I’ve been on the other side of the IEP table.
I hold a Master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction with an emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis. I spent years in the classroom teaching special education across a range of eligibility categories, and I chaired a special education department before moving to the district level.
As a Compliance Specialist, I oversaw special education practices and operational frameworks district-wide, and I’ve also worked in private day school settings with students across the full range of need. I know what IDEA and Arizona law establish for student and parent rights, and how school systems actually apply them in practice. That work showed me how much a family’s understanding of the process can change the outcome for their child.
I believe every student is capable, and deserves access to their peers and their curriculum in the environment that best fits their strengths and needs. That belief is why I do this work. I help families become informed and equal partners with their child’s school team so that everyone at the table can do what they’re actually there to do: put the student first.
Jamie Mitchell, M.Ed.
Founder
What We’re Building Together
Luminate Consulting was created to help families navigate special education today, but the vision has always been bigger. The work we do is helping build toward Luminate Academy of Arizona, a school designed for the very students at the heart of these conversations. Every family we serve moves that vision a little closer. When you choose Luminate, you’re helping create the kind of school we believe more children deserve.