You never thought you’d be raising a child with special needs, but here you are. You know you’re the best advocate for your child, and you aren’t sure how to go about it. That’s why I’m here.
I am a special education teacher with more than 20 years of experience teaching and leading in education. I earned a PhD in special education from the University of NC in 2018. My mission is to support parents so they can collaborate with schools to help their child achieve their goals.
I am a special education teacher with more than 20 years of experience in special education, including a PhD in special education and experience as the director of special education at multiple schools. I have extensive knowledge of:
Special education processes and procedures
Student and parent rights
The referral process
IEP or 504 plan development
Monitoring IEP implementation.
SERVICES
Goal Setting
It’s important to understand how schools approach education and what that means for your child so you can set SMART goals from day 1.
Paperwork Review
Make sense of the stacks of papers that you’ve received, and create a plan for what to do next.
Coaching
Prepare you to go into your next IEP meeting ready and confident. Become your child’s best advocate.
IEP Implementation Support
Make sure the school is doing what they say they will do with reviews of student work samples, data tracking, and meeting support.
“Dr. Cleaver’s knowledge and expertise were invaluable in guiding us through the 504 and IEP processes from start to finish. Her explanations and thorough approach clarified each step, ensuring we understood the process and options available to us. We are deeply grateful for Dr. Cleaver's dedication and support, which made what had previously been a frustrating and overwhelming ordeal very clear and manageable.” — Heather L., Charlotte, NC
What is Special Education?
First off, it’s a service, not a place.
What is IDEA?
If you’re new to special education, start here. IDEA is more than just an acronym!
Want to learn more?