About Me
| Special Education Advocate & Coach |
"I’m a mom of a child with special needs and a former educator with over 20 years of hands-on experience. As a Special Education Advocate and Coach, I now use my expertise to guide and support families as they navigate the often complex world of special education."
My Background
Jen Scalese MS.Ed.
"With over two decades of experience working alongside students, families, administrators, advocates, and Special Education providers in both public and private schools, I bring extensive expertise to the table.
Now, as a Special Education Advocate and Coach , I’m dedicated to supporting families in advocating for their children, empowering them to navigate the complexities of Special Education confidently.
Whether you're a parent or a student, I offer practical strategies, personalized coaching, and accessible resources to ensure every child receives the support they deserve."
“I truly appreciate all of Jen’s support! She took on the research, review, and follow-up so that I could simply show up as a parent—ready to make informed decisions without spending hours trying to figure everything out on my own.
Because of Jen, I’ve been able to focus on my role as a mom rather than getting lost in all the regulations and options. She was not only a huge stress reliever for me, but she also made sure my child is supported and set up for success. I am so grateful!”
-JM
"Working with Navigating Pathways has been an absolute lifesaver for my family. Our eldest child is very bright with highly complex support needs due to his diagnosis. We found it so challenging to understand what our options were for support in the public school system. Jen has made it so much clearer.
Not only do we now have appropriate documented support for our child, we have clear communication, the best placement possible for our circumstances, and the assurance that she will review any communication we receive from the school. To ensure we understand what is being communicated, what our responsibility is as the recipient, but also what our rights are for our child's public education.
Jen comes with unparalleled knowledge surrounding Special Education and Massachusetts state laws, but she is also highly skilled in advocating for support for kids with complex diagnoses. Her pricing is mindful of ensuring all families have access to her services. We will forever be grateful for the knowledge and support of our family. “Worth. Every. Dime." - Dev P.
“At a really difficult time, Jen was a lifesaver! My son's diagnosis initially felt very overwhelming and I felt like all the professionals who were working with him were not providing the support we needed. She was thorough and really knew how to navigate the systems in my district. She was supportive and patient with the myriad questions that I had. I feel so much more confident about my son's IEP after having worked with her. Highly recommend!” Kim L.
“Jen provided our SEPAC with a comprehensive overview of the disability categories within special education as well as an overview of academic testing. She is very knowledgeable about the IEP process and challenges families face. Additionally, she was caring, supportive, and compassionate when families asked questions and voiced their challenges. I highly recommend Jen to any organization or family looking for assistance navigating the special education process.“ Peabody SEPAC President and Vice President
Jen has been an incredible support not only in advocating for my son’s educational needs and mental health, but also my own mental health as a caregiver to a child with complex needs. She is incredibly knowledgeable, perceptive, proactive and an effective communicator with my son’s specialists and school support team.
Working with Jen has been life-changing, and she quickly identified school-based struggle points at home and creative solutions to add to my son’s IEP, empowering me to establish boundaries that I didn’t realize were possible. Jen carries a unique collective experience from both special education and caregiver perspectives, and I am so grateful to be able to finally step back and breathe knowing that Jen has our backs!