When your child needs support, the school process should make sense.
School decisions can affect your child’s learning, services, accommodations, behavior supports, placement, discipline, and confidence. Blue Ribbon helps Texas parents understand what the school is proposing, prepare for important decisions, and identify a practical next step. Karis Joi Johnson brings legal training and nearly two decades in education as a former special education teacher and district-level administrator.
Guidance shaped by the classroom, the district, and the law.
Education advocacy requires more than knowing the rules. Parents need someone who can understand the child’s needs, read the records, recognize what the school is proposing, and help them prepare for decisions that affect their child. Before becoming an attorney, Karis spent nearly two decades in education as a special education teacher and district-level administrator. Her work included ARD/IEP leadership, Section 504, dyslexia, behavior intervention, campus support, and special education systems.
Classroom insight
Understanding how services, accommodations, behavior supports, and learning needs show up in real classrooms.
District-level perspective
Understanding how ARD/IEP and 504 decisions are prepared, documented, and implemented inside school systems.
Legal guidance
Helping parents understand their rights, options, what may matter, and next steps before the process becomes more confusing, tense, or difficult.
Start with a clear plan
A school concern is becoming harder to understand on your own.
You need to understand what was assessed, what may be missing, or how the results connect to eligibility and services.
You need to understand what was assessed, what may be missing, or how the results connect to eligibility and services.
SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
Choose the support that fits the decision in front of you. START HERE Choose an Initial Education Consultation when you need direction without advance records review. Choose a Prepared Education Strategy Session when you want Karis to analyze your child’s current records before providing guidance. Not sure which fits? Blue Ribbon will explain the recommended next step before additional work begins.
INITIAL EDUCATION CONSULTATION
NO ADVANCE RECORDS REVIEW For parents who need to talk through a school concern, understand the process, and identify the appropriate next step.
$495
Review of your completed intake questionnaire
Intake-based attorney preparation
Up to 60-minute virtual consultation
Discussion of your immediate concern and priorities
Explanation of possible next steps
Brief follow-up email confirming the recommended next step Does not include advance records review, a personalized action plan, drafting, school communication, or meeting attendance.
PREPARED EDUCATION STRATEGY SESSION
For parents who want Karis to analyze their child’s current educational records before providing guidance.
Review of up to 50 relevant, organized pages submitted as one PDF
Attorney preparation and issue organization
Up to 60-minute virtual strategy session
Personalized 1–2 page annotated action plan
Responses to up to two consolidated follow-up emails submitted within seven days Does not include school communication, drafting, meeting attendance, formal complaint preparation, or continuing representation.
PREPARE FOR A SCHOOL MEETING
Choose preparation when you plan to attend the meeting without Karis. Choose meeting advocacy when you want Karis to prepare for and attend the meeting with you.
ARD/IEP OR 504 MEETING PREPARATION
For parents who plan to attend the school meeting without an attorney but want to understand the records, organize their concerns, and prepare what to ask.
Review of up to 50 relevant, organized pages submitted as one PDF
Attorney preparation and issue organization
Up to 75-minute virtual preparation session
Identification of meeting priorities, questions, and proposed requests
Personalized meeting-preparation guide
Review or preparation of one concise parent-concerns statement, up to two pages
One 30-minute virtual post-meeting debrief
Responses to up to two consolidated follow-up emails submitted before the post-meeting debrief Does not include meeting attendance, direct communication with the school, formal complaint preparation, or continuing representation. Additional or reconvened meeting preparation requires a new scope.
ARD/IEP OR 504 MEETING ADVOCACY
For parents who want Karis to prepare for and attend one ARD, IEP, or 504 meeting with them.
$3,250
VIRTUAL; In person: starting at $3,750Review of up to 50 relevant, organized pages submitted as one PDF
Attorney preparation and issue organization
Up to 60-minute virtual pre-meeting strategy session
Preparation of a concise meeting-priorities and requests guide
Virtual attendance at one meeting for up to 90 minutes, or in-person attendance when included in the agreed scope
Up to 30-minute virtual post-meeting debrief
Concise written next-step summary
Responses to up to two consolidated follow-up emails submitted before the post-meeting debrief Does not include additional or reconvened meetings, substantial new records, meeting time beyond 90 minutes, extensive drafting, formal complaint preparation, continuing representation, or travel outside the included service area. Parking, mileage, and significant travel may be separately quoted.
DEEPER AND CONTINUING SUPPORT
For matters requiring deeper records analysis, a written strategy, or support extending beyond one meeting. Each service is individually scoped after an initial review.
EDUCATION ADVOCACY ROADMAP
For parents who need deeper records analysis and a structured written plan for navigating several related concerns or decisions.
STARTING AT $2,995
Review of up to 100 relevant, organized pages submitted as one PDF
Attorney preparation and issue organization
Up to 60-minute virtual strategy session
Prioritized findings and recommended next steps
Suggested sequence of communications, requests, or meetings
Identification of additional records or information to obtain
Key decision points and possible escalation options
One 30-minute virtual roadmap-review session
Responses to up to two consolidated follow-up emails submitted within seven calendar days after the roadmap-review session The final scope and fee depend on the issues, requested deliverables, record volume, organization, and urgency. School communication, meeting attendance, complaint preparation, hearings, and continuing representation are not included unless expressly stated in the agreed scope.
CONTINUING EDUCATION ADVOCACY
For families who need support across multiple school communications, records reviews, evaluations, meetings, discipline concerns, or implementation issues.
CUSTOM PROPOSAL
Engagement period
Included records and records-review limits
Included client and school communications
Meetings or preparation included
Deliverables
Expected response times
Payment schedule
Fees for services outside the agreed scope Continuing advocacy is defined by the written proposal. It does not automatically include unlimited communication, formal complaints, due-process hearings, litigation, emergency availability, or work outside the engagement period.
WHY PREPARATION MATTERS
Your service begins before the meeting starts. RECORDS REVIEW For services that include records review, Karis examines the agreed materials and identifies the questions requiring attention. LEGAL + EDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVE Her approach draws on legal training and nearly two decades in education as a special education teacher and district-level administrator. PRACTICAL DIRECTION You leave with clearer priorities and a practical next step—not simply a discussion of the problem.
PAYMENT AND SCOPE
Clear expectations before work begins. Review common questions about fees, records, service boundaries, and representation.
The scope, fee, and payment schedule are confirmed before substantive work begins. Payment is due according to the agreed schedule. Some services may require payment in full before preparation begins or before Karis attends a scheduled meeting.
Start with the concern in front of you.
You do not need to organize every school record before reaching out. The Initial Education Consultation begins with your completed questionnaire and does not include advance records review. If you select a service that includes records review, Blue Ribbon will explain which relevant documents to provide, the applicable page limit, and how to submit them.
THE ESSENTIAL RECORDS
Depending on the selected service, relevant records may include the current IEP or 504 plan, recent evaluation, progress information, meeting notice, proposed plan, discipline records, or recent school correspondence.
THE COMMUNICATION TRAIL
Identify the emails, messages, meeting notes, teacher concerns, administrator responses, or prior requests most relevant to the present issue.
THE DECISION IN FRONT OF YOU
Be prepared to explain what is not working, what event or deadline is approaching, what the school is proposing, and what you need help understanding.
START BEFORE THE NEXT SCHOOL DECISION IS MADE
You do not need to determine the perfect service by yourself. Book an Initial Education Consultation when you need direction without advance records review. If you already know that you need records analyzed, meeting preparation, attorney attendance, or continuing advocacy, request the appropriate service for review.