Our Story

SEE US (Special Education Excellence for Underserved Students) provides no-cost, expert, special education advocacy to underserved students with special needs.

SEE US is the model for special education equity for underserved families with students in need of educational services that lead each student to realize their unique potential through expertise working with local schools and collaboration with parents, at no cost.

75.4% of White male students and 45.6% of Black male students were receiving special education services among 4th graders in the lowest reading decile.

— USDE (2019)

Due to discipline disparity, Black students with disabilities lose 77 more days of instruction on average than White students with disabilities.

— Center For Civil Rights Disparities (2018)

For decades, there have been disparities in how Black, Latinx, and Indigenous special needs students are educated. They are under-identified for special education services and over-identified for certain categories. These disparities are most disproportionate among Black students. Our mission is to provide special education advocacy that results in appropriate services and placements and leads to successful educational outcomes for underserved students.

SEE US provides awareness and access to expert special needs advocacy, parent support, recommendations, and resources for educational progress.

Since 2020, SEE US has worked with more than 80 underserved, special needs students in the DC, MD, and VA regions. We have provided analysis and improvement of IEP, 504, and GT (Gifted) education plans for progress.  SEE US parents experience relief from the stresses of navigating the ambiguous special education process.

Meet Our Staff

  • Marcy Jackson

    Marcy Jackson, MA, CPP, CFD

    FOUNDING DIRECTOR

  • Thomas Pumphrey

    INTAKE SPECIALIST

  • Alexa Mendez

    Alexa Mendez

    BILINGUAL PARENT NAVIGATOR

  • Yabez Jackson

    INTERN

About Marcy Jackson, MA

Mrs. Marcy Rachamim Jackson, MA is the founding director of SEE US: Special Education Excellence for Underserved Students. In 2020, she inspired SEE US as a special education equity initiative to provide free expert advocacy for Black students with special needs. SEE US now partners with communities and organizations to provide free advocacy and related services to diverse underserved students with special needs. Mrs. Jackson is the author of the SEE US Two-Year Case Study at WEG Advocacy, and the catalytic 2024 book and training, Pour the Water: Transformative Solutions for Equity and Justice in Special Education© published by Olivez Education Grove at Resh Institute for Educational Leadership. 

Mrs. Jackson is also an outstanding Education Consultant and Special Education Advocate certified in Special Needs Advocacy. Since 2009, she has performed advocacy through expert witness, classroom observations, education plan analysis, school selection, meeting representation, placement changes, and more. She has served clients in several states across all disability codes from PreK to 12th grade, particularly learners with multiple disabilities, dual language needs including ASL, and vision impairment. 

Her specialty is early childhood, which includes early intervention, kindergarten readiness, and early elementary. She began her career as a Substitute Teacher in Howard County Public Schools.  Mrs. Jackson has certificates in MSDE 90-hour Child Development, Maryland Healthy Beginnings Early Childhood Development Guidelines, and Montessori Teacher Studies, among others. She is the co-author of multiple research-based parent education curricula, such as P.A.R.E.N.T.S. Life Skills, Literacy, and Leadership© for new, remedial, and reunification parenting, and Plant.Water.Grow., based on Montessori for early childhood parenting. 

Mrs. Jackson has provided hundreds of students, parents, and professionals with insightful strategies and teachings to make meaningful educational progress in public, private, or parochial classrooms. In 2007, she developed the first in the nation, Developmental Driver Education program at Montgomery College, where she programmed for students and supported faculty to assess and teach driving skills to students with Autism, Learning Disabilities, and other social and cognitive limitations. Later, in partnership with her son’s special education teacher, she developed L.I.F.E. A.C.T. Language, an applied communication experience for transitioning-age young adults with intellectual disabilities and English language learners.  

Mrs. Jackson earned a High School Diploma from Wilde Lake High School, Bachelor of Arts from Towson University in International Studies, and a Master of Arts degree from the University of South Dakota in Educational Leadership.

EXPERT ADVISORY PANEL

  • Janee Caslin, MA, MBA

    MANAGEMENT

  • Gary Gilbert, Esquire

    Gary Gilbert, Esquire

    LEGAL

  • Robert Felton

    ADVOCACY

  • Jennifer Fox-Thomas, MS

    OPERATIONS

  • Danielle Gilmore, Ph.D. MPP, CHES

    OUTCOMES

  • Revanette Gilmore

    ADVOCACY

Our Partners and Providers

  • Weinfeld Education Group
  • Resh Institute for Educational Leadership by Olivez Education Grove

SEE US SUCCESS STORY

“Navigating a special needs diagnosis and the associated care and supports for my 4-year old son has been a challenge to say the least. Marcy helped us to walk through these challenges in such a seamless and supported way.  I felt more confident by having her present during our meetings, but I also felt empowered and better equipped to advocate on behalf of our son.

Words cannot express my appreciation for her attention to detail, her preparedness, knowledge and expertise around navigating special education within the public school environment and her ability to navigate the bureaucratic structures that can sometimes exist within school management. 

In the instances where we had questions or issues specific to behavior and or compliance, Marcy was able to leverage others who could assist us with the correct information in a timely manner.  She was prepared for every call and constantly sought my feedback and satisfaction for services provided on behalf of my son. 

I want to thank her and the SEE US program for making available what I knew our family did not have access to at such a critical time. Blessings to you and the work you are doing for families.”

- Dawn Berkeley, SEE US Parent

SEE US Advocacy Case Study

Inquiry

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How To Support Us.

Would you like to volunteer with SEE US or make a meaningful financial donation that supports our nonprofit work? Please email us!