For many parents, when your child struggles in school you don’t always know where to start. Navigating the IEP and 504 process can feel like learning to speak a language you aren’t familiar with. Victoria Crisp can help! Victoria is a former teacher and school administrator who has been to thousands of IEP meetings and now supports parents as they work to get the support their children need for academic success. Keep reading to learn more about this Salem resident, dog-mom and owner of Crisp Education Advising.
Where are you from originally and what town do you live in now?
I grew up on the South Shore in Braintree, MA. I lived in Boston before moving to Salem about eleven years ago and have been here ever since!
What’s your favorite activity to do on the North Shore?
I love the North Shore, especially the Cape Ann region. I love driving my open-air Jeep through the quaint seaside towns. I love stopping in for coffee and bookshops in all of the little villages.
Where’s your favorite place to eat and/or shop on the North Shore?
We stay local quite a bit as the traffic in and out can get hectic late summer and early fall. I live downtown, so October is a wild time! It will be hard for me to narrow down my favorites, but I’d say Bambolina for pizza, Ledger, and the Adriatic. Occasionally, we venture to the The James Pub in Essex, and CK Pearl for the views! Also, last summer The Cannery opened and I love it there too!
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you came to start Crisp Education Advising.
I have worked in education in some capacity for 26 years. I was a teacher and later an administrator. I’ve worked in large urban districts overseeing special education at over 50 schools. I have been to thousands of IEP meetings. I am licensed in Massachusetts as a Superintendent, Special Education Director, Principal, and K-12 teacher.
I was working on a very sad and tough case about 12 years ago, the Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative at Harvard Law School was also working on the case and representing the student. I had the privilege of working closely with the program’s founder and the Neuropsychologist who was working pro bono.
I was so impressed with their work and their passion and dedication to disability law and trauma, and to these students. During a quiet few minutes in between meetings, I said to them, “Maybe I should go back to school so I can become a lawyer or a neuropsychologist so that I can do the work you are doing.” They replied that I didn’t need to do that; I had the skills already to effectively represent students in complex matters, and that I already had far more experience and credentials than folks working in advocacy and consulting.
I had never thought that would be something I could do just on my own. I had always been a public school employee, just like my mother before me, who was a kindergarten teacher for forty years! At the time, I had no idea how I was going to make that happen, but with a lot of passion, drive, trial and error, here I am a decade later, running a very successful private practice representing hundreds of children and families, and I am pleased to say that Crisp Education Advising is thriving and growing!
What types of services do you offer?
I provide expert consulting and advocacy to families and students with disabilities. Some examples include:
- Meeting with families to fully understand the issues
- Communicating with school districts
- Attending meetings
- Classroom observations
- Reading testing reports and making recommendations
- Negotiating and mediating disputes with school districts over services and placements
What are some of the most common reasons a family would need your services?
If you have a child who currently has or you believe needs a 504 or an IEP, you are wise to hire an expert at the very beginning, someone who can also attend the meetings with you, communicate with you, and on your behalf with the district, and guide you through the complex and nuanced process of eligibility and IEPs. Perhaps most importantly, you have someone on your side, you don’t have to do this alone. Having someone who really understands schools, and districts and special education laws and regulations but who is also your friend, partner and support in this difficult time.
If you go in alone, you will be outnumbered and may walk away with nothing or with far less than the child needs and deserves. Hiring an expert is an investment in your child’s future.
There is no issue too small or too large – if you have a concern, you should reach out. Your child’s education is very important.
For example, a reading issue in the second grade, not effectively remediated, can turn into a lifetime of academic difficulty, bad feelings towards school, and limited post-graduation opportunities for college or employment.
Do you work with families and school districts from specific towns?
I work with families all over Massachusetts, and I have had a few 504 cases nationally. Much of my work is virtual, other than classroom observations, so I am able to provide services to families all across Massachusetts and New England. Special Education and Disability Law is federal, but Massachusetts has state regulations that lay over the federal laws and add additional nuances.
What age children can you advocate for?
Technically, Special Education provides for the education of students with disabilities ranging from three years of age to their twenty-second birthday, under certain circumstances. In my private practice, I see mostly elementary school and middle school-aged children, occasionally a high schooler. But I maintain long-term relationships with clients, and I can follow them through their academic careers to high school graduation.
How would parents best connect with you to set up an appointment?
My website (crispeducationadvising.com), @Crispeducation on Instagram and @CrispEducation on Facebook, a newsletter, and the best way to reach me directly is via my Calendly link, where you can book an informational call.
What advice would you give parents whose children are already on an IEP or 504 plan?
My advice to families right now is to make sure you are getting all of the support you need for your child and that it is documented. This is not the time to put off getting that support. If it isn’t in an IEP or a 504 it can be taken away at any time. Don’t agree to only “WIN” block or RTI groups or other unofficial help or support. Do not go to an initial or reevaluation meeting alone!
SO many families call me after they went to a meeting alone, didn’t get eligibility or lost existing eligibility after they thought, “it would be fine.” It’s probably not going to be fine if you go into a meeting like that alone, and it’s much harder to undo a finding of not eligible than it is to obtain eligibility in the first place.
Do not give up eligibility! We are in for what looks like a tough few years of budget cycles, and once you lose services, it will be hard to get them back. Your spring 2026 meeting will last for three years of continued eligibility. This is an incredibly important time (and I cannot stress this enough) to get what your child needs for academic success!
Do you offer any programs for when school isn’t in session, i.e summer break, April vacation, etc.?
I work on cases year-round. I also love to teach reading in the Summer and have been at St. John’s Summer Camp, teaching specialized reading to campers who are able to get that summer support and be at camp full-time. I see a few students for academic coaching, executive functioning support, and reading year-round.
What’s your favorite thing about summer in New England?
I really have only ever had a New England summer, and I love it! The vistas, and vibes just can’t be beat. Growing up, I spent a lot of time on the Cape because it was so close. I’m also a big fan of Rhode Island, especially Newport and Block Island, where I have gone almost every year of my life. It’s just spectacular. My yard is also pretty great for grilling and some Salem tourist watching! I’ve never met a seaside lawn, patio, or deck I didn’t love.
What’s your favorite thing to do when you need some “me” time?
I would spend my me time with Belle, my dog, who is the most beautiful, nicest girl in the whole world and she’s great company.
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This post is sponsored by Crisp Education Advising, but all opinions present are my own.