The Parent IEP Lab

I mention this in every intro...and it's time to not only break it down, but actually have examples from a real live person of what focusing on these 3 areas has meant for a real parent advocate! As you will learn today, Chellor Crossley, parent advocate and resident guide for the self-care session included in The Parent Advocacy Club is here to guide us through her journey so far! (sumemr enrollm...

Do you want your school team talking to an outside provider? And what would they talk about? And is it helpful? How do we get them to talk to each other? Just like so many other things about IEP advocacy, this episode is going to be focused a LOT about communication. And this one in particular is helpful to hone in on, because allowing the school to talk to any other provider is your sole right to...

Does your child struggle with math? Having a hard time identifying why it's so hard or how to help them get over the anxiety, tears, and frustrations when their math just doesn't make sense to them?  We are changing that TODAY with Laura Jackson From Discovering Dyscalulia! In this episode we cover: 1) What is Dyscalculia or Specific Learning Disability in Math 2) Some CLEAR signs that your child...

Have you ever disagreed with your school team's educational evaluation? Did you know there is something in your parent rights/procedural safeguards that you can choose to exercise in this case? They are called Independent Educational Evaluations, or IEE's. And they can help you get a second opinion for your child -- at the public expense. In this episode we discuss: 1) What is an IEE and where to...

One thing I realized with parents who were really successful advocates in the schools was how they framed their concerns, their child's strengths, and how they set the tone for the meeting that naturally led to the parents getting to know what was possible...and what to ask for. This week, we have Scotti Weintraub from Reframe Parenting. In this episode we cover: 1) 4 reframes to help you center y...

Is your team a bit stressed because they are short staffed? It can feel like you have no power to enforce the IEP, and it can also feel even harder to ask for additional support for your child! But in this episode, we are exploring actions you can take to help the school help your child! In this episode, we discuss: 1) Why schools are experiencing staffing shortages 2) What you can do to help thos...

Some of the most brilliant minds also need adaptations to the ways our public schools are set up to address learning differences. This week, Dr. Matt Zakreski helps peal back the layers of how advocating for giften/2e aka twice exceptional learners can be best tackled. In this episode we cover: 1) What gifted or 2e qualifications are 2) The range of programs and what they look like inside schools...

When you are already on edge with an IEP meeting coming up, nothing is worse than not knowing what to expect when it comes to scheduling the meeting itself! Well, all that stress of scheduling is over after today, because we are breaking down how the process SHOULD go when it's easy-peasy, and several things that are in your control (aka staying ahead of the process) that makes the whole process l...

If you are hearing "but their grades are so good, they are fine!" then you certainly aren't alone. This week, guest Valerie Cantella shares her own journey of advocating for her daughter and how her eyes were opened to district resources when she sat on a school board later in her advocacy journey.  In this episode we cover: 1) The ups and downs of advocacy 2) How advocating for social emotional s...

Let's talk about a group of parents I found in my research when starting The IEP Lab that had this passion for advocacy but didn't let it control them...they used it as a power within them to work the system and get the best support for their child.  What we cover in this episode: 1) Why controlling intense emotions is helpful in parent IEP advocacy 2) What it looks like when parents are able to m...

THE DOORS TO THE ULTIMATE PARENT IEP PREP COURSE ARE OPEN! It's negative out there. Like depressing. But you need to search for resources and make connections because this IEP journey can be a bit lonely and intimidating, right? So how do you take negitive experiences of others and make sure that doesn't happen? Because the truth is...that SOME IEP EXPERIENCES ARE AMAZING!!! And how do we get THAT...

BONUS IEP Prep Series! We are answering the question of the MOST EFFECTIVE advocacy approach to IEP meetings. It's called the Goldilocks Approach to Advocacy.  In this episode we cover: 1) The three main advocacy approaches (passive, aggressive, and just right) 2) What it looks like AFTER the IEP meeting for each of these approaches from inside the school walls 3) Keys to finding your "just right"...

Of course people with disabilities get degrees all the time? But does the IEP just translate into the college environment? As Dan from Accessing College discusses, it's best to start telling your child about their disability, building self advocacy skills, and trial-and-error process of accommodations as soon as possible! In this episode we cover: 1) If an IEP translates into the college environme...

Your child's day at school likly includes some "specials" (aka music, PE, art, etc!). So what is the inside scoop on if your child needs accommodations in these specials classroom?  In this episode we cover: 1) What "specials" teachers include 2) What the "specials" teachers experience is with encountering accommodations in 504's and IEPs. 3) How parents can shortcut systems that prevent specials...

Does your child struggle with school refusal? This podcast is a collection of themes that Beth has seen within the schools in working with children in multiple settings. But it also is a connection to resources as well.  In this episode we cover: 1) Why school refusal is often unsupported in schools 2) Why school refusal is only what you are seeing as a result of the real issue 3) How to figure ou...

How do you work with your kids to find the right accommodations for them? Megan Buck from Empower Academic Coaching, certified ADHD coach and former middle school classroom teacher, is here to share her process of empowering students to identify how their brain works and how to build skills in self advocacy!  In this episode we cover: 1) Why understanding how our brains work at an early age is so...

Welcome to the fanalie episode of The IEP Team BONUS Series! This week we are tlaking about special education administration, which includes special education directors and coordinators.  In this episode we discuss: 1) Qualifications of Special Education Admin using Colorado state guidelines as an example 2) The long list of what Special Education Directors and Coordinatiors actually do 3) The rea...

Parent rights (officially called Procedural Safeguards) should be your complete guide to your options for knowing what you can do as a parent. BUT they can be hard to read, and it's hard to not get overwhelmed and forget what's in them!  In this episode we cover: 1) Where to find a copy of your parent rights 2) Top 8 highlights of most common and helpful parts of the parent rights document 3) Comm...

In this IEP Team BONUS Series, we are outline Adaptive Physical Education Teachers! In this episode we cover: 1) Qualifications of Adaptive Physical Education Teachers 2) What they actually do! 3) What other professions they overlap with 4) A review of why advocating for the NEED is so much more effective than advocating for a specific service! FREE Download: IEP Process Step-By-Step Guide Join th...

In this episode, we are breaking down some amazing barriers to understanding dysgraphia (more commonly known as handwriting challenges!) Kelli Fetter from Handwriting Solutions helps us: 1) Define dyslexia and the types of barriers to writing a student would face 2) How to break down the part of handwriting that's difficult 3) How goals should be written to address handwriting 4) What the most eff...

Why are principals so important to your advocacy efforts? Simply because they lead the culture of the school! So if you have any questions about what principals do behind the scenes, this episode is so helpful for knowing when to draw them in! In this episode we cover: 1) Qualifications of School Principals 2) What they actually do in the school 3) If you want them at your child's IEP or not! Down...

So...what is an IEP Season? It's a naturally grouped clump of IEPs due all at once. Why does this matter? Because there are distinct advantages and disadvantages to having your child's IEP at a certain time of the year, and today we are talking about what you can do to capatalize on the advantages, and counteract some disadvantages, too! IEP Bootcamp (to understand how to read your child's IEP!) J...

Did you know that social workers are listed as someone to do functional behavioral analysis? Curious, as they aren't in every district! There are some suprises in this role, so let's see if you have it available! In this episode we cover: -qualifications for school social workers -what they actually do -what other professionals they overlap with Join The IEP Bootcamp Join the Facebook Group Showno...

We ALL need to listen to this episode, because the culture clash between schools and their developmental expectations may not line up with your own home culture, and it creates tenstion and conflict in your advocacy journey. Today's guest is Maria Davis-Pierre of www.autisminblack.org ! She speaks not only about her own advocacy experience and the biggest barriers to advocacy for black families, b...

Can School Counselors be on your child's IEP? Yes! But can they serve your child even if they aren't on the IEP? Sure can! In this episode of The IEP Team BONUS Series we cover: 1) Qualifications of a School Counselor using Colorado state's qualifications as an example 2) What their responsibilities and expertise are 3) Suprising things about their role you may not realize (like who they overlap w...