Join now! Use our secure online membership application or print out the membership form to submit your membership application by mail.

If you are already a member and wish to renew your membership please login and renew your membership.

COPAA Members receive the following benefits:

• COPAA Forums COPAA’s bulletin board for announcements, recommendations, and in-depth discussions on topics of interest to advocates
• Legal Matters Library of legal resource materials relating to special education law and practice. Upload or download a document in PDF format.
• Advocacy Tool Selection of sample documents to assist in your advocacy work.
• COPAA Reference Tools Reference papers about specific topics. They currently include the Annual IDEA Case Law Reviews, Independent Education Evaluations, and much more!!
• Listserv Discussion Groups: COPAA offers two closed moderated email discussion lists (listservs) available exclusively to its members. The general COPAA listserv is for all levels of membership. The COPAALAW listserv is only for people with Attorney memberships. Listserv information is archived so that members can search past discussions. Listserv participation is governed by COPAA’s Listserv guidelines.
• Annual Conference: COPAA conducts an annual conference to provide training and educational opportunities to parents, advocates, and attorneys. COPAA members receive reduced conference fees.
• Databanks: COPAA members have access to databanks of legal pleadings and other documents to assist them in the advocacy process.
• Publications: COPAA members have access to expert materials produced by leading special education attorneys and advocates.
• LRP Publications: COPAA members are now able to realize a group discount for the purchase or renewal of LRP publications Special Ed Connection®, Special Ed Law on CD-ROM and/ or Individuals with Disabilities Education Law Report® (IDELR). COPAA is pleased to be able add this savings to our member benefits.

Membership Prices

• $50: Advocate - works in a paid or volunteer capacity to assist parents of children with disabilities in special education matters.
• $150: Attorney – has passed the bar regardless of the extent of their practice, if any.
• $50: Parent – has a child with a disability and does not fall into any of the other categories.
• $50: Other – please specify

COPAA Membership: Annual Dues

Applicants who work for the same organization may join at the individual rate or together at the organizational rate of $400. Each member must complete an individual application and send it with the organization’s payment to:

COPAA
PO BOX 6767
Towson, Maryland 21285

Limitation on COPAA Membership

COPAA membership is not available to individuals who are employed by, or receive more than 50% of their income from state, intermediate or local education agencies, nor is membership available to an attorney who represents or has represented such an agency within the past five years. School Board members may be considered for COPAA membership only if they advocate for the educational rights of children with disabilities, and only after a detailed review of their advocacy activities. No member of a school board that is in IDEA or other special-education litigation in court may belong to COPAA.  Contact COPAA for more information.

Membership Scholarships

Qualified individuals whose income is at or below the federal poverty level, or who currently experience extraordinary expenses that effectively reduce their family income to the poverty level, are eligible to apply for COPAA membership at a reduced fee of $5. Please see our policy for applying for membership scholarships.