Label

Lorraine Hightower

Lorraine Hightower LLC
Certified Dyslexia Advocate & Consultant
lansdowne, united-states, virginia
advocacy, blogger, speaker
advocacy
dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyslexia, dyspraxia

Summary

Lorraine is a Certified Dyslexia Advocate & Consultant who works with families to support children with dyslexia through the special education process. By working collaboratively with school districts, she has been able to help countless children acquire an appropriate educational plan that allows them to learn and thrive. Through her personal outreach, she continues to inform and influence local education leaders, legislators, and community members on best practices for educating children with specific learning disabilities. Lorraine holds a certificate in Special Education Advocacy from the William and Mary Law School and is a member of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA). In her role as a state leader with Decoding Dyslexia Virginia, she has been instrumental in affecting local policy and state legislation to improve the educational experience for special education students. Her advocacy practice is based in Lansdowne, Virginia.

ACHIEVEMENTS
  • Founder, CEO, and Lead Advocate at Lorraine M. Hightower, LLC, an educational advocacy practice that specializes in serving families of students with dyslexia.
  • Honorary Life Membership to the Virginia State PTA for improving the welfare of children across the state (2018)
  • Child Advocate of the Year award - Virginia State Parent and Teachers Association (2016)
  • Friend of Education designation - Loudoun Education Association (2014)
  • Helped her son’s elementary school receive two national awards for establishing an effective ‘parent-school partnership.’ (2014-2016)
  • Helped pass multiple state laws in Virginia on dyslexia to benefit both students and teachers.

Qualifications

Education

  • Bachelor of Science - University of South Carolina

Certifications

  • Certified Dyslexia Advocate - The Dyslexia Training Institute in San Diego, California.
  • Special Education Advocacy Certification - Law School at William & Mary University

Training & Professional Development

  • Trained Mediator - Northern Virginia Mediation Services (NVMS)

Professional Memberships/ Associations

  • Board Member for the Virginia Branch of the International Dyslexia Association (VBIDA)
  • Council of Parent Attorneys & Advocates (COPAA)
  • Decoding Dyslexia Virginia (DDVA)
  • Virginia Parent & Teacher Association (VA PTA)
  • Loudoun County Public School Board Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC)

Awards & Honors

  • Honorary Life Membership to the Virginia State PTA for improving the welfare of children across the state (2018)
  • Child Advocate of the Year award - Virginia State Parent and Teachers Association (2016)
  • Friend of Education designation - Loudoun Education Association (2014)
  • Helped her son’s elementary school receive two national awards for establishing an effective ‘parent-school partnership.’ (2014-2016)
  • Helped pass multiple state laws in Virginia on dyslexia to benefit both students and teachers. (2015 - Present)

Professional Experience

Certified Dyslexia Advocate & Owner | Lorraine M. Hightower, LLC (2018 - Present)

  • Provides comprehensive advocacy services for parents of children with dyslexia involving all aspects of the special education process, from eligibility to IEP development, placement and service implementation.
  • Assists parents in collaboratively resolving special education disputes with school districts to include participation in IEP meetings, formal mediations or working in partnership with special education attorneys.
  • Conducts frequent parent training opportunities and online group coaching classes for parents of children with dyslexia to educate and empower them on how to become effective parent advocates.

State Leader | Decoding Dyslexia Virginia (2014 - Present)

  • Coordinate and conduct monthly parent workshops to provide families with resources, support and information on how to meet the unique needs of children with dyslexia.
  • Consulted with and advised local and state elected policy-makers on best practices to identify, remediate and support the dyslexic community in Virginia.

Chair, Dyslexia Subcommittee Chair & Member | Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Special Education Advisory Committee (2017- Present)

  • Led effort to determine the unmet needs of children with disabilities to include students with dyslexia.
  • Developed priorities and recommendations for the LCPS School Board for meeting the identified needs of all children with disabilities.
  • Established the Dyslexia Subcommittee in order to review practices and provide recommendations for the effective identification and remediation of students with dyslexia.
  • Participated on the Loudoun County Public Schools Specialized Reading Instruction Stakeholders’ Group and K-3 Literacy Audit Focus Group.
  • Prepare and submit an annual report to the LCPS School Board.

Parent Trainer | Virginia Department of Education, Virginia Parent Education Advocacy Training Center, Virginia Board for People with Disabilities & Virginia Parent Teacher Association (2017 - Present)

Credits

Papers, Workshops & Webinars Presented

  • VAPTA “Advocacy Afternoon: Advocating for Your Special Education Student” 8/12/2020
  • The Arc of Loudoun “Answers from the Advocates” 9/30/2020
  • Dyslexic Edge Conference “Advocacy Action Steps” 10/17/2020
  • Loudoun County Public Libraries “Dyslexia: The Most Common Learning Disability” 10/20/20
  • Decoding Dyslexia “5 Advocacy Tips to Support Literacy Legislation” 1/12/21
  • Loudoun County Public Libraries “!EP Meeting Strategies that Work: From Confrontation to Collaboration”
  • Virginia Branch of the International Dyslexia Association “Advocating for Your Dyslexic Child” 4/24/21
  • Loudoun County Public Libraries “Avoid 10 Critical Mistakes Parents make at IEP Meetings” 3/18/21
  • Dyslexia Training Institute Spring Conference 2022 “The Dyslexia Dilemma: How Teachers Can Be a Part of the Solution”
  • “Ask the Advocate LIVE”- our ongoing Facebook Live series to answer the community’s questions free of charge.

Other Publications & Materials

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