About CARES – Comprehensive Advocacy Resources and Educational Services

Navigating the school system can feel overwhelming for many families, especially when a child is struggling academically, behaviorally, or emotionally and parents are unsure where to turn. CARES (Comprehensive Advocacy Resources and Educational Services) was founded to help bridge that gap by providing guidance, clarity, and advocacy so families can confidently support their child’s education.

CARES is led by experienced educators with nearly three decades in public and charter schools. Throughout careers spent serving diverse student populations, they have worked as classroom teachers, reading specialists, gifted and talented educators and school administrators, supporting students across a wide range of abilities and needs. This extensive background offers a unique perspective: understanding both how schools operate internally and how families experience the process from the outside. CARES was created to bring those two perspectives together in a collaborative and constructive way.

The mission of CARES is simple: to ensure every child receives the support necessary to access education and make meaningful progress. Many students struggle not because they are unwilling to learn, but because their needs have not yet been properly identified or addressed. CARES helps families understand their rights, navigate special education procedures, and work effectively with school teams to develop appropriate supports.

Services include assistance with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Section 504 plans, school evaluations, behavioral supports, and meeting preparation and attendance. CARES also helps families review educational records and assessment reports, translate complex educational terminology into understandable language, and prepare for productive communication with school staff. When concerns arise, CARES focuses on collaborative problem-solving that keeps the student at the center of every decision.

Families often seek support when a child is experiencing learning difficulties, anxiety, school avoidance, behavioral challenges, or denied services. In many cases, parents feel they must choose between conflict or silence. CARES offers a third option, an informed partnership. By helping parents understand both their rights and the school’s responsibilities, solutions can often be reached more efficiently and with less stress for everyone involved.

Above all, CARES recognizes that families know their children best. Advocacy is not about confrontation; it is about ensuring a child’s needs are clearly understood and appropriately supported. When families feel informed and supported, meetings become more productive, plans become more meaningful, and students benefit.

Serving families throughout the San Joaquin Valley and beyond, CARES is committed to making the education system more accessible, understandable, and responsive. Parents do not have to navigate the process alone. With the right information, preparation, and guidance, families and schools can work together to help students build skills, confidence, and independence.

For families seeking support, understanding, and a path forward, CARES provides a knowledgeable partner dedicated to helping every child succeed.