Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham

• How to Write Compliant IEP Goals That Actually Help Kids Thrive

  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 thinkThe 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’re getting A’s and B’s”How to base goals on expectation and rate of progress—not generic standardsThis episode is a must-listen for any parent, teacher, or advocate who wants to ensure students get the supports and services they deserve.📚 Get our SMART Goals Template and Reading Conversion Chart:https://specialeducationacademy.com📥 Advocate with us or ask questions:[email protected]🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/special-education-boss-with-karen-mayer-cunningham/id1805933912Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/03I43tikXlYvR6xIe3F24wYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI3YgeQrpe51K4Ia4GWqS3fTnGj_DGLan🛒 Shop Karen’s Advocate Bookshelf (Amazon):https://amzn.to/3RiQPLlWe may earn a small commission from purchases. Thank you for your support! ✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨ 👩‍⚖️ Hosted by Karen Mayer Cunningham, Advocate & Special Education Boss®Each week, Karen shares real stories, legal insights, and no-nonsense strategies to help you navigate special education with clarity and confidence. 👉 Subscribe & never miss an episode — new episodes drop every week!🎓 Join The Academy: Weekly live trainings + 250+ hours of advocacy tools & expert resources🔗 Learn more at The Academy 📬 Have a question? Email us at [email protected] 📱 Follow Karen on: TikTok & Instagram: @specialeducationboss YouTube: Special Education Academy 🧠 Want to level up your advocacy game?Check out the Advocate's Bookshelf — a curated collection of must-have tools, guides, and legal references every special education advocate should own. From federal code to diagnostic manuals, these are the essentials that help you advocate with clarity and confidence. 📚 Browse now: https://amzn.to/3RiQPLl(As an Amazon Associate, Karen may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you.) ...

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• Know Your Rights: The Truth About Procedural Safeguards in Special Education

  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 “spin” are keeping families in the dark.🚨 You don’t need to be a lawyer to understand your legal protections—but you do need to stop depending on someone who’s never read the law.What you’ll learn: ✅ What “procedural safeguards” really are and why they matter✅ When you MUST receive them—and why a signature isn’t understanding✅ How schools twist language, deny testing, and delay services✅ What IDEA’s Child Find provision guarantees—and how to use it✅ Why 60% of an IEP is never enough✅ How to spot manipulation in meetings (including referral “stall” tactics)✅ What to say when you’re told “this is just policy”✅ How to demand testing—without begging or proving your case✅ The power of knowing your rights before walking into the meetingPlus, Karen shares one of the most absurd school responses she’s seen in a referral meeting—and how she shut it down with grace, fire, and a whole lot of federal law. 🔥🎧 Whether you’re brand new to advocacy or deep in the trenches, this episode will empower you with real knowledge, practical tools, and a Karen-style dose of confidence to enforce and invoke what your child is legally entitled to.📥 Want the Reading Conversion Chart Karen mentioned in this episode?Email: advocate@specialeducationacademy and we’ll send it your way! ✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨ 👩‍⚖️ Hosted by Karen Mayer Cunningham, Advocate & Special Education Boss®Each week, Karen shares real stories, legal insights, and no-nonsense strategies to help you navigate special education with clarity and confidence. 👉 Subscribe & never miss an episode — new episodes drop every week!🎓 Join The Academy: Weekly live trainings + 250+ hours of advocacy tools & expert resources🔗 Learn more at The Academy 📬 Have a question? Email us at [email protected] 📱 Follow Karen on: TikTok & Instagram: @specialeducationboss YouTube: Special Education Academy 🧠 Want to level up your advocacy game?Check out the Advocate's Bookshelf — a curated collection of must-have tools, guides, and legal references every special education advocate should own. From federal code to diagnostic manuals, these are the essentials that help you advocate with clarity and confidence. 📚 Browse now: https://amzn.to/3RiQPLl(As an Amazon Associate, Karen may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you.) ...

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  37:43
• IEP Chaos, Charter School Myths & Advocate Q&A

  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 by students with disabilities (spoiler: they're not)✅ What data actually drives Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) decisions✅ How to use IDEA law to stand your ground — and when to file that state complaint✅ The problem with “collaboration” minutes and mystery staff in the classroom✅ What to say when someone throws “House Bill 4545” at you like it’s a solution…and more.This episode is equal parts fire and facts. If you’re in the trenches — whether you’re a parent, teacher, advocate, or school-based member — you don’t want to miss this one.📚 Resources Mentioned:→ SpecialEducationAcademy.com→ Email us: [email protected]→ Want the book Karen referenced? Grab the Advocate’s Bookshelf🎧 Available wherever you listen to podcasts📌 Subscribe, rate, and share — because when we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨ 👩‍⚖️ Hosted by Karen Mayer Cunningham, Advocate & Special Education Boss®Each week, Karen shares real stories, legal insights, and no-nonsense strategies to help you navigate special education with clarity and confidence. 👉 Subscribe & never miss an episode — new episodes drop every week!🎓 Join The Academy: Weekly live trainings + 250+ hours of advocacy tools & expert resources🔗 Learn more at The Academy 📬 Have a question? Email us at [email protected] 📱 Follow Karen on: TikTok & Instagram: @specialeducationboss YouTube: Special Education Academy 🧠 Want to level up your advocacy game?Check out the Advocate's Bookshelf — a curated collection of must-have tools, guides, and legal references every special education advocate should own. From federal code to diagnostic manuals, these are the essentials that help you advocate with clarity and confidence. 📚 Browse now: https://amzn.to/3RiQPLl(As an Amazon Associate, Karen may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you.) ...

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• The 5 Pillars of an Amazing IEP

  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 decoding the legal language to understanding how to actually implement supports that move the needle, Karen walks you through:The #1 question every parent must ask before writing an IEP.What to include in the initial evaluation request — and what most schools leave out.Why speech and language to include pragmatics is a non-negotiable in your testing.The three Ps of quality evaluations (Pristine, Prescriptive, and Puffy!).The eight areas of testing you should always request.The difference between academic performance and educational need.What Present Levels should really look like (hint: not a copy-paste of the last report card).How to write goals that are appropriately ambitious in light of the child’s unique circumstances.Why most accommodation pages are a mess (and how to fix them).What “least restrictive environment” is not — and why general ed is not always the answer.Why para support alone does not equal special education.The truth about FAPE and what it actually means for your child.Karen also shares: ✔️ When to revisit your IEP mid-year (especially before transitions) ✔️ How to hold the team accountable to timelines and testing obligations ✔️ How to use your voice, your data, and your knowledge to drive outcomes — not emotionWhether you're new to the process or you've been in it for years, this episode will give you the roadmap to step confidently into your next meeting — and walk out with clarity, not confusion.🗣️ Karen says it best:"We're not trying to make the disability disappear — we're teaching strategies to self-manage it."👉 Subscribe to the Special Education Boss® podcast so you never miss an episode. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Thursday!🙋‍♀️ Need more support?Join The Academy — your go-to resource ✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨ 👩‍⚖️ Hosted by Karen Mayer Cunningham, Advocate & Special Education Boss®Each week, Karen shares real stories, legal insights, and no-nonsense strategies to help you navigate special education with clarity and confidence. 👉 Subscribe & never miss an episode — new episodes drop every week!🎓 Join The Academy: Weekly live trainings + 250+ hours of advocacy tools & expert resources🔗 Learn more at The Academy 📬 Have a question? Email us at [email protected] 📱 Follow Karen on: TikTok & Instagram: @specialeducationboss YouTube: Special Education Academy 🧠 Want to level up your advocacy game?Check out the Advocate's Bookshelf — a curated collection of must-have tools, guides, and legal references every special education advocate should own. From federal code to diagnostic manuals, these are the essentials that help you advocate with clarity and confidence. 📚 Browse now: https://amzn.to/3RiQPLl(As an Amazon Associate, Karen may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you.) ...

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  49:37
• Ask the Advocate – Real Questions, Real Answers, Real Advocacy

  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 the parent asks?What happens if a charter school refuses special ed services?What if you're being read "school norms" before the meeting even starts?The truth about ESY, MDR, para support, toileting, behavior, and moreWhether you’re a parent, teacher, para, or full-time advocate—this episode will hit home.This one’s full of wisdom, wild stories, legal truth bombs, and just enough sass to keep you laughing while learning.🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform—Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, and more.New episodes drop every Tuesday & Thursday!  ✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨ 👩‍⚖️ Hosted by Karen Mayer Cunningham, Advocate & Special Education Boss®Each week, Karen shares real stories, legal insights, and no-nonsense strategies to help you navigate special education with clarity and confidence. 👉 Subscribe & never miss an episode — new episodes drop every week!🎓 Join The Academy: Weekly live trainings + 250+ hours of advocacy tools & expert resources🔗 Learn more at The Academy 📬 Have a question? Email us at [email protected] 📱 Follow Karen on: TikTok & Instagram: @specialeducationboss YouTube: Special Education Academy 🧠 Want to level up your advocacy game?Check out the Advocate's Bookshelf — a curated collection of must-have tools, guides, and legal references every special education advocate should own. From federal code to diagnostic manuals, these are the essentials that help you advocate with clarity and confidence. 📚 Browse now: https://amzn.to/3RiQPLl(As an Amazon Associate, Karen may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you.) ...

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  42:21

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