VISION
MISSION
OUR PHILOSOPHY
WE FOCUS ON THE WHOLE STUDENT AT THE INTERSECTION OF RESEARCH, DESIGN, AND TECHNOLOGY
We see your children as you do—not as individuals needing a remedy, but as whole, capable beings. We prioritize thoughtful communication and align our philosophy with the insights from UC Davis, Stanford, and Harvard regarding Neurodiversity.
Neurodiversity is a movement embracing the idea that there is no “right” way of thinking or behaving. Our differences are our greatest strength and deserve respect. This concept challenges traditional views on disabilities and neurological differences, celebrating the variety of cognitive styles and questioning the notion that neurotypical standards are the only "ordered" state.
While we celebrate neurodiversity, we also understand the needs of students with physical or orthopedic needs, who may prefer the term "disabled." These students may not have sensory, language, learning, or cognitive differences but still require specific accommodations to thrive in educational settings.
Balancing these evolving perspectives with adherence to established legal definitions, such as those outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), is crucial. We use the terms "students with learning differences" and "students with disclosed disabilities" to ensure we respect and include all needs.
We lean into curiosity, believing we do not have all the answers, but actively pursue them. We adopt a computational approach to learner variability, designing our algorithms to adjust according to each student’s learning style and area of support, to provide a clearer path to effective advocacy
WHO WE ARE
BUILT BY PARENTS FOR PARENTS
Families with uncommon skills in research, design, special education policies, and innovation dedicated to supporting you. We are unapologetic in knowing that our kids have future.
OUR TEAM
MEET OUR TEAM & LEADERS
HOW WE STARTED
STORY OF BUILT BY PARENTS FOR PARENTS
01
Every student should be able to make friends, enjoy learning, and dream about their future. But for many students with learning differences, around 7 million in special education in the United States, this is not a reality.
02
Over eight years ago, Antoinette's daughter was nonverbal and diagnosed as mentally retarded with 0% probability of hand and eye coordination. But she wasn't mentally retarded. She has autism and ADHD.
03
Antoinette’s personal experience taught her how frustrating and challenging special education can be. And we are not alone. Millions of families experience the IEP process as overwhelming and taxing - with no breaks in between.
Accessing information was a problem.
Knowing what our options were was a problem.
Recognizing our unique strengths was a problem.
We fixed those problems to develop a unique partnership platform for you.
04
The children and families we serve are what light us up and the many possibilities that are yet unfolding. You visiting us today tells us that you equally care about students who learn differently. Whether you are a mother, father, aunt, uncle, caregiver, or supporter - we appreciate you and seek to amplify your voice.
05
And, might we add, Antoinette's daughter, once nonverbal and "mentally retarded" is now a verbal, student-athlete, and neurodivergent advocate.
06
Life is filled with detours and trials of every kind. Each of us has had our fair share of feelings of despair, but how we end the race is what matters most. And, you are stronger than what you give yourself credit for. Together, we can do this.
APPROACH TO ACCESSIBILITY
WE BELIEVE THAT ALL LEARNERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO ACCESS INFORMATION
Accessibility and Usability go hand-in-hand, and we believe that all learners have the right to access information in a way that works for them and their families. We build for ease of comfort in access to IEPs and knowledge sharing and aim to continue iterating with respect and humility.
As a first step to ensuring digital equity, we develop closely as possible to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0, Level AA), published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
