Latina Nickelson M.Ed, Non-Attorney Special Education Advocate

Latina Nickelson M.Ed, Non-Attorney Special Education Advocate Helping families with IEPs, 504s, and transition planning, plus young adults (21–25) aged out of IDEA. Curiosity over combativeness. Strengths over deficits.

Your child's spot isn't up for debate. From Chaos to Collaboration℠. Welcome to SOAR Educational Services! Hey there! I'm Latina Nickelson, M.Ed., the heart behind SOAR Educational Services. As an Education Advocate and IEP Coach—and someone who's walked this path personally—I know what it's like when schools focus on what your child struggles with while overlooking everything that makes them rema

rkable. I created SOAR because I've sat where you're sitting. That knot in your stomach before IEP meetings? Those calls from school that make your heart sink? Feeling like you need a law degree just to understand what they're saying? I've been there. My mission is simple: to help you move From Chaos to Collaboration℠. I work alongside families—especially Black families whose brilliant neurodiverse children get mislabeled instead of understood. Whether your child has autism, ADHD, anxiety, learning differences, or you're still searching for answers, you've found a judgment-free zone here. No parent shaming—just practical strategies and genuine support. I blend educational expertise with culturally responsive approaches because every child has a rightful presence in their school community. They belong there—not as a privilege to be earned, but as a right. What strengths does your child bring that their school might be missing? Let's make sure they see them too. You know your child best. Let's work together to make sure their education reflects that truth.

I do not take due process cases. That is a line I hold on purpose. As a non-attorney advocate, walking into a due proces...
08/23/2026

I do not take due process cases. That is a line I hold on purpose. As a non-attorney advocate, walking into a due process hearing feels like bringing a knife to a gunfight, and families deserve better odds than that.

But I get asked about due process all the time. How it works, why it happens, what it actually looks like in real life. So here is one you can see for yourself.

A due process hearing is the legal process Congress created for families and public schools to resolve disputes over a child's right to a free appropriate public education, or FAPE.

Sometimes providing FAPE takes far more than changing a few services in an IEP. When a student's disability related educational needs cannot be appropriately met in a less restrictive setting, a school district may be responsible for funding a residential placement if that placement is what the student needs to receive FAPE.

That is the issue at the center of this hearing.

The parent is seeking a residential placement with ABA and appropriate educational services. The Special School District of St. Louis County is proposing something very different: limited, virtual-only homebound instruction and related services, facilitated entirely by her mother. No behavioral supports. No in-person educational or therapeutic support from school personnel.

The hearing will address whether that proposed program provides this student with FAPE, or whether her needs require the more intensive residential program her parent is seeking.

Here is the part almost nobody gets to see. This hearing is open to the public. These hearings are normally private, but a parent has the absolute right to open their own hearing, and this family did.

If you have ever wondered how IDEA dispute resolution actually works, this is your chance to watch it. The hearing will not be recorded, so the only way in is live on WebEx.

Please show up for this family.

08/14/2026

Understanding the process is the first step.

07/31/2026

Not walking into this school year alone.

Back to school is more than new shoes and fresh notebooks. It is plan reviews, meetings, and the quiet hope that this ye...
07/29/2026

Back to school is more than new shoes and fresh notebooks. It is plan reviews, meetings, and the quiet hope that this year your child is truly seen for who they are.

The Collaboration Cycle stands beside you across the whole year. We begin with a careful review of your child's current plan, then walk with you into three meetings timed around the moments that matter most. You come in prepared, grounded, and clear about the access your child already has a right to.

Enrollment is limited and closes September 30. If you want this year to feel different, now is the moment to claim your place.

Reserve your spot through the link below.
https://sl1nk.com/ozjo6gv

07/21/2026

Hello Florida Families,

Make these 2 calls today! NOW is the time to show up for ALL OF OUR KIDS.

PLEASE call your senators TODAY. Tell them to pass the READ Act, S.4689.

Florida Ashley Moody 202-224-3041
Rick Scott 202-224-5274

The facts:
ZERO states have most kids reading at grade level.
1 in 3 kids graduate below the basic reading level.
12th-grade scores are the lowest since 1993.
Low literacy costs America $224 billion a year, plus $40 billion in lost productivity.

Our kids can't wait!

The bipartisan READ Act would fix how kids are:
taught to read
using science-based instruction
early screening
keeping parents in the loop

Your one minute on the phone, multiplied by thousands of parents, is what turns “maybe someday” into “this session.”

Find our READ Act Advocacy Guide in English http://bit.ly/3R70gRj and Spanish: https://bit.ly/4wsbDST

REPLY and let me know if you called! And please share this with all of your friends and family members.

If you have been telling yourself you'll deal with the IEP or 504 stuff closer to the start of school, I understand. I'v...
07/10/2026

If you have been telling yourself you'll deal with the IEP or 504 stuff closer to the start of school, I understand. I've sat in that exact August overwhelm, staring at a pile of paperwork and hoping it would sort itself out. It didn't. So I built the thing I wish I'd had.

The Collaboration Intensive starts Friday, July 17. Four weeks, live, just us getting you ready before the school year runs you over.

You'll walk away organized, with copy-paste scripts for the hard conversations and a binder you'll reuse all year. And if a week gets away from you, the replays are yours to keep.

This cohort is capped at 25 so it stays personal. Once the seats are gone, they're gone.
,
The details:

$147. 00

Only 25 seats in this cohort.

Starts Friday, July 17. 6 to 8 PM ET, live on Google Meet.

Replays come with your seat.
Grab your seat before it closes:

https://soareduservices.com/back-to-school-iep-prep/

What part of back-to-school season stresses you out the most? Tell me below. I read every comment.

Talk soon,
Latina

Quick question. When was the last time you walked into an IEP or 504 meeting and felt like the calm one in the room?For ...
07/03/2026

Quick question. When was the last time you walked into an IEP or 504 meeting and felt like the calm one in the room?

For a lot of parents, the honest answer is never. Not because you aren't capable. Because nobody ever handed you a system.
That's the whole point of the Collaboration Intensive. Four Fridays, live with me, building the exact tools that change how that meeting feels.

Week one, we build your Back-to-School Binder so every document lives in one place. Week two, a one-page Student Snapshot that puts your child's strengths in front of the team before anyone says a word. Week three, the letter that sets a collaborative tone before you ever sit down. Week four, a simple tracker so you can tell whether the plan is actually working.

By the time school starts, you are not reacting. You are ready.
$147. Only 25 seats in this cohort. We start Friday, July 17, 6 to 8 PM ET, live on Google Meet. Replays come with your seat.

Save your spot:

https://soareduservices.com/back-to-school-iep-prep/

Tell me in the comments: which one would help you most right now, the binder, the snapshot, the letter, or the tracker?

You've got this, and you're not alone in this.

From Chaos to Collaboration℠,
Latina

Let's talk about something that should make every parent stop scrolling.Roughly 1 in 3 students walk across the graduati...
06/28/2026

Let's talk about something that should make every parent stop scrolling.

Roughly 1 in 3 students walk across the graduation stage reading below the Basic level. Below Basic. Not a little behind. Below the floor.

For our kids, the ones with IEPs and 504 plans who are already fighting for every support, that number lands even harder. Reading is the door to everything else. Math word problems. Science class. Their own rights, written on a page they're handed at a meeting.
Here's the part I want you to hear. There's a bill on the table right now that could move the needle.

The READ Act. It's bipartisan. It was built with parents at the table, not just politicians in a room. And it's the biggest federal literacy reform we've seen in a decade.

This is one of those rare moments where your voice actually moves something.

So here's the ask. Sixty seconds. That's all.

Call your senators using the number on the graphic. Tell them this: "I'm a parent and a voter. Please support the READ Act so every kid in our state learns to read."

Not sure who your senators are? senate.gov has you covered.
Your child's right to read isn't up for debate. Let's make sure the people writing the laws know it too.

Who's making the call with me this week?

From Chaos to Collaboration℠, Latina

P.S. Want the full breakdown before you dial? Read it here: https://tinyurl.com/4e63dm7uLet's

Teachers shape our children's futures every single day.As a board member of the Golden Keys Foundation, I am proud to sh...
04/24/2026

Teachers shape our children's futures every single day.

As a board member of the Golden Keys Foundation, I am proud to share that mini-grants of up to $500 are now available for educators in our community.

Funds can be used for:
✓ Classroom supplies and educational resources
✓ Professional growth and certifications
✓ Hobbies that support additional income
✓ Mental health and self-care

For my SOAR families: The educators who show up for your children deserve to be celebrated and supported. Please share this with a teacher who has made a difference.

Nominate a teacher or apply at the link in bio.

Follow for more.

I wear a lot of hats, and one of my favorites is board member of the Golden Keys Foundation.We are calling all local bus...
04/19/2026

I wear a lot of hats, and one of my favorites is board member of the Golden Keys Foundation.

We are calling all local businesses and organizations to join us at our Spring Tea Party on May 30th, 2026, from 12 to 2 pm at 530 N Palmetto Ave, Sanford, FL 32771.

This is a beautiful opportunity to showcase your products and services to a community dedicated to supporting educators.

Vendor fee: $75 for-profit | FREE for nonprofits | In-kind donations welcomed.

For my SOAR families: You know how much I believe in the educators who show up for our children. The Golden Keys Foundation does the work to support them, and I am proud to be part of that mission.

Help us spread the word. Share this with a local business that belongs in that room.

Contact: [email protected]

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