When Jarrett first came to live with Athena’s family as a young child, she quickly noticed he struggled with focus, learning, and communication. At first, she thought it might be a language barrier. But as school began, the challenges became clearer.
“I noticed the more extreme part of it was when he started kindergarten,” Athena recalls. “He couldn’t focus. His writing was not where it should have been. His reading—it’s like he wasn’t understanding phonics. And I didn’t want him to be behind.”
For years, Athena asked the district for evaluations and support. Instead, she encountered delays, denials, and incomplete answers. Even when Jarrett showed behavioral challenges at school, officials labeled him as “a bad kid” instead of addressing his needs. “It just seemed like I was a crazy mom who wanted extra stuff,” she says. “But I just wanted what he was entitled to.”
The turning point came when Athena connected with the Alliance for Children’s Rights. “Just a couple of letters from [our Alliance education Attorney] and suddenly the school started listening,” she explains. “He reminded me of my rights as a parent and encouraged me to be consistent and not give up.”
The Alliance secured independent psychoeducational and behavioral assessments to fully evaluate Jarrett. With those in hand, they were able to obtain a permanent one-to-one aide, special education eligibility, and tailored goals to address both his academic and behavioral needs.
“Having that one-to-one there made a huge difference,” Athena says. “Someone was there to help him with schoolwork, keep him on track, and make sure he wasn’t being unfairly targeted. Once the Alliance was involved, I felt like the school started following protocol more closely.”
The progress has been profound. Jarrett’s behavior improved, which supported his academic growth. This past year, he even received an award at school. “Seeing him with B’s and C’s—it was amazing,” Athena shares with pride.
More importantly, Athena says, her son feels stronger and more confident. “The Alliance has made Jarrett stronger. His having the resources he needs has boosted his confidence. We’re on a great path now that I never thought we’d be on a couple of years ago.”
For Athena, the relief is immeasurable. “If you guys were not available to step in, we would never be able to afford the type of service that you provide. It could have been super detrimental to our family. Instead, it has made us stronger, and Jarrett stronger.”
Today, Jarrett continues to receive the one-on-one support and resources he needs to thrive. And Athena knows she’s not alone in the fight for his education. “There’s no amount of money that can pay for the peace of mind you get when you know someone is standing there with you in support of your child’s future,” she says.
