Email: [email protected] Texas Proud. Serving all 50 US states & territories.Download your $7 mobile Parent’s Checklist for IEP/ARD Meetings right to your phone - the first steps on the road to advocacy, rights, and confident meetings!

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Premium Advocacy for Families Who Can Pay.
Accessible Advocacy for Families Who Can't.
Justice for Every Child.

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We know full well what you’ve been through with your child and the struggles you are facing now. We know how “real” it can get at home. The school is not following your child’s IEP or 504 plan as written and agreed to, and you get treated like “the enemy” if you question or challenge the school team. Yet your child is falling further and further behind. We know that feeling of not being “heard” at school, and feeling like you are all alone.Refine Disabilities is here for you. We are a boutique full-service special education advocacy service provider, and the go-to trusted brand for families of children with disabilities. Refine Disabilities was created to teach you how to become a confident co-creator at ARD/IEP meetings- one that can redesign and rebuild your child’s educational future.Refine Disabilities, LLC is licensed to serve families in all 50 US states, US territories, and indigenous communities within the United States. We work with public school ISDs and open enrollment public charter schools.WORK WITH US
Refine Disabilities offers:
1. Private Advocacy
High-touch strategic advocacy for families needing individualized support.
2. Parent Academy
Affordable training, support, and resources for parents who want to advocate effectively themselves or make informed decisions about their child.
3. Justice Initiative
Because every child deserves support, regardless of income.

Council of Parent Advocates and Attorneys (COPAA)
Casual photo of Refine Disabilities founder Donna Earnest. She is a white woman in her late 60’s, with shoulder length brown mixed with gray hair, wearing light makeup. She is smiling with joy. She is wearing a black pullover sweater.

Donna R. Earnest, M.Ed

“I’m so grateful that I met Donna. She was so helpful when I couldn’t get [my daughter]’s school to listen to me. Donna was able to get things for [my daughter] that I didn’t even know I could ask for! She is doing so much better in school. I wish every family who has a child who is struggling in school could hire Donna as their advocate. We love her!”
-LL, CA

“Donna’s fantastic!”
- AB, TX

“Listen to Donna- she [seriously] knows what she’s talking about!”
-MS, WA

From Special Education Teacher to Advocate: I Fight for Your Child the Way I’d Fight for Mine

Hello and welcome to Refine Disabilities! I am a special education advocate, a former special education and dyslexia teacher, a mother of 7 (several have diagnosed ADHD), and grandmother of 5, of whom 3 are “on the spectrum.” I have been diagnosed with muscular dystrophy and ADHD myself.I get you.You don’t need more paperwork. You need someone who understands you,how school systems actually work, and how to move through them without getting obliterated.I can help you:
•Understand your education rights as a parent, special education processes, and procedural safeguards
•Navigate administrative systems (school districts, agencies, mediations, due process hearings)
•Prepare for meetings and IEP transition, behavior, or autism plans with clarity and strategy
•Translate complex legal and regulatory language into plain English
•Advocate effectively without unnecessary conflictI’ve been on both sides of the ARD/IEP/504 table. I know how school decisions are made and what is expected from school districts and teachers. This often matters more than knowing the law in the abstract.How I’m TrainedMy background combines:
•Graduate-level training in special education, special education law and policy, and legal reasoning
•Deep experience in education and family- centered advocacy
•Specialized focus on special
education, disability and school transition plan issues when a student turns 13
•Ongoing, structured study equivalent to a Master’s-level jurisprudence programI work ethically and within clear boundaries. When circumstances escalate to the point that legal representation is required, I coordinate with, and defer to, licensed attorneys.Why Families Work With MeFamilies work with me because outcomes improve when:
•Meetings are prepared for
•Deadlines aren’t missed
•The right questions are asked
•Power dynamics are understood
•Someone is calmly and competently in you and your child’s cornerIf You’re Wondering Whether This Is for YouIf you’re feeling overwhelmed, confused, or dismissed by a system that’s supposed to help your child… that’s usually the moment having an advocate on your side matters most.With Refine Disabilities, you don’t need to know all the terminology or laws. You just need someone who does — and who knows how to use them responsibly.

Secure your child’s future with your choice of digital resources, a thorough Records Review, or a variety of packages for year- round special education advocacy support.
NO MORE SOLO BATTLES

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REFINE DISABILITIES’ SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY SERVICES

Unlike $75- $100/hr advocates, Refine Disabilities service packages deliver better results because we know the system’s tricks inside and out. Our clients get expert insider advocacy at a fraction of legal costs.Refine Disabilities, LLC is not a law firm and does not provide legal services or practice or interpret law. We cannot guarantee positive outcomes or the results clients may expect.Each of our services initiate with payment and clearance of a $2000 up front retainer that is applied to the first ten hours of service All retainers and fees are strictly non-refundable. Additional fees are atypical, but we reserve the right to apply additional hourly rates on a case by case basis.

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🟩 Tier 1 - Advocacy Essentials
For new to special education families or seasoned families “testing the waters”Includes:
• Thorough Records Review and feedback of educational history dating back up to 7 years
• One virtual strategy consultation before each meeting per semester
• Up to two virtual ARD/IEP meetings support per semester
• One follow-up summary with recommendations for each ARD/IEP meeting per semester

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🟨 Tier 2 - Annual Advocacy Retainer
For families needing ongoing non-attorney advocacy supportIncludes:
• Ongoing case review
• Unlimited year round meeting support: ARD/IEP, MDR, 504, etc.
• Email support throughout the year
• Priority scheduling and response time (24-48 hours)
• Strategy calls
• Customized advocacy plan, monthly 1:1 check-ins and calls
• Bonus: First access to new resources as they become available

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🟥 ELITE VIP RETAINER

Think of our Elite package as your personal high-touch concierge advocacy service.PRICE: $19,997 paid in full (or $1497 x 12 months) -available exclusively by applicationDURATION: 12 months, renewableWHAT’S INCLUDED:All Premium items+:• Expert witness prep and collaboration with attorneys in due process hearings• On- call support in crisis (even weekends for urgent issues)• Direct access and faster 12 hour response• Personalized behavior plans with ABA, CPT, CBT, etc. integration• Full due- process filing assistance (your attorney files)• Everything is customized- no limits• Does NOT include travel or court representation• One-for-One Cross Subsidy:
Every Elite client enables 1 Title I family to receive a Refine Disabilities Scholarship covering full advocacy servicesBEST FOR: Families who want absolute maximum no limits advocacy. If we are going “full throttle,” the Elite tier puts Refine Disabilities on speed dial for the entire year.

REFINE DISABILITIES DIGITAL RESOURCES

📱 The $7 Refine Disabilities Parent’s Mobile Checklist for IEP/ARD Meetings

How many IEP or ARD meetings have you attended where you were more lost at the end of the meeting than you were before it? How many IEP signature pages have you signed having NO IDEA what you were agreeing to?You need our mobile IEP Checklist now.Once purchased, simply click the link to download the checklist to your phone. Then, follow along during every IEP/ARD meeting going forward. The checklist tells you in a nutshell everything that goes on during the meeting, what to look for, AND some of the right questions to ask.This $7 parent- friendly mobile IEP checklist walks you through the entire IEP (or Texas ARD) process- clearly, confidently, and with your child in the center.You will learn:✅ Equal IEP Participation as the parent✅ Your Legal Rights✅ How to Prepare for an IEP Meeting (ARD Meeting) With ConfidenceClicking the button below takes you directly to our checkout page- your first step to giving your child what he or she needs to be successful in school.

📔 REFINE DISABILITIES’ DIGITAL PARENT’S GUIDE TO SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY

I wish I had this information when I first started working as a special education teacher. I certainly wish I had it as a mother of a child on a Section 504 plan, even though I was a special education teacher!It took over a decade’s worth of experience in the special education resource room, a master’s degree in Special Education, and four years of training and serving as a special education advocate for this ebook to come to life for you and your child. DM me on Instagram @refinedisabilities if you find it useful.Inside you will get:

Title: Module 1: Understanding the IEP Process
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On the left sits a spiral bound notepad with a checklist for SMART goals. A black fountain pen lies on top. On the right, an old fashioned alarm clock sits on top of a stack of sticky notes.
Colorful bar graphs, a small old fashioned alarm clock, and a yellow #2 pencil lie on a black table under a magnifying glass. Through these runs a streak of gold lightning surrounded by gold glitter. The title reads, Module 4: Monitoring Progress, and why
Against a dark background sits 3 stacked books. On the front side of the books is a gold padlock. On top of the books is a gold puzzle piece. Between the two is the golden key that opens the lock. The title reads: Module 5: Accommodations Mastery.
A golden fire shoots out flaming roads. Each leads to a gold circle containing different locations: school, home, hospital, etc.
Our fiery golden pages glow & spew tongues of flame depicting the network of support for students with disabilities- home, school, the judicial system, and the soft hands of love.
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COMING AUGUST 2026!
The Refine Disabilities VIRTUAL PARENT ACADEMY

In the Refine Disabilities Virtual Parent’s Academy, you will receive Modules such as:• IDEA Basics
• What Happens in an ARD/IEP Meeting
• How to Read an IEP
• How to Request Evaluations
• Compensatory Services after
Denial
• Discipline & Manifestation
• Students with Disabilities +
Language Access Rights
• Virtual Academy Survival Guide
• Transition Planning
• What Perez vs Sturgis ISD (2023) Means for FamiliesOur Virtual Parent’s Academy will offer:• A "Title I Parent Advocacy Circle" pilot program:
- Open to 10 families (proof of enrollment required from your child’s school)
- $25/month for 3 months
- Monthly Zoom.
- Bilingual services
- Group coaching•A MODERATE COST version (monthly membership)• A PREMIUM version which includes our consulting servicesFinally, our Virtual Parent Academy will include a new Refine Disabilities Bilingual Advocacy Access Program.Our first goal is to:
• Translate key resources into
Spanish
• Provide Spanish-language webinars
• Offer advocacy scholarships as they become available

PEREZ vs. STURGIS Public Schools (2023)- A Story of Hope

In October 2023, I hosted a live “listen party” (a “watch party” with audio only) on TikTok for special education advocate friends and followers who wanted to listen to the US Supreme Court opening oral arguments in the now watershed special education case, Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools (2023) live from Washington DC. 124 special education advocates from across the US attended. Here’s what happened:As a 9 year old boy, Miguel Luna Perez and his family traveled from their home in Mexico to Michigan in the United States as migrant farm workers. Miguel and his siblings attended American public schools during the day while the parents worked. Being both Mexican and Spanish- speaking only, Miguel’s parents were not familiar with how American schools operated. They certainly did not know any laws regarding education in the US.Miguel is deaf in both ears. He was evaluated and was given an IEP- a legal document explaining how Miguel would learn as a deaf student. He struggled in school for 12 years, not only because he couldn’t hear his teachers, but also because he did not know any English.Miguel needed an American Sign Language interpreter who could sign in Spanish, and teach him how to sign. There was no one like that in the Sturgis Public Schools district. Instead, a paraprofessional (a teacher’s aide for students on IEPs) made up her own sign language to try to help Miquel. The accommodation was inappropriate. Miguel continued to fail in school.Unfortunately, Miguel’s school hid the fact that he was failing his classes from his parents. They altered his report cards, giving him “fake” good grades. At his last IEP meeting of high school, the school’s IEP committee told Miguel’s parents that he had not earned a high school diploma. Instead, he would be given a certificate of completion. The Perez’s were infuriated, and took the school district to court. They won the case, getting an interpreter and more time in school under IDEA, the main federal special education law.Miguel and his parents wanted to sue the school district for personal damages. IDEA only provides compensation through time and services. There is not any language in IDEA relating to monetary damages.However, if an attorney could convince a hearing officer that Miguel had been discriminated against as a person with a disability, the parents and Miguel could potentially seek financial compensation.Court after court ruled that IDEA compensation had to be “exhausted” before financial damages under ADA could be awarded. Miguel Perez represented himself in hearings, using a Spanish- speaking ASL interpreter to communicate. The case went all the way up to the US Supreme Court.In a 9-0 decision in a conservative Roberts court, the Supreme Court ruled, “IDEA does not have to be exhausted. We don’t see any reason not to allow someone to file under ADA before IDEA is exhausted.”This was an incredible win for students with disabilities!We advocates cheered! A little later, Miguel’s brother DM’d me on TikTok. He told me Miguel was thrilled and humbled to hear he had a fan club of advocates, and passed along his gratitude for our prayers and support.

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MAKE THE A+ LIST!

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AI Disclosure:Refine Disabilities is not AI-run or automated- it is human-led, purpose-driven, and built to serve you.

@2026 Copyright Refine Disabilities, all rights reserved.
Important disclaimer: Refine Disabilities cannot and does not give any guarantees on results with our currently available and/or future information, services, courses, programs, masterminds, consultations, coaching, resources, strategies, or referrals.You recognize and agree that the founder and employees of Refine Disabilities are not licensed attorneys, are not authorized to practice law, do not pretend to be attorneys, nor do they give legal advice or counsel.You also recognize and agree that no one and no part of the Refine Disabilities brand has made any implications, warranties, suggestions, representations or guarantees whatsoever about the future outcome of your child’s education or that your child will make beneficial educational progress by purchasing any Refine Disabilities services, courses, or resources. In addition, we have not authorized any such claims by others. There are no guarantees of student outcomes. We do not offer refunds under any circumstance. All sales are final.We may post testimonials and results that our clients volunteer to provide. All personally identifiable information is redacted before uploading. These results may not be typical. Your child’s educational success depends on numerous factors, such as, but not exclusively, your home life, your child’s teachers’ experience levels, provision of related services, your child’s work ethic, the soundness of the IEP, and the level of motivation among each member of the school- parent- child relationship triangle.- REFINE DISABILITIES

Donna R. Earnest, M.Ed
Non-Attorney Special Education Advocate

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