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

After multiple requests, Robin and Abby begin the transition convo. It's too expansive to cover in 1 episode so this is just the beginning! Do you want to be a transition specialist? Autism goes to college Intelligent Lives MA DESE Secondary Transition Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Question 2:  Elimination of MCAS as High School  Graduation Requirement passed in Massachusetts- so what does that mean for students? Listen to Robin, Abby and Angela as they review the DRAFT Q&A provided by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.  Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Ever wonder how to support students who are home or hospital bound? Join Abby, Robin and Angela as they discuss how to provide educational services to students who are confined to the home or a hospital setting. MA DESE Q&A (603 CMR 28.03(3)(c) Physician's Affirmation of Need for Temporary Home or Hospital Education for Medically Necessary Reasons Please tell us how you found us by comple...

Listen in while Angela, Robin and Abby discuss a complicated and emotionally challenging part of the special education legal landscape - when a Handbook/Code of Conduct infraction IS or IS NOT a manifestation of a student's disability.  Legal reference: 34 CFR §§300.530-300-536 For the flowchart mentioned in the podcast click here. Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Ema...

Join Robin, Abby and Angela as they review the importance of the role of the general education teacher in IEP meetings.  Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

In this episode Abby, Angela and Robin interview Kathleen Browning, a former SLP and current Early Childhood Program Director to learn more about the amazing world of Integrated Preschool. 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 Angela, Robin and Abby discuss what they are thinking and how they respond when someone in a meeting makes an unexpected statement or decision. Check out the resource for developing comprehensive evaluations from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction here. Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @asta...

Listen in as the girls debate key concepts of Extended School Year from how the determination of eligibility gets made, to the goals and mission of ESY services, all the way to the nuts and bolts of what kinds of programs for how many days and hours. We're referencing the MADESE ESY Q and A in its most recent form and don't all agree on everything it says or what it all means. BUCKLE UP...

Join Robin and Abby as they geek out on our field's research base (and sometimes, lack thereof).  Listen in to a discussion of High Leverage Practices (HLP's); the 22 skills that we (sort of) have all agreed a special education teacher must consolidate to be effective in the role. For more information  and to read the Official HLPs  click here: https://highleveragepractices.org/ Check ou...

This November Massachusetts voters will determine the fate of keeping the MCAS exam as a high school graduation requirement. We had a longer debate last year when it was on the ballot as a citizen petition ( Oct. 13, 2023 episode ). This week we revisit the topic. We also plug Unified Sports    as people begin thinking about budget season (as well as starting fall athletics) because this initiativ...

We're just getting back into the swing of things so join us as we preview some upcoming topics and catch up. Hope everyone's school year is off to a great start!  Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

We're interrupting our summer to record our response to a June 2024, 1st Circuit court decision regarding the case: L.M. v. Town of Middleborough that affirms a Massachusetts school’s decision to forbid a middle school student from wearing two T-shirts to school that say, “There are only two genders” and “There are [censored] genders."  We hope you enjoy it! Here is a link to the full ca...

Can you believe we've uploaded 100 episodes?! We're ending Season 4 celebrating our 100th episode and choosing our favs from each season. Please go back and listen to those if you started mid-way through our show. Here is a list of the top 20 downloads if you want listener favorites. We've already planning for season 5- be back soon! Thank you listening- Robin/Abby/Angela  S1 Ep. 1....

James Lange is a CPA/Attorney and the author of 10 best selling financial books that help IRA and retirement plan owners get the most of what they've got. The Wall Street Journal has endorsed Jim's tax and estate planning strategies 36 times! Jim's daughter, Erica, has a disability. Jim's expertise with Roth IRA conversions and the impact of the SECURE Act on IRAs, disability p...

Listen in on the debate about the uses and misuses of IQ testing for students with disabilities and students of color. Robin, Angela and Abby dissect a recent article from the Hechinger report which can be found HERE titled :  How flawed IQ tests prevent kids from getting help in school School psychologists are relying less on testing — but the change is too slow for some" by Sarah Carr and p...

Many of you have seen the ad #Assume I Can (and Maybe I Will)  created by the organization CoorDown .  Robin, Abby and Angela talk about the power of this campaign on the social inclusion movement. Check out some of the previous campaigns created by this organization (Esp. The Hiring Chain) .  Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on...

In this (almost) solo episode, Abby analyzes a new article that was published on March 6, 2024:  America’s Most Popular Autism Therapy May Not Work — and May Seriously Harm Patients’ Mental Health A Perspective From Today's ABA- Dr. Hanley BCBA Ethics code 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 review the TV show Love On the Spectrum (Season 2 - Netflix) Tait's Take (youtube) The Color of Autism Foundation (mentioned on Tait's Take) Important because people of color tend to be diagnosed later in life due to stigma, biased testing protocols, medical racism etc.)  Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcas...

Listen in on the discussion with Elizabeth C. Hamblet the author of  7 Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities. 7 Steps is a well regarded book in its third edition that provides important common sense advice for adult students and their family supporters as they navigate through the college application and admission process. Once they are at college, the fun really begi...

Listen in as Angela, Robin and Abby discuss a recent request from several members of the Brockton School Committee for the Governor of Massachusetts to send the National Guard to Brockton High School. As you can imagine this has attracted a LOT of attention. Here are some articles related to the request and how the Governor responded: Here is an article about the original request from the Business...

You asked for it......this episode is alllllllllll Angela! Join us as we break down Endrew v. Douglas and what it means for FAPE. Endrew v Douglas The USDOE considers Endrew to be such an important case they have devoted significant resources to unpacking the decision - you can find the whole discussion here: USDOE summary of the case .  If you are interested in a brief summary, here is what USDOE...

Listen in as Angela, Robin and Abby sort through the similarities and differences between PTO and School Sponsored activities. Learn more about what needs to be accommodated and what does not based on the ADA and special education compliance requirements. Here is a sample letter to notify your PTO of their responsibilities under the ADA . Here is a link to the American Diabetes Association ADA Q a...

The Science of Reading Progresses: Communicating Advances Beyond the Simple View of Reading Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

The decision to move to a "functional curriculum" is fraught - for teachers, specialists, administrators and especially, for parents.  During this episode, Robin, Abby and Angela consider ways to help teams discuss moving from an academic track to a functional academic track.  Pros and Cons abound and communication can make or break a Team's trust in the process and have a major imp...

Welcome to the back end of season 4! Join Abby, Angela and Robin as they review how to handle the most common IEP rejections. The editing program was a little wonky this week- sorry! Also Angela's ending was too good to edit :)  Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast