164 Cordaville Road #483, Southborough, Massachusetts 01772, United States
Massachusetts Special Education Advocate
“It was nice to have the smartest person in the room on my side.”
Parent, Central MA
Serving families across Massachusetts.
About Faith’s work
Advocating for Children and Families for over 25 years
Faith M. Morgan-Gaines, B.S. Ed., M.P.P. has been advocating for children and families for over 25 years. She holds a bachelor's degree in Education and a Master's in Family and Child Policy. Faith is a former Teacher and Administrator of integrated classrooms and has received training from Suffolk Law School Advanced Legal Studies, Wilson Reading System, Lindamood- Bell, Wrightslaw and more. She is a trainer for the Federation for Children with Special Needs and an Educational Surrogate Parent for students in the custody of DCF. A member of both the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates and the Coalition to Defend Special Education, Faith is also a former Director, of Special Needs Advocacy Network (SpAN) of MA. She is a 2019 Council for Exceptional Children Conference proposal reviewer.
Areas of Practice
Faith works with families, from Early Intervention through age 22, in navigating the Special Education process. Faith enjoys working with families of students with all types of disabilities, across the diversity spectrum, and maintains specializations in Learning Disabilities, Social/Emotional and Behavioral Challenges, and Early Childhood Special Needs. She works with families throughout Massachusetts, including the Cape and Islands.
About the process
Faith works from a Letter of Agreement that identifies services to be provided and charged against a five-hour deposit* that must be placed upon entering into the agreement. Typically, services begin with a document review through which she begins to become familiar with your child(ren). This may include district or private evaluations as well as other documents deemed relevant to your case. This is typically followed by a meeting or phone call with the parent(s) to discuss steps forward. Faith is available to attend Team meetings, conduct observations, make recommendations (including evaluations) and develop communications with the Team and others. Over time, she assists parents in monitoring their child's progress and works to adjust the IEP/Placement, as appropriate. When necessary, Faith has seen parents through the BSEA Mediation and Hearing processes as well as OCR complaints.
*Please call for current rates. Limited sliding-fee and pro bono services are available with documented need.
Services
Free 30-Minute Consultation
Educational Advocacy/Consultation
Free 30-Minute Consultation
Let's talk! Many parents/guardians are unsure what an Education Advocate can do for them. That is for good reason as advocates vary greatly in philosophy and approach to supporting families as well as in background, training, and the services they offer. Faith is happy to speak with you about your concerns to help you decide if advocacy is right for you.
Mini-Meet (TM)
Educational Advocacy/Consultation
Free 30-Minute Consultation
If you're still unsure whether you want to move forward with advocacy, you may choose to access a two-hour meeting, at current rates, inclusive of a cursory document review. During this meeting (in person or by phone/video conference), Faith will provide a more in-depth assessment of your current situation, and possible steps forward, than can be provided in the 30-minute, free consultation.
Educational Advocacy/Consultation
Educational Advocacy/Consultation
Educational Advocacy/Consultation
Just as every student is different, every parent is different and parents have a variety of goals and expectations when seeking a Special Education Advocate. Faith is determined to arrive at the best possible balance for each family. Some parents choose to maintain advocacy supports for occasional questions and advice regarding their st
Just as every student is different, every parent is different and parents have a variety of goals and expectations when seeking a Special Education Advocate. Faith is determined to arrive at the best possible balance for each family. Some parents choose to maintain advocacy supports for occasional questions and advice regarding their student(s)' program and needs while others seek on-going document review, advice and attendance at meetings. Still others seek a more extensive representation across the IEP process. Whatever your needs or comfort-level, Faith seeks to deliver a positive, strength-building experience for you and your child. Central to Faith's philosophy is working toward a collaborative process where all parties feel respected and productive.