We built Lighthouse because we couldn't find it anywhere else — one clear, honest, up-to-date resource for NYC parents navigating the special education system.
When our son was young, we searched for answers at 2am. We found expired government links, Facebook threads that went nowhere, and guides written for professionals — not parents. We know what it feels like to be lost in a system that was supposed to help your child.
We also know what it looks like from the inside. Between us, we bring journalism, clinical psychology, and twelve years of lived experience as special needs parents in New York City. Lighthouse is what we wish had existed when we started this journey.
Autistic autism educator, author, and therapist. Sharon brings clinical expertise and deep personal understanding to every issue of Lighthouse.
Journalist and editor. Brian asks special education professionals to help translate complex policy and legal information into plain language that parents can actually use.
Policy & funding
The DOE & IEP system
Resources & services
Future planning
This information exists. It's scattered across government websites, legal documents, Facebook groups, and whispered conversations in school hallways. Lighthouse brings it together — once a month, in your inbox, in plain English.