Advocacy and Law: Best Practices and the Legal Framework Supporting Advocacy

Join Amie Baek, Esq. and Krystal Ashe, MSCIN, as they dive into special education advocacy: the crossroads between SpEd law and fighting for the best interest of your students. This course will cover the basic principles of Special Education Advocacy, the legal framework that supports advocacy, and tips for best practices that related service providers can put into practice to best serve students with disabilities, particularly when it comes to advocating for appropriate services, writing compliant IEPs and other documentation, and ensuring student needs are met.

Explore Course

This course will be live Tuesday, July 22 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Replays will be available through August 15.

Discover a streamlined system for managing speech-language referrals with greater clarity and confidence. This session provides school-based SLPs with practical tools—checklists, forms, and workflows—to reduce overwhelm, improve decision-making, and support appropriate service delivery.This presentation will outline what advocacy is, the legal framework that supports advocacy, and strategies and tips for related service providers to ensure best-practice when it comes to compliance with special education law and creation of IEPs and other documentation.

Presenters

Krystal Ashe
MSCIN
Krystal is a passionate member of the education and special education community. As a former teacher and instructional designer, Krystal brings a unique perspective on classroom and curriculum based challenges for students with special needs. With her expertise with curriculum and instruction, as well as gifted education, she strives to bring meaningful change to learners and their families.
Amie Baek
Esq.
Amie is an Associate Attorney for K Altman Law. With a deep commitment to education law and client advocacy, she brings both impressive credentials and a compassionate perspective to our team. Amie’s previous experience gives her a unique edge in understanding the challenges students face. Working with children diagnosed with ADHD, ODD, and Autism, she supported students academically and socially, aligning her work with IEPs. This hands-on experience brings a compassionate, informed perspective to her legal practice, benefiting students and families navigating complex educational issues.

Learning Objectives

Explain the basic principles of special education of advocacy.
Describe the legal framework that supports special education advocacy.
Discuss best-practices for related services workers regarding special education documentation creation.
Advocate for appropriate services for special education students.

Agenda

5 minutes	Introduction of Presenters - Amie Baek, Esq., and Krystal Ashe, MSCIN
5 minutes	Overview of Presentation
15 minutes	What is special Advocacy? - explanation of what special education advocacy is in general, and how it relates to related service providers
15 minutes	What Legal Framework Supports Advocacy? - explanation of the legal framework that supports advocacy, such as IDEA, section 504, case law, precedents, etc.
15 minutes	Best Practices
5 minutes	Q&A session

Disclosures

Financial Disclosures:	Krystal has no financial relationships to disclose. Amie has no non-financial relationships to disclose.
Non-Financial Disclosures:	Krystal has no non-financial relationships to disclose. Amie has no non-financial relationships to disclose.
Content Disclosures:	Krystal has no additional content information to disclose. Amie has no additional content information to disclose.

ASHA

This course is offered for .1 ASHA CEUs, Introductory Level, Professional Area

SLP Summit Registration - July '25: FREE!
The biannual SLP Summit is a leading 3-day virtual conference connecting speech-language pathologists worldwide. Now in its 9th year, it features 6 presentations by thought leaders offering research-driven, practical strategies for all career stages. Gain valuable insights and resources to enhance your practice and thrive. Get access to all 6 courses live and their replays through Aug. 15.

Add-ons

Summit ASHA Opt In - July '25

$29.99

This add on includes submittal of your participation to the ASHA registry for the 6 Summit courses. You must opt-in and add your ASHA credentials after completing all course steps for EACH course by 8/31/25.

Neuroaffirming IEPs: Moving Beyond Compliance - Summit Deal!

$22.00

Save 25% on this brand-new course when purchased with your SLP Summit registration! Learn how to create neuroaffirming IEPs that focus on student identity, autonomy, and strengths beyond compliance. Special educators and SLPs will gain skills to design goals, supports, and environments that honor neurodivergent communication and regulation, along with tools to advocate for inclusive, student-centered practices. Includes access to the recorded course and optional ASHA reporting.

The Ethical Implications of Dynamic Assessment in School-based SLP Services - Summit Deal!

$19.00

Prepare for Anuj Bhatnagar’s upcoming SLP Summit presentation by catching up on his previous course. Save 25% when you purchase this course with your SLP Summit registration! Deepen your understanding of ethical considerations in dynamic assessment and gain practical guidance to enhance your decision-making, confidence, and competence—especially valuable for SLPs in schools, early intervention, and educational settings. Includes access to the recorded course and optional ASHA reporting.