Services

  • I provide educational consultation services to families educating at home and/or those navigating the public school system. I also provide customized professional development workshops and consultation for organizations and school districts. I have expertise in:

    • Special education services, advocacy, & IEP process within the school system

    • Alternative pathways for education, including self-directed education, unschooling, and play-based learning

    • Learning Disabilities, Neurodivergence, and Behavioral/Mental Health in children

    • Brainstorming, guidance, and individualized resources for how to personalizing learning experiences for your child and family’s individual needs

    • Cultivating anti-racist, anti-bias reflection and mentoring spaces for white parents and educators (**100% of the proceeds from consulting services which are specifically centered around anti-racist practices will be donated to Embrace Race)

    Rates for Individuals/Families:

    • For one-time consultation services, my standard rate is $100/hour. For ongoing/regular consultation (i.e. monthly), sliding scale rates are available with agreements made on a case by case basis prior to services rendered.

    • Please contact me for a FREE 15-min initial consultation to determine your needs and our fit with one another.

    Rates For Organizations & School Districts:

    • Customized professional development workshops in organizations and school districts, rate will be negotiated based on the needs and scope of the project. Please contact me for a FREE 15-min initial consultation to determine your needs and our fit with one another.

  • I have an Masters in Psychology and have trained as a mental health therapist. I am solution-oriented, skilled at brainstorming creative approaches to complex issues, and enjoy holding space for others as they travel their own path.

    Parents & Families: I have worked as parent coach, behavioral consultant, and family advocate/support in clinical, community, and in-home settings with individuals, parents, and families.

    Early-Career Teachers: I also mentor preservice and early career teachers as they navigate their first year(s) in the classroom through regular meetings and brainstorm ng solutions for current issues they’re facing in the classroom.

    Rate: My standard rate for coaching/mentoring services is $100/hr. For ongoing/regular coaching/mentoring support (i.e. weekly or monthly), sliding scale rates are available with agreements made on a case by case basis prior to services rendered.

    Please contact me for a FREE 15-min initial consultation to determine your needs and our fit with one another.

Homeschool Evaluations

As a certified special education teacher and an unschooling parent, I know how important it can be to provide alternatives to standardized testing for kids with varied needs. Testing tells very little about what a child actually knows or is able to do. I have experience providing integrated learning experiences for kids from 2-21 years in all subject areas, with particular expertise in serving students with disabilities and mental health/behavioral challenges. Whether you’re brand new to homeschooling or you’re a seasoned veteran, I can help you comply with homeschool accountability laws while providing a personalized, holistic, and supportive evaluation process that does not include a standardized test.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the process?

    Meeting: We will have an initial evaluation meeting via Zoom where we will discuss what you have been doing educationally over the past year. I will ask about the types of learning experiences your child has been engaged in, what they’ve been learning, and about their current strengths and areas for growth. We will also use this time collaboratively to brainstorm ideas, learning strategies, and other innovative ways to help your child continue their learning.

    Evaluation Letter: After the meeting I will provide you with an official letter for your records that summarizes our meeting, documents the educational progress we discussed, and provides you with recommendations to consider for the coming year.

  • What if we unschool or follow another self-directed learning approach?

    Wonderful! I am an unschooling parent myself and love to support other families using this approach. My evaluations will take this into account and will be a supportive space for you to explore ideas, strategies, and new ways to follow your children’s lead.

  • Does my child need to participate?

    I deeply value student voice and agency. Ideally, the meeting includes your child. Talking directly with your child not only provides me with additional information and evidence of learning, but it also creates an active role for them in their own evaluation process. Students who are included in their own process report feeling empowered and more confident in their own learning process than those who do not actively participate. However, if including the child is not appropriate in some circumstances, we can still complete the process with just you and me.

  • What do I need to provide?

    I will provide you with a list of questions to reflect on before we meet. These will include questions regarding your child’s educational background, their strengths and interests, and learning experiences you’ve engaged with over the past year. I will also ask for a collection of learning evidence (photos, work samples, videos, data sheets, activity lists, etc.). This helps me in providing you with a fair and representative review of your child’s progress and growth areas. We will work with whatever evidence you have to offer. Your evaluation letter will be based on your answers to the pre-meeting questions, evidence of learning you’ve submitted, and our conversation during the Zoom meeting.

  • Can I use your services even if I’m in a different state?

    Yes! I am certified in Washington State and best know the laws in my own state. States vary in their legal requirements for homeschool documentation. While I provide evaluations for families in any state, I do not guarantee that my evaluation will satisfy your local requirements. It is your responsibility to research your own local laws to ensure that using my services will be in compliance with your local requirements.

    Rates

The standard flat rate for a homeschool evaluation is $150 per student. This includes a 1 hour Zoom meeting and an official Evaluation Letter for your records.

*Discounted rates for multiple children within the same family are available - please contact me for a quote for multiple students.

I value accessibility and offer a sliding scale and/or limited scholarships for those who indicate financial hardship. Please contact me to inquire about the sliding scale and we can work together to come to a mutual agreement.

  • “Susan helped us reflect on our initial year of homeschooling/unschooling in a way that felt very supportive and informative. She wrote a lovely assessment letter summarizing our approach to our child's education and outlining some ideas for things we can focus on in the upcoming year. I highly recommend Susan's consultation services if you are looking for some structure and support that is completely congruent with a self-directed learning approach.”

    -Sara, Seattle parent & psychologist

  • “I worked with Susan during my second year as a 1st through 8th grade special education art teacher. My year began with several significant challenges and I seriously considered stepping away, but instead decided to seek support in Susan. This was one of the best decisions I've made."

    — Eleanor, 2nd Year Teacher

  • Susan has immense training in special education, is a certified teacher and has a masters degree in psychology. She is super knowledgeable in neurodivergency and is very unschool friendly. I felt like I could show up exactly as the homeschooler I am and was floored by all the resources Susan referred us to in her follow up email regarding any questions or inquiries we had about future learning.

    -Jody, Homeschool Parent

  • "Working with Susan this year has felt like a sort of miracle grow for my teaching practice. I learned so much from her and am concluding my second year of teaching with a strong sense of skill and empowerment. Each week I would collect my teaching challenges and bring them to Susan, where we would tackle them together. I always felt joy in our collaboration and safe, seen, supported, and clear about how to proceed after each session."

    — Eleanor, 2nd Year Teacher

  • "We just finished up a homeschool evaluation with Susan from Growing Toward Liberation and I'm beyond impressed by our experience. Susan was so encouraging and supportive, our daughter loved sharing all the things she was passionate about and Susan seemed to light up every spark through connection and awe."

    -Jody, Homeschool Parent

  • "Susan is brilliant, humble, kind, and creative; and I would recommend her support to anyone wanting to further grow their teaching practice. In addition to all of this, it felt tremendous to work with someone so grounded in liberatory frameworks."

    — Eleanor, 2nd Year Teacher

  • Susan pours herself into her evaluations, educational consulting, and coaching/mentoring. I wanted to share our experience for anyone out there who is feeling like they haven't found the right fit for evaluations or are looking for extra support with an extremely knowledgeable and supportive advocate.

    -Jody, Homeschool Parent

  • "Susan was easy to communicate with and was very empathetic to our difficult schooling situation. Her thorough help decreased our stress and was kind and helpful in increasing our awareness of the local resources available to us."

    -Homeschooling Parent, WA State