“The most interesting people you’ll find are ones that don’t fit into your average cardboard box. They’ll make what they need, they’ll make their own boxes.” -Dr. Temple Grandin
I’m Laurie. I’m a wife, mother of 3, former public school teacher, research scientist, and advocate for children with divergent needs. *
Parent with Merit was created to address the information gap in diagnosis, early intervention, and public education. Before a child enters Kindergarten or Pre-Kindergarten, it can be difficult for parents to know what to do or where to go when they have concerns. I was a teacher in the public school system and still didn’t understand how to get help for my young son! Parent with Merit seeks to educate parents with easy-to-understand guides so they can bridge that information gap and get the resources they need.
The Blog is my personal experience as a neurodiverse parent and raising kids with support needs. It’s about education, my hope for policy change, and maybe my grievances when it doesn’t happen. ;)
My background is in education. Transparency is one of my core values, so here’s the qualification rundown: I have a BA in English and Philosophy and an additional Ethics certification, and a master’s degree in teaching with a focus on language theory and acquisition. I am a doctoral student in Education Psychology, working on my Ph.D. in Special Education: Autism and Developmental Disabilities. My research focus is neurodiversity-affirming intervention and neuro-inclusive research practices.
I sit on several local boards where I advocate for persons with disabilities in government, health, and education. I’m a graduate of the 2023 Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities Partner in Policymaking fellowship and work with education and disability-focused non-profit groups on education policy.
I’m 1/2 of a great team. Raising three kids is no joke; my husband is my biggest supporter. We’ve been together for 14 years, and when we aren’t wrangling kids, we love to work on home projects and binge-watch our favorite shows.
Contact Laurie for more info.
But I’m not you or part of your child’s support team. I can share all the academic and developmental knowledge in the world with you, but you know your kids.