What is the Special Education Advocate Salary expectation?

As a profession, special education advocacy is fairly new. After all, IDEA has only existed since 1975. So, the cottage industry surrounding special education and IEPs came shortly thereafter.

One of the professions to emerge was that of a special education advocate, or IEP advocate. I have been a parent IEP advocate since 2010. Most of the advocates I know and work with are IEP parents themselves who grew into this position. The second most popular category is former teachers or related service providers looking for a ‘second act’ after retiring from their school district, or as side income.

If this is something you’re considering, you might be wondering what the salary is for a special education advocate. Hopefully I can give you some answers and maybe even recruit you to becoming a special education advocate.

We certainly need more!

Where do Special Education Advocates Work?

First, let’s look at the possible employment options for special education advocates. Because it really has an impact on salary level, based on what I’ve seen and experienced.

Self employed IEP advocates: Most advocates I know are self employed or own their own small business (advocacy agency). This is why Don’t IEP Alone Academy includes a component for this.

Agency Special Education Advocates: The second most common employment setting I see is the parent advocates who are hired by agencies. Most of the time these agencies are a non-profit or NGO (non government agency) connected to serving families of disabled people.

For Profit Agency Advocates: In 16 years, I have come across one or two law firms that hire special education advocates. This allows the law firm to have another stream of income and it can serve as a continuous feeder for clients. There are also some private OT or PT or SLP agencies who also employ special education parent advocates to assist their clients/parents with the process.

School Districts or State/County Advocates: In some states and school districts, there are positions for advocates but they are not usually called Special Education Advocates. They are usually referred to as Parent Partners or Parent Peers, or some type of parent buddy program. Quite often they differ a little bit from other advocates because their main focus is to educate you on the process, and maybe not do quite as much advocacy work. I hope that makes sense.

And, no disrespect to the people out there fulfilling these roles. I’m friends with several of them. But, there is an inherent problem with this type of educational advocacy work. Are you really going to go against, or push back, against the place that provides you with a paycheck? (That said, it’s a really great place to work for beginning advocates, to get some experience.)

If you are reading that last paragraph and that is your category, you might be offended. I’m just saying what is the truth. Even if you’re thinking, “I never did that! I was always honest with my clients!” I’d reply with “good for you!” and I really mean that. I know many who do–but they also have to do it secretly.

But there’s a reason you cannot join COPAA if you get paid by a state or school district–because it’s considered a conflict of interest. COPAA is the Council for Parent Advocates and Attorneys, and they state that if 50% or more of your income comes from a school district, you cannot be a member. It’s the main (most popular) professional organization or society for advocates and attorneys who “work on the parent side of the IEP table” as they say.

The water is undeniably muddy. Whether you like that or not, whether you agree with it or not–it is something you will encounter if you choose to work as an advocate in that capacity.

Special Education Advocate Salary

Ok, so let’s get to the information you want. How much can you make as a special education advocate?

By far, the highest salaries are those of the self-employed advocates. We can decide how much we are charging and control most of our overhead costs.

Here are some examples of what I’ve heard from other working education advocates.

• Hourly rates, anywhere from $30 to $200 an hour.
• A monthly retainer fee, and I’ve heard $300 to $500 a month. There is even a rumor (though I really think (hope?) it might be an urban legend) that there are advocates out there charging a $10,000 retainer. I heard from one of my current clients that one advocate wanted a $4000 retainer.
• When I worked for a non-profit agency, I started at $15 an hour and when I left I was making $20 an hour (2010-ish). After taxes and daycare I was barely breaking even.
• I have known IEP advocates working for attorneys who made in the $25-$50 an hour range. The law firm charged the client twice that to cover overhead fees and leave a bit of profit.
• If you get advocacy services from the Arc in my county, it’s $90 an hour. I have no idea how much they pay the advocates.
• I have heard of non-profits, school districts and other agencies paying anywhere from $1500 a month for part time work, to salaries up to $60k or more.

Profitable Advocacy Work

Working in advocacy means stepping into a system that isn’t always fair, and that’s exactly why this work matters so much.

Families of disabled students are often navigating limited resources, confusing systems, and real barriers. And because of that, advocacy isn’t typically a “get rich quick” path. But it is a meaningful, flexible, and impactful career, especially if you approach it strategically.

Many successful advocates choose to specialize (focusing on a specific disability, age group, or type of situation) so they can become highly skilled and in-demand. Others build their own businesses over time, creating something that not only supports families but also provides income and growth opportunities for themselves.

There isn’t just one path here. But there is a path. If you’ve ever thought, “I wish I knew how to do this, not just for my child, but maybe for others too,” Don’t IEP Alone is a good place to start. I keep my training affordable, because other programs are $2500 and up, which is daunting when trying to launch a new business.

Do I have to work as a free special education advocate?

When I have participants who are taking my online training to become a special education advocate, one of the first questions they ask is, “Do I have to work for free to get started?”

No, you don’t have to do anything. You can begin charging fees on day 1 of your business.

I can make arguments for and against starting out as a free advocate. Sure, you have to get experience somewhere as an advocate. That may mean offering free services to friends and family. One strategy to consider is maximizing your advocate earnings during summer months, which can often be a lucrative time for those ready to market themselves. By leveraging seasonal trends and the increased demand for certain services, you can create a diverse portfolio that attracts more clients. This approach not only boosts your income but also enhances your reputation within your community.

But here’s the thing–I’ve found that it’s very difficult, as a small business person, to transition from free to paid advocacy work. Once word gets out in your community that you’re a “free advocate” people get miffed when you ask for payment.

My advice now is this. If you want to work for free to get experience, look into your local Special Education or IDEA Surrogate program. The IDEA surrogate program is one that provides kids who do not have parents “in the picture” to get an appointed educational decision maker for IEP meetings. That means either both parents are deceased, incarcerated or other similar circumstances for the child.

This is a provision defined in IDEA. I’ve been an IDEA surrogate for over 10 years. Most of the kids I have done this for are either wards of the state, have parents who are incarcerated or other similar situations.

This allows you to help a child who really needs it. You can get some experience. And, word isn’t spreading around your community that you’re the “free advocate” which can be difficult to recover from.

Whatever path you choose, know that special education advocates are needed. Most of the ones I know have as many clients as they can handle, and the need is always growing. Good luck to you, and I hope to see you in my online training program for special education advocates. We will hold your hand your entire way through becoming an advocate for special education.