Kelly Bell
As a special education, non-attorney advocate, I help parents understand, question, and strengthen their child's IEP.
Preferred
Kelly is a Preferred advocate. These are the advocates we send families to directly when we make a match by hand.
- Credentials and training reviewed by our team
- Agreed to our family commitments on cost transparency and response time
- Reserves capacity for families referred through SupportNow
- Feedback collected from every family after a match
Why families come to me
I taught special education for nearly 30 years, working with students who had academic, emotional, and behavioral needs. As an IEP case manager, I led the meetings. Now I sit on the family’s side of the table. I know how districts build an IEP and where the gaps show up. My paralegal training taught me to read documents line by line and notice what’s missing: a goal with no baseline, a service reduced without explanation, present levels that don’t describe the child you know. I explain the process in plain language, prepare parents for meetings, and help them ask for a plan that fits what their child needs. When families come to me for help funding equipment or therapy, I start with the question I know best: should the school be providing this? Some devices and services belong in the IEP. For the rest, I help families find the right grants and build a fundraiser that works.
Lived experienceI am the parent of a twice-exceptional son, gifted with ADHD. The school identified him as gifted in first grade. In third grade, the school evaluated him for executive functioning struggles and found him not eligible for special education. I know what it’s like when the school says no and the struggles continue.
What I help with
Credentials and training
- COPAA / SEAT advocacy training
- Special education teacher / certified
- Lived experience as a parent / caregiver
SupportNow reviewed documentation for these credentials.
Where I work
In person: IEP meetings within 90 minutes of Lancaster, including York, Harrisburg, Lebanon, Reading, and the Chester County suburbs. By phone or video: anywhere in Pennsylvania. IEP document review: available nationwide. I review your child’s IEP against federal requirements and best practice, and explain in plain language what is strong, what is missing, and what questions to bring to your team.
Fees and availability
Paid. Funding coaching is free. IEP services are flat-rate, from $75 to $250. Free 20-minute introductory call.
Track record
Helped a Pennsylvania family formally reject the school’s proposed IEP, request a free facilitated IEP meeting through the state’s Office for Dispute Resolution, and prepare for that meeting. The team agreed to every change the family requested, including make-up speech and OT sessions missed during the extended school year (ESY).
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