Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham

Over 20 questions. One boss. No fluff. In this high-energy episode of Special Education Boss® , Karen Mayer Cunningham tackles your biggest concerns in a LIVE Q&A format—covering everything from compensatory services and ESY confusion to ABA therapy myths, denied evaluations, and falsified IEP data. 📌 Topics include: What to do if your child missed speech or reading minutes Whether uncertifie...

In this powerful episode of Special Education Boss® , Karen Mayer Cunningham welcomes Cindy—a former teacher of 27 years, literacy specialist, MTSS leader, and now a full-time special education advocate. What led her to pivot from teaching to advocacy? The answer may sound familiar: burnout, frustration, and an unshakable belief that kids deserve better. Cindy opens up about the emotional and prof...

What’s the difference between FAPE and LRE—and why does it matter so much in IEP placement decisions? In this episode of Special Education Boss® , Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with national expert Dr. Mitchell Yell to unpack two of the most misunderstood elements of the IEP process: Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Whether you’re a parent, educa...

Tired of being told “we don’t do that” or “your concern isn’t valid”? This episode of Special Education Boss® is your reminder: you don’t need permission to advocate for your child. Karen Mayer Cunningham returns with another fire Ask the Advocate Q&A—answering real questions from parents, teachers, and advocates nationwide. Whether you’re being told you can’t request testing, the IEP “isn’t n...

What’s right, what’s wrong, and what you absolutely need to know about your rights in special education. In this episode of Special Education Boss® , Karen Mayer Cunningham is back—answering live questions about IEPs, 504s, placement, compensatory services, and so much more. If you’ve ever been told: “We don’t offer that here…” “We’re removing resource classes…” “Your child doesn’t qualify…” “We’r...

Most parents—and far too many educators—don’t fully understand what the “Continuum of Special Education Services” actually means. And that’s a problem. In this episode of Special Education Boss® , Karen Mayer Cunningham breaks down one of the most misunderstood components of IDEA: the continuum of placements and how it connects to your child’s right to FAPE in the Least Restrictive Environment (LR...

Do you know your rights when it comes to getting your child tested for special education? In this training episode of Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham , we walk step-by-step through the entire process of requesting special education testing —starting with how to recognize suspected areas of need, what to include in your written request, and what evaluations you have the right to...

n this rapid-fire, real-talk episode of Special Education Boss® , Karen Mayer Cunningham returns for another Ask the Advocate session, answering over 50 real-time questions from parents, educators, and advocates across the country. From first IEP meetings to post-secondary transition plans, from AAC devices to due process complaints—you asked, and Karen delivered. ⚠️ Spoiler alert: This one gets s...

WATCH HERE! https://youtu.be/OGw4WtH3KMM What happens when a certified teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) demands that blind students receive the services they're legally entitled to? In this powerful episode of Special Education Boss® , Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with Angela Tucker, a veteran special educator and ACTVI in Texas, who shares her personal story of standing up—and bein...

Movement Is Medicine: How Fitness Builds Longevity, Choice, and Confidence for Individuals with Disabilities Part 2 with Mike Lutey, Special Strong Franchise Owner In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Special Education Boss® Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down again with Mike Lutey, franchise owner of Special Strong Houston, to go even deeper into the life-changing impact of adaptive fitness for...

Part 1 of 2  This week on Special Education Boss® , Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with Mike Lutey, franchise owner of Special Strong Southeast & Northwest Houston , to talk about the power of adaptive fitness for individuals with disabilities —and how the right workout can change everything. Mike shares his personal journey, inspired by his sister with Down syndrome and his mom’s advocacy w...

Welcome back to another power-packed episode of Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham — and welcome to the Month of Mayhem! From bathtub to beach to balcony, wherever you're tuning in, Karen is here with clarity, conviction, and the kind of answers that cut through confusion at the IEP and 504 table. In this episode, Karen tackles real-time questions from parents, educators, and...

In this special episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, CEO and founder of Special Education Academy, sits down with the Founders Future podcast to share the powerful story behind her life's work—advocating for students with disabilities. From her personal journey navigating the special education system as a parent to building one of the most recognizable training and advocacy platforms in the count...

This week on Special Education Boss® , Karen Mayer Cunningham is back behind the mic—and not holding back. From surprise IEP changes to last-minute general ed placements, Karen shares exactly what to do when your child’s services suddenly shift, your 504 isn’t enough, or you're navigating retention, testing, accommodations, and more. 💥 Plus, Karen answers: What rights do you actually get wit...

In this heartfelt and unforgettable episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham is joined by Jennifer Swan —a constitutional lawyer, caregiver, and speaker who shares her extraordinary journey raising her daughter Kennedy, who lives with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). More than just a story of survival, this is a message of radical perspective , courage, and joy in the face of lifelong medical challenges. Jen...

In this episode of Special Education Boss® , Karen dives into a rapid-fire Q&A answering the real questions families and teachers are facing right now—from placement and eligibility to SDI, IEPs, 504 plans, behavior, executive functioning, transition, and more. If you've ever left an IEP meeting feeling confused, overwhelmed, or ready to throw a chair (Karen’s words, not ours), this episo...

In this powerful episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham is joined by Dr. Mitchell Yell—renowned special education expert, author, and hearing officer—to unpack the heart of what makes an IEP truly effective. Together, they dive into: The definition of Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) Why software and canned goals aren't enough How to craft measurable, meaningful IEP go...

Do you know what really makes an IEP goal compliant, effective, and life-changing for students? In this training-style episode, Karen breaks down: The 6 types of IEP goals (spoiler: academics are just ONE type) Why present levels matter more than you think The truth about SMART goals (and what most teams are getting wrong) What to say when someone tells you a student “doesn’t qualify because they’...

Do you know your rights—or are you just hoping the school will tell you the truth? In this episode of Special Education Boss® , Karen Mayer Cunningham dives deep into the procedural safeguards that every parent, guardian, and educator needs to understand. From child find and prior written notice to the myths surrounding 504s and referrals, Karen exposes how misinformation, manipulation, and policy...

In this episode of Special Education Boss® , Karen Mayer Cunningham is back with answers, attitude, and all the legal clarity you need to navigate the wild world of special education. She tackles it all: ✅ The legality of removing non-verbal students without parent notification ✅ Why dual-certified teachers can’t wear two hats at an IEP meeting ✅ Whether charter schools are really doing right b...

Welcome back to Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham , where we train everyone who sits at the 504 and IEP table to navigate and negotiate successful student outcomes. In this episode, Karen breaks down the five foundational pillars of a powerful IEP , equipping parents, educators, and advocates with the tools to understand what belongs in the IEP — and what doesn’t. 📚 From decodin...

What do you do when your child is suspended?  Denied services?  Or placed in the wrong setting with no say? In this open Q&A-style episode of Special Education Boss® , Karen Mayer Cunningham answers your most pressing questions—live and unfiltered. 🎯 Inside this episode: Can a child stay in general ed if they aren’t accessing grade-level curriculum? Should the school provide an advocate if th...

Have you ever been told the IEP meeting is already scheduled and you just need to show up? Or that your school only holds IEP meetings on Fridays at 10:47?  🚨 Not so fast. In this episode of Special Education Boss® , Karen Mayer Cunningham breaks down what the law says about scheduling IEP meetings. Hint: It must be a mutually agreed upon time —not dictated by the district, principal, or parent a...

Welcome to Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham — your bold, truth-telling advocate for all things IEP, 504, and student rights. In this debut episode, Karen tackles real-time questions from parents, educators, and advocates during a live “Ask the Advocate” broadcast. If you’ve ever felt lost, frustrated, or steamrolled at an IEP table, this is the episode you didn’t know you needed...

Welcome to this week’s episode of Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham — where we empower parents, educators, and professionals to navigate and negotiate successful outcomes. In this Ask the Advocate– session, Karen is LIVE answering rapid-fire questions from real parents and educators sitting at the IEP and 504 table. 🔥 Topics in this episode include: Is speech impairment required...