Expert Education Consultants

Evaluate.
Educate.
Advocate.

With over 30+ years of combined experience, we guide families through the complexities of public school programs. From 504 Plans to IEPs, we ensure the school and family work together as a team.

"Working together for the best interest of the student."

Trusted

By All Families

Advocacy Services

We offer a customized approach to learning, assisting clients in all facets of the education process to ensure your child receives a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

Record Review

Review of all records and testing previously completed by the school system or outside providers to understand the history.

Program Assessment

Assess the student's current program and administer formal and informal achievement assessments to establish baselines.

IEP & 504 Plans

Work with the school team to develop appropriate 504 Plans or Individual Education Plans (IEP) tailored to your child.

Meeting Representation

Attend meetings with you at your child's school. We act as your knowledgeable partner in the room.

Transitions

Assist your child in transitions to new programs or schools, ensuring services follow them seamlessly.

Workshops

Free workshops for parents to discuss the process for navigating the IEP and or 504 plan.

Policy & Fees

Transparent pricing for professional services.

Free 30 Minute Introductory Call

I recommend we begin with a 30-minute introductory phone consultation. This time is dedicated for you to provide background history regarding your child and articulate the specific nature of the services you wish to obtain from me.

Payment Policy

Kaplan Marquis Education Consultants does not take credit cards. Services commence at receipt of signed policy form. Payment is billed at the time of service.

Cash

Initial Consultations

$400
  • Discussion time to review case information
  • Future direction options
  • Files needing review before/after consult
  • Review IEP/504 Plan
  • Review of teacher report/feedback
  • Review new/past evaluations

Document Review

$100/hr

Preparation for meetings:

  • Review IEP/504 Plan
  • Review teacher feedback
  • Review new/past evaluations

Pre-Meet Strategy

$150/hr
  • Discuss documentation review
  • Review proposed goals/objectives
  • Strategy formulation for meeting

School Meetings

$250/hr

1 hour minimum

  • Parent/teacher conferences
  • IEP & 504 Meetings
  • Classroom Observations

Formal Educational Testing

$1200
  • Initial parent meeting & follow up
  • Formal academic achievement testing
  • Scoring, Interpretation, and written report

Additional Testing

$600
  • Test of Written Language (TOWL)
  • Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI)
  • Review results/follow up

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About Us

Ellen Kaplan

Ellen Kaplan

M.Ed. | Assistant Director and Learning Specialist

Ellen Kaplan, M.Ed. graduated from the University of Hartford with a degree in special education and earned a master in reading from Towson State University. She spent eight years as a special education teacher in Howard County, Maryland middle schools, where she focused on students with learning disabilities and emotional issues.

She later taught kindergarten in a Regional Early Childhood Center program (RECC), working closely with speech-language therapists, occupational therapists and classroom teachers to develop goals for students entering the upper grades. Most recently, she was the education director at a private school for autistic children in Howard County where she oversaw the IEP process, developed progress reports and classroom behavior plans and facilitated state testing.

She has also tutored privately specializing in students with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, children with Executive Dysfunction and ADHD, as well as students with learning disabilities. In 2023 Ellen retired from her private practice, the Orchid Center for ADHD and Executive Functioning where she was the co-founder but remains as a consultant. Currently she is the Assistant Director and Learning Specialist at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.

Lori Marquis

Lori Marquis

Distinguished Educator & Special Education Coordinator

Lori Marquis is a distinguished educator with a strong foundation in both elementary and special education, having graduated from the University of Delaware in 1989 with a dual degree in these fields. She has further enhanced her expertise by earning a master’s equivalency in special education through programs offered by Montgomery County Public Schools and Johns Hopkins University.

During the first 13 years of her career, Lori taught general education to 4th and 5th graders, while also working to integrate students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) into mainstream classrooms. Over the years, she honed her focus on special education within Montgomery County Public Schools, where she played a pivotal role as the Special Education Program Coordinator. In this capacity, Lori managed all aspects of the child referral process, conducted both formal and informal educational assessments, drafted IEPs, and frequently provided staff training on the IEP process.

Before retiring from Montgomery County Public Schools, Lori served as a Parent Educator in the Preschool Education Program at her school. In this role, she supported families, caregivers, and staff working with children aged 3 to 5. She was responsible for planning and coordinating parent workshops on various topics and assisting families through the intake process. Since retiring, Lori has remained dedicated to supporting families, offering her expertise to those navigating the complexities of the 504 or IEP process.

What people are saying

"

The team at Kaplan Marquis Educational Consultants paved the way for our child’s success in both the education and career arenas. KMES helped us navigate the complicated school system’s offerings and guided us to successfully partake in all services available along the way. KMES also provided referrals for additional resources available to build upon our child’s future success. Fast-forward, with a BS degree from a respected state university and a career of choice, including management positions, our child is organized, independent, and most importantly, confident and happy!

GP

GP

Howard County

"

When it became clear that our rising 6th grader would need an IEP heading into Middle School, we dreaded what we anticipated might be an adversarial, bureaucratic, and challenging process... Lori was our Tiger Mom advocate. Somewhere between a Doula and savvy attorney, Lori demystified the whole process, prepared herself and us to walk into the meeting with everything we needed, and stood up for our son's needs. Thanks to Lori we were able to answer potentially "trick" questions accurately... Thanks to Lori we all sailed through the process easy peasy, with minimal stress, and a 100% satisfactory outcome. Worth every penny to sleep well at night.

AD

ADT

Montgomery County

"

Lori helped me navigate the process of developing a 504 plan for my child with ADHD, and she worked with me and elementary school administrators to socialize and implement it. Her compassionate, knowledgeable, and calm approach helped me find a path through a frustrating experience and realize what would work best for my family. She helped me think of practical solutions for the classroom and even at home... I am so grateful to Lori for getting us on the right track!

LL

LL

Sarasota County

"

We can’t recommend Lori Marquis highly enough for anyone navigating Howard County's reassignment process. Her guidance was invaluable, providing clear and insightful advice every step of the way. From the very beginning, she demonstrated exceptional responsiveness... Despite the process being inherently stressful, she guided us through it with remarkable patience and clarity. Beyond her professional expertise, Lori approached every interaction with kindness and genuine empathy, making a challenging process much more manageable. Thanks to her support, we achieved a positive outcome, and we are truly grateful for her help.

MT

MT

Howard County

"

We have had extremely positive experiences and outcomes when consulting with Ellen Kaplan of Kaplan Marquis, for IEP services for both of our boys, through middle and high school years. Ellen is the most knowledgeable, professional, caring and personal person we could have found as an advocate for our boys. She has doggedly pursued the best outcomes for them... We have had an incredibly eye-opening experience with Kaplan Marquis, which makes us feel prepared, empowered, and able to best advocate for our kids. This service is one of the most valuable things we have found in our parenting journey.

SS

SS

Howard County

"

Kaplan Marquis was very helpful in educating us on the special education process and made herself available to attend meetings at our child's school. The advocate was able to see both sides of the issues and our concerns as parents. They reviewed the school's data and collaborated with us and the school team to form a reasonable recommendation for our child.

R

R

Howard County

"

My son has mild special educational needs and when he transitioned from a private school for dyslexic children (grade 1-5) to public middle school. I was overwhelmed trying to get him the support he needed in and out of the classroom. I finally hired Kaplan Marquis Educational Consultants (KMEC), as an advocate... To this day, I bring KMEC to all my son's school team meetings because they have the expertise on learning differences, educational law and have a relationship and rapport with the Howard County School System... I believe my son is receiving the best possible educational experience in the Howard County Schools as a result of KMEC efforts.

M

M

Howard County

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Whether you need a full evaluation, IEP meeting support, or just have a few questions about the process, we are ready to assist.

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301-675-1445

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