Setting the Scene
The room was small and full of people. Beverly Roberts sat beside her two-year-old son, Charles Eric, at the evaluation center after a long day of tests and observations. She felt like she was watching every person pass as if they were in slow motion. “We were there all day long,” she recalled. “We saw so many people and at the end of the day, we were shown into a room where Charles Eric and I sat down and then all these people sat around us. They began telling me things including the term ‘mental retardation.’ They began to say all the stuff that Charles Eric would never do.”
As the words sank in, Roberts’ world shifted. “I can remember that the first thing that came to my mind is what I remember the older women in my community would say: ‘If I could just live long enough to see my child and my grandchildren grown and able to take care of themselves, I will be able to die happy. And that was the first thing I realized. I was twenty-five at the time, but that was the first thing that came to my mind is that I will never know any peace. And the other thing I felt was, ‘will I ever feel happy again?’. I was totally overwhelmed.”
That moment, heavy with fear and uncertainty, marked the beginning of a new journey for Beverly and her family. “The turning point came for me when I realized that I wanted the same thing for Charles Eric that I wanted for my other two typically developing kids, and that was for him to reach his potential,” she said. It wasn’t a quick or easy shift, but it was profound. “It wasn’t overnight in terms of getting me out of that dark place, but once I realized that I was no longer afraid, that I could have hopes and dreams for Charles Eric, I knew I had to learn to advocate for him.”
Beverly Roberts was able to take that moment of worry and doubt for her child and flip the script to become a fierce advocate for Charles Eric and exceptional children like him. She realized one of the most powerful things a parent has is their voice. For over 30 years, Roberts has worked in the education sphere under that impression: we need to empower every parent to find their voice and share their story. Roberts’ commitment to this vision was the reason she was nominated and won the 2025 Family Champion Amplifier of Family Voice Award. Her nominator describes it best: “Beverly has inspired hundreds—if not thousands—of parents and caregivers to raise their voices, to share their stories, and influence the systems that shape their children’s lives. Roberts shares her experiences and what she sees as key components to not just hearing families’ stories but listening and using it as a steppingstone towards solutions.
The Scope of the Challenge
Across the United States, millions of children with disabilities face daily challenges. The National Center for Learning Disabilities reports that 2.4 million school-age students with a learning disability, with more than 90 percent of fourth- and eighth-grade students with disabilities not meeting reading and math standards. In North Carolina alone, Public Schools First NC has over 203,000 children with disabilities, with only 20 percent meeting grade-level proficiency in reading and 21 percent in math. The North Carolina School Report Cards further reveal a troubling reality in that students with disabilities are suspended at twice the rate of their peers, often for behaviors directly related to their disabilities. Black students with disabiliites are almost four times more likely to face multiple out-of-school suspension. These disparities are not reflections of students’ abilities but of systems that were not designed with them in mind.
“The barriers that families of children with disabilities face are a constant reminder that that the systems they operate in were not designed to include their children,” said Christina Cipriano, an education researcher and parent to a child with disabilities, who was quoted by Brookings. She continues by stating, “Positioning families as partners in their child’s education is essential to ensuring their needs and rights are upheld.”
A Voice for Change
Beverly Roberts is an outstanding example of positioning families as partners in their child’s education. Through her work with the Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center (ECAC) in North Carolina, she is able to help families “navigate the special education system, know their rights, and use their voice.” Through free trainings, resources, and guidance, the center supports families from birth to age 26, ensuring they have access to information and tools necessary to advocate for their children to live full, choice-filled lives. Some matters that the ECAC helps with include, but are not limited to:
- Provide action steps and options to help families to access services and resolve individual issues;
- Listen and ask questions to understand each family’s needs;
- Support families in navigating and understanding health systems, early intervention, special education, transition to adulthood, and more;
- Help families and youth to understand their rights under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504;
- And provide information about state and local resources, such as support groups and organizations, Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI, and more.
Roberts explains that, “No one knows more about who they are and their children and what they need than families.” She highlights a core principle of ECAC: ensuring family voice is at the center of their practices. “Family engagement is about doing with families, asking what they need, and inviting them to participate in decision-making. We want families to be co-creators, whether we are looking at policies, learning practices, or how we communicate. We won’t know the full picture unless we ask families.”
Building Trust and Authentic Engagement
Roberts emphasizes that trust and partnership between families and schools must be built intentionally. She explains that she often reminds educators and school leaders that, “There are four questions that parents will never ask you, but you need to be able to answer them. Do you see me? Do you know who I am? Do you care about my child? Can I trust you? You’re not going to get authentic engagement if you don’t answer those three questions. You answer them by what you do and what you say, because parents are paying attention.”
UNC Pembroke supports Robert’s point, explaining how meaningful parental involvement a vital component of success for children with disabilities is. When schools and families collaborate authentically, they bridge understanding, close communication gaps, and create environments where all children can feel safe and thrive. Part of building these collaborations is giving space for families to tell their stories, to let them be heard. One support structure for educators to assist in making this a reality is the North Carolina State Improvement Project (NC SIP), a program of the Department of Public Instruction. Roberts leadership was integral into helping shape this project that works towards ensuring every student with disabilities can develop intellectually, physically, emotionally, and vocationally. The initiative focuses on equipping educators with the knowledge and strategies to better serve all learners. NC DPI frames the major goals of NC SIP:
- Strengthen NC SIP staff’s ability to lead and support schools in effective reading, math, and literacy instruction
- Equip school and district leaders to create and evaluate plans that improve learning for students with disabilities
- Train teachers and administrators to use proven teaching strategies that boost engagement and achievement for students with disabilities
- Prepare future teachers and current school leaders at partner universities to support effective instruction for students with disabilities
By centering family voices while simultaneously giving educators and administrators the tools and support they need, Roberts shows that meaningful partnerships are where we start creating sustainable change.
The Power of Stories and Parents
Roberts knows the power of a story to enact change. She often leads workshops for parents called, “Telling Your Story—Parents As Leaders.” The purpose of these workshops is for families to recognize the power of their lived experiences. Robert explains, “Telling Your Story could be a one-day training or a series of webinars. The focus is helping families increase their comfort level for sharing their stories. We want them to understand the potential impact of their stories.” Through these workshops, families learn how to craft and share their experiences effectively in a multitude of settings, like one-on-one IEP meetings with a teacher, community town halls, or even state-level discussion about policy.
One activity Roberts thinks is impactful is where she asks each participant to share a family symbol that represents their journey. Roberts exclaims, “We give families an opportunity to break up into small groups with one of the staff being there as needed. We had somebody that brought a child’s hammer to say, ‘I’m breaking down the wall.’ Families getting together and hearing other families’ stories is empowering.” She adds, “Families’ stories give us strength. They make us feel less alone and more comfortable sharing who we are.” Robert’s goal is to show just that: they are not alone in fighting for what is best for their children and their lived experience has the ability to make a difference.
Roberts emphasizes that this impact is not hypothetical, it is tangible and can be seen through policies:
“A powerful example of how parents’ voices can have meaningful change comes from the families of children with disabilities. Their voices were central in the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, now known as IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. They shared their stories, demanded access to public education, and successfully compelled local, state, and federal leaders to take action. This advocacy is especially close to my heart.”
Beverly reflects “At the time, I was in high school and focused on things like what to wear to prom, the next concert, which colleges to apply to. I was completely unaware of the movement unfolding around me. Little did I know then how profoundly their efforts would shape the future, including my own and that of my future child with a disability.” Roberts reminds us that people speaking up for what is right is often how change is made and, historically, helped us raise the standards for what inclusive education looks like. Beverly says Margaret Mead’s words sum up her beliefs perfectly: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Conclusion
Roberts’ work helps parents discover their advocacy voice and reimagine education systems with children with disabilities in mind. Their stories deserve to be heard, honored, and amplified; Roberts has given space for that to happen. Through every story, a community of parents, educators, and allies strengthens our understanding of exceptional children and helps equip families and educators with the tools they need to build future success. When asked what gives her hope for the future, Roberts, without hesitation responded:
“What gives me hope really boils down to, I am betting on families. Families are what give me hope because they’ve always been the ones who’ve helped to launch change, and I believe always will be. So much of what we have today—IDEA, preschool legislation, ADA —came from families telling their stories and pushing for change.”
Roberts knows that when educators and families work together, positive change happens for families. Her work embodies what it means to create person-centered practices that ensure family perspectives are a driver for policies and practices that enable families with children with disabilities to thrive.
From the Expert Insights Series: