The Intentional IEP Podcast

Whether you’re a veteran teacher, a parent, or brand new to special education, the law matters. It shapes eligibility decisions, service delivery, and what happens when teams disagree. Understanding it is not optional, and it does not have to feel overwhelming either. In this episode, Ashley Barlow, attorney and advocate, breaks down IDEA in clear, practical terms. We cover eligibility, district r...

Stephanie breaks down LRE and why most of what we assume about placement is wrong. LRE isn’t about keeping students in general education or giving “less support.” It’s about creating the environment where each student can make real progress with the supports they need. In this episode, Stephanie covers: What LRE really means and why one-size-fits-all placement doesn’t work The LRE continuum, from...

In this episode, Stephanie breaks down the top 5 misconceptions about student behavior and shows you how to respond in ways that actually work. You’ll learn why kids aren’t “just seeking attention,” why it’s not defiance, and why punishment alone won’t stop behavior. Stephanie shares simple, actionable strategies you can use immediately, from tracking what happens before a behavior with an ABC sti...

If no one has told you lately, you’re doing the impossible every day. This episode of  The Intentional IEP Podcast  is a reminder of the incredible work special education teachers do. Whether you’re navigating IEPs, managing behaviors, or just figuring it all out as you go, this episode is for you. Special education teachers aren’t “just” teachers. You are advocates, difference makers, a...

What if the most powerful thing a student learned wasn’t academic but how to speak up for themselves? In this episode of The Intentional IEP Podcast, Stephanie explores what self-advocacy looks like in practice and how it can be taught at every age. Self-advocacy is a skill that helps students understand their needs, know their rights, and take action to access supports in school, work, and daily...

Choosing the right accommodations and modifications can feel overwhelming, but they are essential for student access and meaningful participation. In this episode of The Intentional IEP Podcast, pulled from our members-only vault, Stephanie and guest Tim explain how to identify, locate, and select the most effective supports and connect them to the rest of the IEP. In this episode, Stephanie: Expl...

What if inclusion does not start with a schedule or a seating chart but with your next small decision? In this episode of The Intentional IEP Podcast, Stephanie explores what real inclusion looks like and how it can be practiced every day. Inclusion is a mindset and a series of intentional choices that help every student feel seen, supported, and able to access learning. In this episode, Stephanie...

If your IEP binder is full but you’re still unsure whether your students are actually making progress, this episode is for you. Stephanie dives into the part of the IEP process that’s often ignored: analyzing data. Not just collecting it, but actually using it to guide your next steps. You’ll get a clear, step-by-step system for turning raw data into confident, actionable decisions without spendin...

In this episode, Stephanie sits down with Cortnie to dive into documenting student needs in the IEP. Pulled straight from  The Intentional IEP  membership, this conversation breaks down how to identify a child’s specific needs and document them in a way that’s clear, meaningful, and actionable. Stephanie and Cortnie use real, concrete examples to walk through a blank IEP, showing exactly...

Ever feel like you’re collecting a lot of data but not sure if it’s actually useful? You’re not alone. Many special education teachers, service providers, and IEP team members struggle with understanding which data matters most and how to use it effectively. In this episode, we break down the ten types of data you should know. You’ll learn what each type is, why it matters, and how it can help you...

If you’re a general education teacher, you carry a lot—lesson plans, classroom management, and the needs of every learner who walks through your door. But when it comes to IEPs, it can be easy to feel unsure of your role or even overlooked. In this episode, Stephanie brings both general and special education teachers into the conversation to talk about what real collaboration looks like. She share...

Today we’re talking about something that often gets overlooked but makes all the difference in how your classroom runs. Team building. It’s not something that always shows up in your IEP goals or service minutes, but you feel it when it’s missing. When the team isn’t clicking, when paras don’t feel supported, when everyone’s running in their own lane, it shows. The truth is, your team needs to cli...

If you’ve ever felt unsure about  why  a student is acting out or how to best support their needs, this episode will help you make sense of it all. Stephanie shares practical ways to assess student behavior with clarity and confidence. Whether you’re prepping for an FBA, tracking classroom behaviors, or trying to figure out what’s really going on with a student, this conversation will he...

In this episode, Stephanie welcomes Nichole for an important conversation about keeping trauma informed practices in IEPs. This episode is pulled straight from the members only training vault, giving you a peek inside one of the powerful conversations usually reserved for members. Together, they explore what it truly means to be trauma informed and why this understanding is essential in today’s cl...

In this episode, Stephanie breaks down one of the biggest questions in special education: how does a student actually get an IEP? She explains what begins the process, what signs to look for, and what happens during and after the evaluation. Whether you are a teacher noticing ongoing challenges or a parent wondering if your child needs extra support, Stephanie walks through the path from concern t...

AI is everywhere in education right now, and it’s easy to feel unsure about it. Today, we break down practical ways it can support your work without taking over your role. In this episode of  The Intentional IEP Podcast , we look at three ways AI can help special education teachers — from IEP writing to lesson planning and daily systems — all while keeping your professional expertise and hear...

If you’ve ever thought,  Am I collecting enough data? Am I even doing this right? Does this even count as progress monitoring? You’re not alone. Data collection is one of the biggest stress points for special education teachers, and much of that stress comes from common myths. In this episode, Stephanie tackles 5 of the biggest misconceptions about data collection and progress monitoring. Fro...

Not all IEP meetings are created equal — and knowing the differences can make the entire process smoother for you and for families. In this episode of The Intentional IEP Podcast, Stephanie walks through the most common types of IEP meetings, what to expect in each, and how to prepare so every conversation feels purposeful and productive. Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: The most com...

If you’ve ever wondered what absolutely  must  be in every IEP you write — whether it’s your first or your 400th — this episode is for you. Stephanie breaks down the 8 legally required components of an IEP under IDEA, plus a few bonus considerations that often get overlooked but are just as important. Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode: Why present levels set the stage for everythin...

This episode might look a little different, but Stephanie is excited to give listeners a peek into one of the expert guest trainings from The Intentional IEP. Stephanie sits down with Sam to tackle changing your mindset about challenging student behaviors and explore practical strategies for managing behavior in the classroom. In this episode, you’ll hear about: How to shift your perspective on ch...

That phrase on IEPs — “80% accuracy in 3 out of 4 trials” — doesn’t actually measure mastery. On today's episode, Stephanie breaks down why this one-size-fits-all approach is a red flag, what it does to your data, and how to write mastery criteria that actually matter. You’ll get real examples, reflection questions, and strategies for creating goals that guide instruction and track meaningful prog...

We spend so much time preparing for IEP meetings—writing goals, gathering data, pulling everything together—yet when we finally sit down at the table, the words we use can make or break the entire conversation. There are a handful of phrases that can instantly shift the tone of a meeting, and not in a good way. Some of them come out of habit, others because we’re trying to save time or keep things...

If you teach in a general education classroom, this episode is for you. Students with IEPs are in your class every day, and knowing how to read, understand, and use those IEPs makes a real difference—for your students and for your teaching. This episode gives you practical, clear guidance to feel confident supporting every learner. Here’s what we’ll cover together: What inclusion really means (and...

Let’s be honest — writing IEP goals can feel overwhelming and confusing, especially when it comes to understanding the difference between annual goals, objectives, and benchmarks. In this episode, Stephanie breaks it all down so you can finally feel confident and clear about what you’re writing and why it matters. You’ll learn how the annual goal acts as the big-picture target for the year, while...

Ever catch yourself wondering, “Am I actually doing SDI the way I’m supposed to?” Stephanie’s got you covered in this episode. She breaks down what SDI really means, how it’s different from accommodations or just good teaching, and what you need to make it work for your students. SDI is all about giving students instruction that’s tailored to their unique needs and directly tied to their IEP goals...