Hi, i’m martha.
Welcome to Marlo Collective. I'm an experienced educator turned advocate, parent coach, and consultant, and I started this practice to walk alongside families; wherever they are in their advocacy journey— with the kind of support I wish more people had access to. I also work with schools to build tailored solutions for a wide range of special education needs. At the heart of it all is one mission: helping families and schools create inclusive learning environments where every student can truly thrive.
ADVOCACY & PARENT COACHING
Supporting your child's educational journey requires more than just intention—it demands a deep understanding of the special education process. I bring over a decade of direct experience as a case manager & education specialist. This extensive background has given me a profound insight into the nuances of special education, equipping me to handle any challenge. I look to partner with families and, together, navigate any case complexities with empathy, patience, and a personalized approach. I offer a complimentary consultation to discuss your unique case and needs in detail and offer families a tailored menu of advocacy options designed to meet you where you’re at in your advocacy journey. Learn more about these options below.
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If your child is connected to a Regional Center, you already know how many people can be involved in their care — service coordinators, providers, case managers, school teams — and how hard it can be to keep everyone focused on what your child actually needs.
I bring direct experience working as an education specialist with students under Regional Center, alongside their providers and case managers. I understand how these systems function, how they intersect with your child's education, and where families often get left to figure things out alone.
My goal is twofold: to make sure your child's needs are considered every step of the way, and to stand side by side with you — helping you understand and navigate the often daunting IEP process, so you feel informed and confident, not just along for the ride.
How I can support your family:
Walking with you through the IEP process, step by step, so it feels less overwhelming
Bridging communication between Regional Center providers, case managers, and your child's school team
Preparing for and attending IEP and IPP meetings together
Making sure services and supports actually reflect your child's needs, not just what's easiest to authorize
Advocating for inclusion and appropriate placement at school
Helping you understand your rights and how the pieces — Regional Center, providers, and education — fit together
Payment: Sessions can be paid for through your Self-Determination Program individual budget. I invoice directly and make the process easy for everyone involved.
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This comprehensive service includes full participation in your child's IEP process, where I become an active member of the IEP team. I attend all IEP meetings for as long as my services are retained, ensuring continuous oversight of IEP compliance, effectiveness, and alignment with your child's needs. This service offers ongoing support and advocacy, providing peace of mind that every aspect of your child's educational plan is carefully managed and optimized for success.
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This service includes a comprehensive review of your child's Annual IEP, providing detailed recommendations, input, and suggestions. It begins with a 30-minute consultation to understand your case, followed by a letter to the school team to ensure compliance with the IEP draft. After a full review of the IEP, I offer a 1-hour follow-up call to discuss my recommendations and prepare you with the appropriate terminology and strategies for your upcoming meeting.
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This service includes a comprehensive review of your child's multidisciplinary Triennial Review & IEP, providing detailed recommendations, input, and suggestions. It begins with a 30-minute consultation to understand your case, followed by a letter to the school team to ensure compliance with timelines and the report draft. After a thorough evaluation of the multidisciplinary report, I offer an additional 2 hours of coaching and consultation to discuss my findings and recommendations and prepare you with the appropriate terminology and strategies for your upcoming meeting.
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Some families just want someone in their corner at the IEP meeting. This service includes a 30-minute consultation to familiarize myself with your child's case, followed by either in-person or remote representation at the IEP meeting. After the meeting, I provide a detailed report outlining recommendations, concerns, and key points discussed. Additionally, we will have a 45-min follow-up session where I guide you through the next steps, ensuring you’re fully prepared to move forward effectively.
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This service is designed for families facing a stay put or impasse situation regarding their child's IEP, services, or progress. It begins with a 30-minute consultation to understand your case, followed by a thorough review of the most recent IEP. I will also engage with the school team as your advocate for the impasse and ensure legal compliance and to help move the process forward. Finally, a 1-hour coaching session is provided to guide you through the next steps and to work toward a final resolution.
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORTS
The demands on special education departments are significant, stretching teachers and administrators thin and diverting their focus from student achievement. My extensive experience in the field of special education allows me to collaborate with schools to alleviate these pressures by taking on special projects as needed. I offer support with backlog assessments, direct services, specialized training, and consultative services, to name a few. With a broad range of skills tailored to enhance educational outcomes, I can help your department address a variety of challenges efficiently— my goal is to boost your department's effectiveness, ensuring that students and staff receive the support they need to succeed. Learn more below.
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This service provides schools with formal academic assessments for students, addressing any backlog in evaluations or time constraints for staff. I conduct thorough assessments, am familiarized and trained in WJ-IV, Brigance, and WIAT-III, to name a few. At the end of the assessment process, I will deliver a comprehensive report that includes a detailed analysis and goal recommendations. Additionally, I collaborate closely with the IEP team to ensure that the assessments are seamlessly integrated into the student's educational plan, helping to streamline the process and enhance student outcomes
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This service provides compensatory Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI) minutes that need to be delivered to a student. Sessions can take place outside of school hours, either at my office or on the school site. I am highly experienced in RTI supports and intervention; ensuring that students receive the targeted assistance they need to meet their educational goals.
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This service focuses on reviewing high-profile IEPs and providing a comprehensive report with detailed recommendations for the IEP team prior to the IEP meeting. The service can also include an analysis of the psycho-educational report before the IEP is written, offering guidance to shape the IEP process effectively. Collaboration with the IEP team is an integral part of this service, ensuring that all recommendations are aligned with the team’s goals and the student’s needs.
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This training leverages my extensive experience as an education specialist and in-depth knowledge of various curricula, tools, and best practices to support RSP/SAI teachers. The training provides simple and effective strategies to manage diverse student needs, focusing on groupings, curriculum, and tiered systems of support. Recognizing the challenges that SAI teachers face with large caseloads and extensive accommodations, this coaching is designed to streamline processes and enhance student support. Additionally, I provide a comprehensive report to administrators, detailing what was accomplished during the training and offering recommendations for next steps, ensuring alignment and clarity across the team.
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This training is designed to equip new case managers with the essential skills to effectively use the Special Education Information System (SEIS). Participants will learn how to navigate the SEIS platform, create and edit IEPs, and manage student records efficiently. The training covers key features such as the automatic pre-population of forms with existing student data, goal writing, and the built-in CASEMIS error check utility, ensuring that all IEPs are compliant and error-free. By the end of the training, case managers will have the confidence to use SEIS to streamline their workflow and maintain accurate, legally sound documentation.
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Drawing from extensive experience in the field, including successfully navigating due process multiple times, I offer a training focused on crafting IEPs that are legally sound and defensible. This training teaches case managers how to use data-backed reports, summaries, and thorough analysis to support goals and services, ensuring that every IEP stands up to scrutiny. With an emphasis on precision and legal compliance, participants will learn the critical elements that make an IEP not only effective but also commendable in legal settings. This is a vital training for all case managers who aim to protect their work and support their students with robust, legally sound IEPs.
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This training is designed to help case managers integrate data collection, documentation, and IEP writing into their daily routines, ensuring these tasks are seamlessly embedded within the school day. By observing the current systems in place, I provide tailored tools and strategies that make these processes visible and accessible to program administrators at any time. This approach ensures that the classroom operates efficiently, with all necessary documentation and data collection being part of the day-to-day workflow, allowing the classroom to function as it should while maintaining transparency and accessibility.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
With a Master’s in Education Technology and certified as an assistive technology specialist (ATACP), I provide expert assistive technology assessments for families and schools. My evaluations are collaborative in nature, including school visits, observations, and a thorough review of the IEP to ensure accommodations and goals are appropriate given the evaluation results. Whether requested by parents or schools, my assessments offer tailored recommendations to enhance learning and accessibility for individuals with various disabilities. Trust in my expertise to find the right assistive technology solutions to meet your unique needs and empower every learner.
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I conduct assistive technology evaluations within the school setting to observe the student in their natural learning environment. However, evaluations can also be conducted in my office, depending on parent preference and the specific needs of the student.
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My evaluations are distinctive due to my background as an education specialist, allowing me to provide a thorough report that not only addresses assistive technology needs but also considers classroom accommodations. If necessary, IEP goals related to assistive technology are recommended within the report to ensure that all supports align with the student’s overall educational plan. Upon request, I can also collaborate with the IEP team to review the IEP draft, ensuring that goals, accommodations, and supports are inclusive of the assistive technology recommendations provided in my report