


Debra Isaacs Schafer
Deeply experienced coach, advisor & consultant.
Neurodiversity. Special education. Advocacy.
College preparation and navigation.
Working parents/exceptional caregiving.
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Recognized subject-matter strategist,
practitioner, mentor, and ally.
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Speaker. Writer. Educator.
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About Me, You, & More...
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My journey. 25 years partnering with parents navigating the special education arena gives you more than experience. It leverages knowledge, expertise, acumen, and judgment rooted in strategic business skills honed over time to bring clarity where chaos and confusion exist. It's how I navigated this arena for my own child as well.
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Your journey. Understanding well the herculean efforts of being an "exceptional caregiver," partnering with me will provide a new way forward, reducing the struggling, confusion, and exhaustion and moving toward solutions. Positive steps happen when you acknowledge your role, gaining control as the person who knows your child best.
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Your child. School is their job. Their chronic and crisis issues often create daily anticipatory anxiety and additional challenges for them and for you. The job of school is to prepare your child for life, building essential learning and skills by focusing on & addressing today's needs while keeping eyes and attention on the future.
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You. Raising a neurodivergent child with their incredible strengths & needs impacts all aspects of life -- families, jobs, relationships, time, and your own mental health and wellness. Many parents, particularly mothers, have left and are leaving the workforce due to their children's complex needs and the lack of workplace flexibility and supports.
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Us. This is your time and space to share what's going on. I'll listen & ask questions. We'll unravel what's been happening, discuss your needs, concerns, expectations, and pain points, and create strategies, tactics, and steps which we'll monitor/adjust as we go. Yes, it's a lot, but there's no question you can do it. I'll make sure of it.
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"Fall seven times, stand up eight."
Japanese Proverb

Some of the ways
I can help you.
Provide and clarify essential baseline information you need to effectively navigate the special education arena.
Pinpoint and evaluate your child's school-based needs and determine if changes are needed for measurable progress.
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Prepare you for school meetings & discussions, ensuring your concerns are heard, addressed, and documented.
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Evaluate placement & transition-focused plans --
grade-to-grade, level-to-level, college preparation.
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Utilize a framework & blueprint for frequently
encountered school engagement scenarios such as...
when the district or school says this, you respond like this.

Some of the ways I've
helped other parents.
Increased academic, social, behavioral, developmental, and executive function school services & supports.
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Provided guidance on IEP goal development, the criteria needed, and that changes are accurately reflected.
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Negotiated special education eligibility and private educational placements at school district expense.
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Assisted with placement evaluations, liaised with private and alternative schools, and aided in college options.
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Collaborated with clinicians, specialists, legal counsel, and other independent providers to synthesize issues and develop solutions to address parent concerns.
Credentials
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25 years supporting and partnering with parents & families raising neurodiverse children, teens, and young adults with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, learning differences, & mental health needs from their earliest years through college graduation.
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Founder/CEO, Education Navigation. Founder/Managing Partner, Work/Family Management & Professional Mothers. Director, Human Resources Development, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Business & nonprofit consultant.
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Speaker: Working Mothers Work Life Congress and Work Beyond Conference. Education Law Center. Human Resources and Employee Assistance conferences. Corporate workshops & webinars, parent support groups.
Keynote presentations. Panel discussions. Roundtables. Lunch & learns. Fireside chats.
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"Preparing For College" course developer & instructor. Two-week college preparation course for high school students focusing on college readiness, executive function skills, self-advocacy, mental health/wellness, and independence.
"On The Road To College" one-week college preparation course for high school students focusing on college readiness.
Media resource/expert, podcast guest, consultant, and writer. Supporting and retaining working mothers/parents raising neurodiverse children, exceptional caregiving, neurodiverse employees & workplace accommodations, work/life integration and workplace flexibility, family-functioning employee benefits & supports.
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Affiliations: Pennsylvania Autism Taskforce; Columnist, Parents Express & Times Chronicle; Host, Work/Life Journal,
WBEB-FM/Philadelphia.
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Recipient: WorldatWork Alliance for Work/Life Progress award for innovative special education employee benefits. Recognized by Autism Speaks and Cure Autism Now.
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Testimonials

Media, Mentions & More




Helping Employees Whose Dependents Have Special Needs

Is Education Care the New Elder Care?

5 Work-Life Winners
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