Unveiling the hidden struggles: Advocating with Families Navigating Special Education in Denver

December 5, 2024

Over 104,000 Colorado Students qualify for special education services across Colorado. Of all enrolled students, 46.83% are White, 39.68% are Hispanic/Latino and 5.6% are Black/African American. Many students of color are underrepresented or have not yet been diagnosed with learning disabilities since some disabilities are not just physical disabilities. How do parents know what Special Education means or how to support their students? It may be taboo in the minority communities but we need to educate what Special Education really is about. Not just students with physical disabled that need extra help but other students just need extra time on a test because of anxiety or students have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Working as the Director of Community Organizing with Transform Education Now has revealed new challenges that I hadn’t fully grasped before. As a Denver Public Schools alumna and a dedicated community member in Southwest Denver for the past 14 years, I’ve long been involved in education and community advocacy. However, the past two years of listening to families navigating the complexities of special education has been truly eye-opening, revealing layers of struggle that many families face in ensuring their children receive the support they need.

As I meet with families throughout Denver to tackle one of the most challenging processes in education, I am continually struck by the depth of the gaps and obstacles they face. I never anticipated witnessing such a stark contrast between the support families need and what the system provides. Despite these challenges, the unwavering desire of parents to secure the best possible future for their children is both inspiring and humbling.

I’ve had the privilege of working with families across the city, listening to their worries, their gratitude, and their hopes. They are grateful that someone is not only willing to help but, most importantly, to truly hear them. Many parents share feelings of inadequacy, believing they’re not doing enough to advocate for their children. But that’s not the real issue. The problem lies in the persistent gaps within the system—gaps that continue to fail these families and their children despite their best efforts. What little I knew at the time was the complexity, legal issues and language barriers that families were experiencing. I was up for the challenge to do my very best to break down the process to families in English and Spanish as best that I could.

I have become a steadfast advocate and source of support for families across the city. When I’m called to join meetings with them, it’s often to help untangle the complex and deeply rooted systemic issues within education—such as inequities in access, limited resources, or gaps in teacher training—that hinder the success of students with special needs. Time and again, I witness the struggles families face, particularly when language barriers or a lack of understanding of special education services are at play. Too often, once a child is identified as needing special education, parents are handed a booklet and left to “figure it out” on their own. But how can these families, already stretched thin, find the time and capacity to navigate the overwhelming challenges that lie ahead in their child’s entire educational journey?

I collaborate with experts in the field to better inform families about their rights and the services their children need to succeed. Families often require extra support outside the formal education system—someone who is genuinely there for them and their child. Many parents share their deepest fears, such as whether their child will be prepared for life after school, whether it’s attending college, enrolling in a trade school, or securing a job. When their child struggles to read or write, the uncertainty of what adulthood will look like weighs heavily on them. It’s a question I wish I could answer, but unfortunately, I cannot.

We can only truly support families by simultaneously working to close the gaps within the school system. Each case is unique, presenting its own complexities and challenges, which require tailored approaches. While we address systemic issues—such as inequities in resources, access to services, and inadequate support for special education students—it’s equally important to work closely with families to empower them in advocating for their children. Balancing these efforts allows us to not only provide immediate support to individual students but also work toward long-term solutions that ensure a more equitable and inclusive educational system for all.

As I attend meetings and speak with parents, it’s heartbreaking to witness how students with special needs, who may appear “normal,” are often viewed as threats by their schools. I can understand their frustration—imagine being a student who isn’t being heard or feels out of place in a general education classroom. Special education students are losing hope as they advance through each grade, only to find that the challenges grow while their support remains inadequate. Parents are left confused, unsure how their child continues to struggle yet is passed on to the next grade through no fault of their own. Many of these students end up entangled in the criminal justice system, which fails to recognize the deep-rooted struggles they’ve faced—struggles that go beyond the simple concept of right and wrong. Feeling cornered, some see dropping out of school as their only option. If we are failing to provide even basic education for students without disabilities, what are we doing for our special education students? Our system is harming them in ways that are immeasurable and unacceptable.

Tags: Special Education

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