Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT)TM 1.0 Credential is a 100% online ten-session course for parents and new advocates beginning their journey to become a non-attorney special education advocate. The January 2025 class is full. You can put your name on the waitlist by clicking register.Register
The January dates are as follows, you pick the day of the week that works best for you at registration.
Sundays, 5 - 6 pm ET / 2 pm - 3 pm PT: Jan 5, 12, 19, 26, Feb 2, 9, 16, 23, March 2, 16 (no class on the 9th due to the COPAA Conference)
Thursdays, 1 pm - 2 pm ET / 10 am - 11 am PT: Jan 9, 16, 23, 30, Feb 6, 13, 20, 27, March 13, 20 (no class on March 6th due to the COPAA Conference)
Parent Training and Information Centers, disability rights nonprofit organizations, and advocacy organizations enroll their employees in this class because it provides a strong foundation in non-attorney special education advocacy. We also train parents from across the country.
Audience: We recommend starting with SEAT 1.0 if you have fewer than two years of experience as a non-attorney special education advocate (advocating for your child or working within a school district does not count towards those two years of experience). No experience is required prior to registering for SEAT 1.0.
Class Format: The class includes live Q&A, interactive activities, one open book midterm, one written assignment, and several forum activities. Every student is assigned a Teaching Assistant (TA) who provides personalized feedback on assignments and is available to answer clarifying questions in between class sessions. Classes are recorded and course materials are provided in advance (PDFs of the PPT used in a recording or live session, handouts, videos, etc.) to support student understanding and engagement. Please expect 4-5 hours of work a week (including class time). If that doesn't work with your current schedule, please check the Learning Center for different training opportunities (including on-demand learning paths).
Topics Covered: Education is a Civil Right, Section 504 & ADA To Advocate For Student Rights, What Makes Special Education Special (review of specially designed instruction, SST, RTI, MTSS, difference between accommodations and modifications), Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), The IEP Process, Tests and Measurements, The IEP Document and Special Education Services, Written Communication in Advocacy, Managing The IEP Conversation, and Issue Spotting and Researching Legal Issues.
Calendar: SEAT 1.0 is held in January (registration is in November), August (registration is in May), and October (registration is in August) annually. The class is 10 sessions in length, held once a week.
Registration, Class Dates, & Cost: SEAT 1.0 is held multiple times a year. If you are COPAA member or registered guest, you will receive a registration email when registration opens. Please note SEAT 1.0 is a popular class and fills up very quickly. You will want to register as soon as registration opens. The cost of the class is $775 for members and $900 for guests.
Cancellation Policy: If not accepted in the course, full refund. If accepted but cancelled before 12/15/24, full refund minus $100 admin fee. No refunds provided after 12/16/2024. Please allow up to 2-3 weeks for refunds to be issued.
Special Education Advocate Training (SEAT) 2.0 Credential a 100% online. 27-session course with a 40-hour practicum. It is the only nationally developed and recognized course that provides participants with intermediate-level training to deepen the knowledge and skills of practicing non-attorney special education advocates. The application for SEAT 2.0 October 2024 - May 2025 cohort is now closed! There is no cost to apply, once accepted the the class cost is $2300 for COPAA members and $2500 for registered guests. You will be charged 30% to hold your spot upon acceptance and the remainder of the balance is charged in September. We offer the class once a year, so the next class will be offered October of 2025.In the meantime, we suggest taking our Effective Written Communication Technique Learning Path in our Learning Center (learn.copaa.org).
Parent Training and Information Centers, disability rights organizations, and advocacy organizations enroll their more experienced advocates in this course because there is no other training in the field as in-depth. We also train advocates from across the country who run their own non-attorney advocacy business.
Audience: The class is at the intermediate-level (at least two years of experience as a non-attorney special education advocate paid or unpaid is highly recommended). There is an application process for the class, it is not first-come, first serve), knowledge and familiarity with IDEA and other applicable laws is expected, and prior training (SEAT 1.0 or similar) is strongly encouraged.
Class Format: There are 13 assignments, including one capstone project, and one open-book midterm. The class features live Q&A with instructors, optional live TA Q&A, each student is assigned a TA for personalized feedback on assignments and clarifying questions outside of class time. Classes are recorded so you can view them more than once and course materials are provided in advance (PDFs of the PPT used in a recording or live session, handouts, videos, etc. that assist students to engage and understand the session's materials).
Topics Covered: Click here to review the core competencies the course will cover. If you want to learn more about the history of the course development, please click here.
Registration, Class Dates, & Cost: SEAT 2.0 will be held once a week on Fridays from October - May. The class is held once a year and is 27 sessions in length. The time of the class is from 12:30 PM ET - 2:30 PM ET / 9:30 AM PT - 11:30 AM PT. The cost of the class is $2350 for COPAA members and $2500 for guests. Cancelation information is provided during registration.
