We Speak Advocacy

We Speak Advocacy We Speak Advocacy helps parents navigate special education. Janell believes all students can thrive in school given the right supports.

She values fairness and integrity when working with schools and believes a positive home/school relationship is vital.

Don't forget- this case originated in September 2024 because seventeen states objected to the idea that gender dysphoria...
09/10/2026

Don't forget- this case originated in September 2024 because seventeen states objected to the idea that gender dysphoria might be a disability under Section 504.
But with that language removed, Baby, look at us now. Don't ever think an attack on one vulnerable group will end with that one vulnerable group.

Too heavy? Let me lighten the load.Visit my website to schedule your consultation. www.wespeakadvocacy.com
09/07/2026

Too heavy? Let me lighten the load.
Visit my website to schedule your consultation.

www.wespeakadvocacy.com

IEP meetings sure can be a lot. Parents may start out nervous but also really hopeful. Then leave that first meeting con...
09/05/2026

IEP meetings sure can be a lot. Parents may start out nervous but also really hopeful. Then leave that first meeting confused about what the heck just happened, perhaps overwhelmed by a sense of being ignored and powerless. In the hours or days that follow that first meeting, that feeling of confusion might morph into frustration, anger, helplessness, and overwhelm.
Parents, don’t let it linger there. Learning to engage in the process will not only help you gain clarity about your learner’s options, but it also ensures your perspective is valued as a key member of the IEP team.
You don’t have to do it alone. Together we can turn that frustration into action and give you the confidence to navigate the system, contribute to building a strong plan, and take a leading role in ensuring your learner gets the support they need.

The school year has just started, and I've heard from two families of kindergarten students in separate districts experi...
09/03/2026

The school year has just started, and I've heard from two families of kindergarten students in separate districts experiencing informal removal. Of course, the schools haven't called it that. They haven't named it at all. Just simply told the parents that their child may not attend.
Each situation is different, and there is a lot of nuance here. In addition to the questions of discipline, behavior plans, and parent participation in decision making, it is clear to me that the opportunity for strong transition planning from their preschool programs was missed. And that is heartbreaking.

AI can be a useful tool, but if you don't have enough base knowledge, you may end up following some really bad advice.As...
09/02/2026

AI can be a useful tool, but if you don't have enough base knowledge, you may end up following some really bad advice.
As a human with lived experience, I can give you answers to the questions you didn't even know to ask. I can also spot AI's errors from a mile away.
And as a human who cares, I'll point you to free and trustworthy online resources so you don't have to rely on AI to get it right.
Check out A Day In Our Shoes (Don't IEP Alone), COPAA, PaTTAN (in PA), Understood.org, and The PEAL Center (or your own state's PTI).

Impact matters a lot more than intent. We can have the best intentions in the world, but still cause harm. Harm, intenti...
09/02/2026

Impact matters a lot more than intent. We can have the best intentions in the world, but still cause harm. Harm, intentional or not, still requires accountability.
Here's an example- I think often about my personal shift in mindset, one that started with the belief that "specialized" classrooms were automatically the best for students with disabilities. I don't believe that anymore. And I carry deep regret for the decisions I made during that time.
Does accountability look like forever beating myself up for decisions made over ten years ago? No. It looks like knowing better (learning about laws, school systems, and support for students) and doing better (advocating on individual and systems levels for inclusive education).
We can't undo what's already done. But once we know better, we can all do better.🧡

So listen, I’m not going to pretend that I have an answer. Because I don’t.Vermont tried a full state takeover of educat...
08/28/2026

So listen, I’m not going to pretend that I have an answer. Because I don’t.
Vermont tried a full state takeover of education funding in 1997, but it hasn’t been perfect. Pennsylvania’s public school funding has been declared unconstitutional by a Commonwealth Court judge in 2023, but a fair funding formula has still not been developed (though we have added an “adequacy formula.”)
I guess I am just hoping for a continued agreement that every child, no matter where they are born or raised, has a real opportunity to succeed. And to achieve that, we need a real investment in public education that includes fair funding across all districts.

Outcomes should not depend on ZIP code. But they often do. Opportunities (and therefore outcomes) can vary widely from o...
08/27/2026

Outcomes should not depend on ZIP code. But they often do. Opportunities (and therefore outcomes) can vary widely from one school district to the next, even when they’re located in the same county. This is because our public schools (I’m in Pennsylvania) are heavily funded by local taxes... but not across all 500 districts. Local taxes make up on average about 52% of your PA local public school’s budget, but the range spans from a low of 15% to a high of 85%! The reliance on local tax revenue creates wide disparities between wealthy and low-wealth districts. 
Children have no control over where they are born. And families don’t always have the ability to relocate. For decades, policy makers in PA and other states have been well aware of the disparities and seemingly agree that every child deserves the opportunity to succeed. But so far, the perfect solution has been elusive. And in today’s political climate, I fear the basic premise of “every child deserves opportunity” has become controversial.
See USAFacts.org for data.

It's been a while, six months in fact, since my last blog post. I wanted to focus on something "easy" and not controvers...
08/26/2026

It's been a while, six months in fact, since my last blog post. I wanted to focus on something "easy" and not controversial. Just a little data collection! Link below!

https://www.wespeakadvocacy.com/blog

Golly, the internet can be BRUTAL. And I'm not innocent. You'll see me make a cynical post or leave a snarky comment fro...
07/28/2026

Golly, the internet can be BRUTAL. And I'm not innocent. You'll see me make a cynical post or leave a snarky comment from time to time. But honestly? That never feels good for long.
Kindness is my default. I really believe we're here on this earth to love each other. So if there be any kindness or any good thing I can do my fellow being, let me do it now.

Address

Wilkes-Barre, PA

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when We Speak Advocacy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category