Heidi Audu

Parent of a public charter scholar within MMSD

When our family was referred to Martha, we were facing a difficult and unforeseen situation that left us feeling uncertain about our child’s future in education. To provide some context, we have a child with medical diagnoses that require an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to succeed in the classroom. Our child had an IEP since the age of three, and we never saw it as anything punitive—rather, it was a tool designed to support their learning and growth.

When we enrolled our child in a new school for first grade, we were shocked to find that the IEP was not being followed. Worse still, the school claimed our child no longer needed IEP services after four years of receiving them. The language surrounding this decision was vague, and we struggled to understand how this could be the case. Our child also receives ABA Therapy, which was clearly written into the IEP, yet the school was not honoring those accommodations and many others. The uncertainty of our child’s education was overwhelming.

We made multiple attempts to address the issue, including requesting an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) to clarify the necessary accommodations for our child. After the IEE was completed, the results were clear: the accommodations were critical for our child’s success, but the school still refused to honor them and denied both the IEP and 504 services. That’s when the professional who conducted the IEE referred us to Martha.

At first, we didn’t know what to expect from Martha or how she could help in such a challenging situation. But from the very beginning, Martha was committed to our family’s success. We spent hours on phone calls, emails, Zoom meetings, and in-person meetings to ensure Martha fully understood the complexities of our case. She was incredibly honest about what she could and couldn’t do to help, and when she needed to, she connected us with other professionals to ensure we had the right support at every step.

Martha’s tenacity and persistence were invaluable. Over the years, as we navigated the educational bureaucracy, I frequently called her in despair, telling her it wasn’t worth continuing. But Martha was always there, reminding us to keep the big picture in mind, even when the process felt like an insurmountable challenge. After years of struggle, we finally saw results—just before the start of the school year, our child’s IEP was fully implemented. Now in fourth grade, our child is thriving academically, thanks to the support Martha helped us secure.

Martha’s unwavering support goes far beyond the usual professional relationship. She truly becomes a part of your family, and her dedication to her work helps create a strong, supportive community. We would not be where we are today without Martha’s help. The impact she has had on our family cannot be measured in monetary terms—it has been priceless.

Though we are saddened by the fact that Martha’s decision to run for the school board may mean less time for direct advocacy, we strongly support her candidacy. We believe her work is vital, and though we’d love to keep her to ourselves, we know that her talents and passion must be shared with the wider community.

We encourage everyone to learn more about Martha’s work and why she’s running for school board. Martha’s dedication to improving the education system for all children will benefit the entire community, and we are proud to support her in this important step.