work is billed in 15 minute increments, and I'll tell you what something is likely to cost before I start it.
Common uses: reviewing a new evaluation, drafting letters and statements of disagreement, a second opinion on an offer you've received, preparing a compliance complaint, or working through a decision you're stuck on.
Use Public Funding
You May Already Have Funding for This
Families who self-direct their disability funding often don't realize it can cover parent training and counseling. In California that's the Self-Determination Program; other states run similar programs through their Medicaid waivers.
That's what this work is. I review your child's documents, build your plan, and prepare you for the room.
I work with FMS organizations and provide invoices, service descriptions, and vendor paperwork. Approval depends on your plan, your funding agency, and your fiscal management service — confirm it before we start, not after.
Monthly Advocacy Retainer
For families who value ongoing guidance and long term planning.
$1,000/month
The retainer is for families who want continued guidance as things change across the school year. We start with an IEP Action Plan so I know your child's program, and the retainer picks up from there.
Limited Availability
I intentionally limit the number of retainer families I work with so each one gets real time and attention. If I can't provide that, I won't take on another retainer client.
What's included each month
One school meeting, virtual or in person
One strategy session
Email and phone support during business hours, answered within one business day
Support drafting collaborative communication with the school
Review of new IEPs, prior written notice, assessment plans, and progress reports as they arrive
Prompt guidance when something urgent comes up
Meeting Policy
The included meeting is available during each active billing month and does not roll over if it isn't used.
Getting Started
The retainer begins after an IEP Action Plan, so I have a full understanding of your child's program before ongoing support starts.
Additional Services
Additional meetings or work beyond the retainer are billed at my standard hourly rate of $175. Travel for in person meetings is billed separately. Any additional charges are always discussed and approved in advance.
If you're not sure which service is the best fit for your family, or you have a question before getting started, send me a message below.
Scope of Services
I am not an attorney and do not provide legal advice. Working with me does not create an attorney client relationship, and I do not represent families in due process hearings. When a matter calls for legal representation, I say so.
Every child and district is different, so I can't promise a specific outcome. What I can promise is straight answers, careful preparation, and steady support.