Zzzz, Bellevue, WA 98007

As a parent at Lake Hills Elementary, my family’s experience has been extremely challenging and emotionally exhausting. While there are staff members who genuinely care about students, we have often felt unheard and unsupported when trying to advocate for our child’s educational and behavioral needs.Our family has had ongoing concerns regarding communication, consistency, and implementation of supports within the classroom environment. We have repeatedly had to push for accommodations, accountability, and follow-through related to IEP and behavioral supports. Instead of feeling like partners with the school, many interactions have felt reactive and focused more on discipline than understanding the underlying causes of behavior.Inside the classroom, consistency between staff responses has been a major issue. Expectations and consequences often vary depending on the adult involved, which can create confusion and escalate situations unnecessarily. For students with disabilities, trauma histories, or behavioral challenges, consistency and trauma-informed support are critical. Unfortunately, our experience has often been the opposite.The Lake Hills community itself is very diverse and filled with many caring families and children. However, families advocating strongly for special education supports can sometimes feel dismissed or viewed negatively rather than treated as collaborative partners.As a parent, it is heartbreaking to constantly worry about whether your child will be supported, understood, or disciplined for behaviors connected to their disability. The stress this has placed on our family has been significant. We continue advocating because every child deserves a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment where they are treated with dignity and compassion.