About Ballou Education, LLC

Tamara Ballou is the founder and lead advocate for Ballou Education. She has over 15 years of experience in the education field and has demonstrated through her work a strong commitment to special needs kids. As a parent of a special needs child herself, Ms. Ballou knows first hand the rewards and challenges parents face in advocating for and meeting the needs of their child.

Ms. Ballou offers zealous advocacy for yourself and your child in meeting their educational needs. She understands how intimidating the process can be for parents attending school meetings and offers her support and understanding of parents asserting their child’s rights under the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act).

Gifted education is another area of strength for Ms. Ballou. As the President of Tempe Parents of the Gifted, Ms. Ballou demonstrates her ongoing commitment to children with learning differences on both ends of the spectrum. Because of her strengths in both learning disabilities and gifted education, she is well equipped to advocate for and support children who are 'twice exceptional' (Gifted and otherwise learning challenged). She is also able to offer consultation on school placements and recommendation for gifted children without special challenges.

Ms. Ballou attends 120+ hours yearly of training and conferences related to advocacy and special education law. She is an active member of several organizations, which offer ongoing training and support to advocates in the most current changes to regulations and legislation. Some of these organizations include:

• Member of COPAA, Council of Parents Advocates and Attorneys, Nationwide professional organization for non-district special education attorneys and advocates.
• Member of International Association of Special Education (IASE)
• Member of the International Dyslexia Association
• Member of Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented
• Member of National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)
• President of Tempe Parents for the Gifted since 2007
• Representative on the DPAC committee for TPG since 2007
• Co-Founder of East Valley SPED Parents since 2009