Our mission
To make plain-language special education support available to every family, whatever their zip code, income or language.
Meet Kaz (the real one)
Kaz is my son. He’s smart, creative, stubborn, and has a laugh that fills a room.
He’s also the reason this tool exists, and why it carries his name.
The illustration on this page is inspired by a photo from his transition to middle school, a moment that reminded me how far we’ve come. I used to look at him and wonder if he’d ever feel truly understood in a system that wasn’t built with kids like him in mind. Now I see a kid who knows himself, who’s learning to self-advocate, and who’s worked hard (with us by his side) to get the support he needs.
Like many parents, I didn’t start this journey with a roadmap. I was thrown into the world of special education, full of acronyms, gatekeepers, forms I didn’t understand, and meetings where I wasn’t always heard. I wasn’t an expert. I was just a dad trying to figure it out.
Now I know how much easier those meetings are when you understand the process and your rights going in. I built Kaz to put that understanding in every parent’s hands, and to help the organizations that support families reach more of them.
Keith KacinFounder and CEO, and Kaz’s dad
What Kaz is
Kaz is a 24/7 special education navigator. It helps families understand their rights, prepare for IEP meetings, write effective requests, and feel less alone.
It doesn’t replace human advocates. It supports them. It’s not legal advice. It’s clarity.
Kaz is fast, speaks English, Spanish and French, and is designed with accessibility and privacy in mind. No judgment. Just support.
Who we built it for
The parent who keeps hearing, “That’s just how it works.”
The caregiver who’s too overwhelmed to read another procedural manual.
The families who don’t speak English at home and still need to fight for services.
The moms and dads like me, who need a starting point, fast.
What we believe
Be a force for good
We’re a Public Benefit Corporation, so serving families is part of our purpose, not just our pitch.
Put humanity first
Kaz takes the first questions, so the people who help families can spend their time on the families who need them most.
Empower others
We explain the process so parents can advocate for their kids, and kids can learn to advocate for themselves.
How we’ll get there
Families already trust the people who help them: parent centers, nonprofits, and the therapists and providers who work with their kids. So that’s who we partner with. They offer Kaz free to their families, with their own name on it, and Kaz sends families back to them when they need a person.
More of our story
Why I created Kaz
Kaz was born from the chaos of trying to get help for my son, and the clarity I found thanks to the Brighton Center. Now it’s a tool to help other parents advocate like pros, even if they don’t have advocates on speed dial.
What “Parent-Centered” and “Trauma-Informed” Mean at Kaz
We talk a lot about Kaz being parent-centered and trauma-informed. Here’s what that really means, and how we bring those values into our technology.
Expanding Access: How Kaz Reaches Families Who’ve Been Left Out
Kaz helps level the playing field for families in rural areas, low-income communities, and other underserved groups, making special education guidance accessible to all.