MEET NICOLE.
Special education has been part of Nicole MacNeil’s life for more than two decades, both professionally and personally.
For more than 20 years, Nicole worked as a special education teacher, helping develop and implement IEPs, write goals, monitor student progress, and participate in the meetings where decisions about students were made.
For 15 years, she also experienced the IEP process from the other side of the table, as the parent of a child receiving special education services.
Those two perspectives ultimately led her to create Ascend Student Advocacy.
THE OTHER
SIDE OF
THE TABLE.
Nicole knew special education as an educator long before she experienced it as a parent.
Her son entered Illinois Early Intervention at age three and received special education services through high school. For 15 years, Nicole sat in IEP meetings not as the teacher or member of the school team, but as a parent.
That experience changed her perspective. She understood the process and the terminology, but she also learned what it feels like when the decisions being discussed affect your own child.
Today, her son has earned both a bachelor’s degree and an MBA.
Nicole brings both perspectives to every family she works with.
WHY
ASCEND?
Families often know when something isn’t working. Knowing what to do about it can be much harder.
After more than 20 years in special education, Nicole saw how overwhelming the process can become for families. IEPs can be lengthy and technical. Meetings move quickly. Evaluations, goals, accommodations and services can be difficult to evaluate when you don't work with them every day.
Nicole created Ascend Student Advocacy to bring experienced, practical guidance to families navigating those decisions.
Her approach is not about creating conflict where none is needed. It is about understanding the student, understanding the plan, asking the right questions and recognizing when something needs to change.
Collaborative when possible. Firm when necessary. Always focused on the student.
READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Start by telling Nicole what’s happening.
630.286.9589 • nikki@ascendstudentadvocacy.com