IEP Advocacy in Charleston
When Jennifer Burke looks back on her son Cayden’s earliest years in school, she remembers equal parts fear and determination. Cayden was diagnosed with autism at age 3 and entered the Charleston County School District through Child Find shortly after. Like many parents facing an individualized education program, or IEP, Burke knew she was stepping into unfamiliar territory, overwhelmed by acronyms, meetings and decisions.
“I didn’t know the laws. I didn’t know the system,” Burke said. “I just knew this was my child, and I had to learn how to speak up for him.”
What an IEP Is and How the Team Works
“An IEP is a federally mandated legal document designed to support students with disabilities by outlining specific goals, services and accommodations to help them succeed in school,” explained Danielle Folline, a resource teacher with James Island Charter High School. While the document itself is technical, the heart of an IEP is human. “A group that includes parents, school administrators, guidance counselors, school psychologists and teachers meets to recognize a child’s strengths and challenges and build a roadmap forward. Once they turn 13, we even encourage the student to attend the meetings so they can understand what it entails and how it can help them.”
A Case Study in Long-Term Support and Progress
For Cayden, that roadmap began early. He entered preschool in a primary intervention class and, as Burke recalled, transitioned well initially. Then life intervened. At just 4 years old, Cayden was diagnosed with leukemia and spent the next few years in and out of the hospital, missing critical foundational learning time. Autism, once the family’s biggest concern, suddenly got moved to the back burner.
When Cayden returned to school full-time, the challenges had grown from hills to mountains. He struggled to complete tasks, regulate his behavior and meet classroom expectations. For years, he required one-on-one support from an additional education assistant for most of his school day.
Rebecca Crouch, an autism itinerant/specialist with the Charleston County School District, trains staff, guides teachers and helps shape IEPs. She has provided critical behavioral and educational support for Cayden since he was 3 years old.
“Cayden is a success story,” Crouch smiled. “I never doubted he could get where he is now, but it wasn’t always easy.”
How IEPs Change Over Time
IEPs are not static documents, and Cayden’s have evolved constantly. As his needs changed, his goals were rewritten and his strategies adjusted. When behavior interfered with learning, a behavioral intervention plan was added. Reinforcements were introduced in small increments: first helping Cayden get through two minutes of a task, then five, then 10, eventually building toward an entire class period.
“As Cayden matured and began completing work, earning grades and receiving positive feedback, those outcomes became reinforcing on their own. Once he developed the skills needed to meet classroom demands, motivation shifted from ‘getting the reward’ to pride in performance and positive conduct,” Crouch explained.
Burke said a careful balance between structure and growth was life-changing. From third through sixth grade, Cayden slowly gained independence. By middle school, he transitioned from needing one-on-one support for most of the day to receiving assistance for only a small portion of the day. Cayden is currently an eighth grader at Thomas C. Cario Middle School. He is in all general education classes, on the diploma track and has earned both academic and character awards.
Parents, Advocates, and Knowing Your Rights
Another pivotal part of the journey was learning to navigate the IEP process. Burke leaned on her friend Samantha Walker, also a parent of children with IEPs, who helped her prepare for meetings and understand her rights. “The biggest thing parents need to know is that even if you hire an advocate, you are still your child’s best advocate,” Walker said. “You’re the one who knows your child better than anyone else.”
Walker emphasized that the best way to advocate for your child is to be prepared, have an open line of communication with the school and understand that an IEP works best as a partnership. Parents have the right to request evaluations, review data, call meetings and ask questions; doing so thoughtfully helps the entire team work more effectively.
Building Toward the Least Restrictive Environment
The Charleston County School District, Burke said, became a true partner once everyone was aligned around Cayden’s needs. Teachers, specialists and administrators worked together, sometimes revisiting and revising plans mid-year, to revise his supports and implement them.
“The goal is always to move toward the least restrictive environment,” Burke explained. “That looks different for every child. It takes time, consistency and people who believe in them.”
Hope for Families Starting the IEP Journey
For parents just beginning the IEP journey, Burke offers reassurance grounded in experience. “There were years when I hoped but didn’t expect that Cayden would be on the diploma track,” she said. “And it would have been OK if that hadn’t happened. But I want families to know there is hope. Progress doesn’t always look the way you imagine, but it’s possible.”
As Autism Awareness Month approaches this April, Burke hopes Cayden’s story reminds parents that they have a voice, that support exists and that no one navigates an IEP alone.
“It truly takes a village,” she said. “And when that village comes together, kids can do incredible things.”
Family Centered IEP Support
- Family Connection South Carolina – familyconnectionsSC.org
- 800-578-8750 – Para Espanol: 888-808-7462
- IEP advocate and consulting Samantha Walker – 703-963-8920
- WBC Education Solution wbceducationsolution.com – 843-790-4814
- Educational Advocacy & Consulting admin@eadvocates.com – 630-364-5785
- Bridged SC – info@bridgedsc.org
By Katie Sparks
