A Special Education Teacher, Administrator and Lawyer walk into a bar....all you ever wanted to know about special education

Starting this September, Massachusetts has changed how it calculates the required days for the provision of an IEP. Join Abby, Robin and Angela as they discuss the recent changes to the 30/45 and annual IEP timelines.  Special Education Policy Memo SY2024-2025 — 6 Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Join Robin, Abby and Angela as they discuss the importance of Class Jobs! Here are some traditional and unique ideas from this  Edutopia Article . Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

The IDEA requires that specially designed instruction be informed by research based methodologies.  (E) supporting high-quality, intensive preservice preparation and professional development for all personnel who work with children with disabilities in order to ensure that such personnel have the skills and knowledge necessary to improve the academic achievement and functional performance of child...

Join Robin and Angela as they discuss the importance of the school handbook!  Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Welcome to Season 6! Join Abby, Angela and Robin as they kick off season 6 by celebrating the upcoming 50th birthday of the IDEA (Nov. 2025!)  Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Happy summer and best wishes to those teachers/families who are currently returning to school! Robin, Abby and Angela come together for a summer episode focusing on graduation guidance for students in MA on IEPs.  MA DESE Graduation and Transition Memo- July 2025 Rethinking Graduation: What It Means for Students on IEPs- Kelley Challen Age of Majority info. (CMR 603.28.07 #5) Lots to discuss on th...

29 episodes later, this is the last episode of Season 5! Listen up as we preview some topics we're thinking about and share some summer updates. Thanks for being such loyal listeners. Have a wonderful wrap up to your school year and we'll be back in the fall for Season 6. Robin, Abby and Angela Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com F...

Listen in as Robin and Abby discuss the recent appointment of the new OSEP Director. Here is the company that designs products to help feel more grounded and in control ( Calmware ). Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Listen in as Robin, Angela and Abby discuss the recent  wildly inaccurate, incendiary and harmful statements from US Health and Human Services (HHS) Director, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about people with Autism. Click here to review the growing list of disability advocacy organizations that responded to his comments. The Autism Society summary of group statement Signatory Organizations: Autistic Self A...

Ever wonder why people stim? Or what you can do to support students if they are stigmatized by a particular stim? Robin, Angela and Abby break it down.  Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Listen in as Robin and Abby discuss the weird and wonderful (potentially) world of A. I. adoption in public schools. Everything from the politics at the State level to individual teacher and student decision making is being impacted by this new development. MADESE web resources on AI Lots of Resources on AI Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.co...

Join us while we speak with Erika Bare and Tiffany Burns about their book Connecting Through Conversation A playbooks for Talking with Students. Leveraging over forty years of combined experience, Erika and Tiffany are on a mission to empower every educator to transform student behavior and build a culture of connection in their school communities. Listeners get a coupon code for $50 off their cou...

Prompting is a key component of specially designed instruction and is often misunderstood. Listen in as Robin, Angela and Abby discuss the pros and cons of prompting and the many nuances of the most commonly understood prompting hierarchy. For more resources on this topic check out: https://www.unr.edu/ndsip/services/resources/tips/using-the-system-of-least-to-most-prompts https://thinkpsych.com/b...

There are always signs before a student case goes south...here are some tips from Angela and Robin your team can take to get things back on track. Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Happy International Down Syndrome Awareness Day (3/21/25). Join Robin, Abby and Angela as they talk about the 2025 campaign presented by CoorDown  . No Decision Without Me- video World Down Syndrome Day - website Secondary Transition Docs- DESE/MA Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Link to the original complaint in Texas v. Becerra Link to the link to the Status Report updating the case. Plain Language Explaine r from multiple disability advocacy groups Plain Language Explainer of Status Report from multiple disability advocacy groups. Link to mechanism to contact your Attorney General Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.c...

Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

For more information about the articles Robin and Abby discuss in this episode check out: EdWeek February 13th -  What Educators Need to Know About Dyslexia—and Why It’s Not Something to ‘Fix’ ASCD blog February 2nd -  Redefining the Science of Reading And Natalie Wexler's new book published by ASCD: Beyond the Science of Reading: Connecting Literacy Instruction to the Science of Learning Ple...

Join Robin and Angela as they discuss the TLC show Baylen Out Loud, which follows a young adult with Tourette's Syndrome and her quest for independence.  Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Tonight Abby, Angela and Robin answer a listener question from a Principal who is struggling with 1 or a few but mightygroup of students who are using up all the school resources.  Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Angela was asked to be a guest on Marisha Mets Podcast: Special Ed Leaders: Unplugged. to speak about Due Process. The full guide on the website is also up here and the YouTube video is here .  In the world of special education, due process is a cornerstone for protecting the rights of students with disabilities. At its core, it ensures fairness and accountability, offering a legal pathway for par...

In the next months, each individual School District in Massachusetts will have to formally adopt requirements that confer a diploma. Listen in as the girls discuss the considerations inherent in this process and check out your local District's School Committee to find out more about what the local requirements in your town will be. Join Abby, Robin and Angela while they review the DESE Guidan...

Join Robin while she listens to Angela review the Hingham decision : DALE and JENNIFER HARRIS, as parents and next friend of their minor son, RNH vs. Hingham Schools (defendents named specifically, Town of Hingham and School Committee) Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Join Robin, Abby and Angela as they run through hot topics for 2025 and potential podcast topics. If you have an idea or a question, please reach out to them via email at astalpodcast@gmail.com Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

In this Thanksgiving episode, Abby, Robin, and Angela take a moment to pause, reflect, and share what they’re most thankful for in their professional and personal lives.   We are on a break until Jan. 2025- have a great holiday season!  Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast