The Collaborative IEP

Communication is the name of my game!  IEP teams are just that – teams.  In order to work as a team through each year, and in some cases year after year, communication must flow from school to home and from home to school.    I know first-hand how difficult it is for teachers to put together all of the pieces to really understand a child.  I also know how amazing it is when a teacher shows extra i...

The second I met Kara Ryska, I knew I wanted to share her wisdom with you.  Kara is a Life Coach that specializes in helping mothers that are raising children with special needs. The mother of a child with a brain tumor and secondary diagnosis, Kara knows first hand what it is like to manage all of the doctors’ appointments, therapies, school meetings, special instructions for child care, and...

You’ve probably heard me say, “Data drives instruction.”  Here’s a new one for you.  “Evaluation data plans specially designed instruction.”  It doesn’t roll off the tongue as easily, and it means the same thing.  It’s just far more specific and really, really important.  There are way too many IEPs out there that aren’t specially designed to a child’s unique needs – that...

We’ve spent a lot of time talking about the mechanics of an IEP and advocacy strategies, but we haven’t spent much time talking about parents’ and other team member’s emotions.  The ability of each team member to be present and available for discussions and to actively participate is of extreme import.  Parents can’t be fully present when they’re feeling overwhelmed.    Whether...

Communicate communicate, communicate!  If you’ve been around here long enough, you know how much I preach communication on IEP teams!  I really think communication is the key to collaboration.  In today’s episode we go through four communication strategies that I have my clients and students use to improve IEP team collaboration.    We talk about emails that I recommend fa...

Chances are you’ve read a Wrightslaw book or attended a Wrightslaw training! I’m thrilled to host Pete Wright, THE special education guru, on today’s podcast! Pete tried a special education case, Florence County School District Four vs. Shannon Carter, before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1993 and has been famous in special education circles since! His books and trainings bring practical information t...

Behavior is always a hot topic in special education.  If a school struggles to support a child’s behavior, the child often struggles comprehensively.  One solution is a comprehensive functional behavior assessment, which is an evaluation of the child’s trigger behaviors.  Once an FBA is done, the team can develop a BIP. Dr. Solandy Forte of Milestones Behavioral Services walks us th...

“Your child has to have a teacher with a certificate that allows her to teach children with more significant needs.”  Or, “you child has ___ disability category, so you’re child belongs in ___ room.”  Ever hear that?  If you have, you need to hear this: Disability category and diagnosis do not drive placement.  Disability category and diagnosis do not induce teacher certificate...

In today’s episode I welcome our favorite physical therapist, Amy Martin!  Amy was my son’s PT from the time he was about 3 months old until he was 9 when we took PT off of his IEP.  Amy has always provided me and our IEP team with wisdom on the importance of functional movement. Amy describes functional movement in terms of strength, positioning, balance, flexibility and provides lots of examples...

The IEP team is supposed to collaborate to develop an effective, meaningful plan with annual goals, specially designed instruction, and uniquely designed special education and related services.  That’s a big charge, and all too often, IEP team meetings are rote, bland, and driven by the school team with little parent participation encouraged or allowed.  In this episode I’ll walk you thr...

Do you feel like your child’s IEP lacks services that would benefit your child?  Have you asked for additional services when you get to that time in the IEP meeting, only to be denied?  I’ll let you in on a secret--- the timing of your request may be the problem.  All too often parents ask for services at the wrong time during an IEP meeting.  Let me explain.   The IE...

I’m no stranger to an inclusion argument, and while they’re always tricky and emotional, they’re among my favorite kind of cases.  The law is so simple, but the discussions around Least Restrictive Environment can get so convoluted.  In today’s episode, I’ll walk you through what the law mandates, a few factors to consider in an LRE case, and ton of strategies I use in my law practice wh...

Evaluations are a fact of life in special education. They are the gateway to the IEP. School districts are required to identify, locate, and evaluate children that are suspected as having a disability. That requirement is often called the “Child Find” requirement. As a result of Child Find, once a district or a parent identifies a child as possibly qualifying for special education services, the di...

In this episode I address the most commonly asked questions during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past six months I’ve helped my own clients and have spoken with parents and staff at many disability organizations about decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. Things have twisted and turned, but we always land on the same themes. I have compiled a list of the questions that I’ve been asked most...

Sara Platenberg has a Masters Degree in Education with a focus in Gifted and Talented and Twice Exceptional Populations. She served the public school system in Virginia as a Gifted and Talented Specialist where she focused on Twice Exceptionality and meeting the needs of 2E students while utilizing researched based inclusion strategies. Her years as an educator and experience implementing strategi...

IEP Meetings can be intimidating. This episode takes the stress out by bringing basic, easily laid out information on what the meetings are, who attends them, why they occur, when they occur, where they are, and how they are scheduled. Sometimes the meeting is the most intimidating part of advocating for a child with a special education plan. My husband , Brandon, joins me in this episode as we re...

Episode 02 delivers five basic advocacy skills that are aimed to help parents but will be applicable to anyone supporting a child in special education. They’re skills I’ve used in advocating for my own child and in coaching clients as their special education attorney. They’re tried, true, and easy to implement. If you remember one tip, it is to Communicate, Communicate, Communicate! Keeping lines...

In today’s episode, you’ll get to know me a little more. You’ll understand how I see things as a parent, a teacher, and a self-advocate. You’ll understand my “why” and be the first to know about the roadmap for the first course series at Ashley Barlow Co. I’m so glad you found us! Grab a glass of lemonade, get cozy, and settle in to listen!