What I Do
Dedicated to K–12 school placement — nothing else
Most educational consultants in the DC/MD/VA region do many things: college planning, testing, tutoring, coaching, and placement all at once. My practice is different. I do one thing, and I do it with the depth it deserves — helping families of children with learning differences find the right K–12 school. Not the right college, not the right tutor, not the right test prep. The right school, for this child, right now — public or private.
This focus matters more than it sounds. A consultant whose main business is college advising has visited a few private day schools; a consultant who does everything has read a few evaluations. I’ve spent 15+ years reading hundreds of evaluations and IEPs and visiting 50+ schools across the DMV specifically for children with learning differences. That’s not a menu item next to college coaching. That’s the whole practice.
Services
What that focus looks like in practice
A full engagement from intake through enrollment. Before I recommend a single school, I read every evaluation, speak with your child’s current teachers and providers, and — where possible — observe your child in their current setting. I know which DMV schools have genuine structured-literacy programs versus those that only say they do, which schools flex around 2e profiles, and which schools’ small class sizes are real vs. marketing. I have working relationships with admissions offices across the region and can present your child’s profile directly, including facilitating informal evaluation reviews before you formally apply.
Public school districts in the DMV vary widely in what they actually deliver for children with learning differences — from deep specialized programs to thinly stretched teams. I help families understand what’s available in their district, how to access specialized programs, and how to make the IEP or 504 process work rather than fight it. Prior to placement work, I spent years advocating for children to receive appropriate services in school, so I know what the system owes your child and how to hold it accountable.
Public vs. Private
The decision itself
Many families come to me not knowing which path is right — they’re weighing whether to stay public with an IEP or move to private, and every consultant they’ve spoken to has an agenda. I don’t. I look at your specific child, your specific district, and your specific situation, and give you an honest read on both roads before you commit to either. If you’d like the long version of how I think about this decision, I’ve written a full guide.
Read the full guideWhat I Don’t Do
A short list, on purpose
I don’t do college counseling. I don’t do tutoring, test prep, or academic coaching. I don’t work with families whose primary need is behavioral or therapeutic residential placement. Every hour I spend on your child’s placement is an hour I’ve spent building depth in this one thing.