The Special Education Boss® Podcast is where advocacy meets action. Join Karen Mayer Cunningham each week as she empowers parents and professionals to understand their rights, navigate the system, and show up strong at the IEP table.
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What You Don’t Know Will Cost Your Child: Restraints, Paras, and Filing Complaints
Season 1 · Episode 3
Tuesday, April 1, 2025 • Duration 44:24
Welcome to another episode of Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham, where we cut through the confusion at the IEP and 504 table to give you clear answers and powerful action steps.
This week, Karen is back to answer your biggest questions — from procedural safeguards and legal rights to school practices that just don’t fly. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, advocate, or admin, you’ll walk away knowing exactly what to ask, say, and do.
🎯 In this Ask the Advocate session, we cover:
Do you need both a 504 and an IEP? (Short answer: No.)
Compensatory services: how much is enough?
What indirect services really mean — and when they’re not enough.
How to get incident reports (and what to do if the school didn’t report a restraint).
Why paraprofessionals can't deliver specially designed instruction.
The law on replacing special ed teachers with aides.
Who decides if a student qualifies for a 1:1 aide — and what data is required.
FOIA: what it is, how to use it, and why it matters.
What to do when the school doesn’t implement the IEP or BIP.
When and how to file a state complaint that gets results.
Why so many teachers don’t know IDEA — and how that impacts your child.
What to ask for before your ARD/IEP meeting to fully participate.
How to know if your advocate is the right fit.
When “reverse mainstreaming” is inappropriate — and what to do instead.
💬 Key Quotes from Karen:
“Specially designed instruction means it’s special — and it’s instruction. Paras aren’t certified to provide it, no matter how amazing they are.”
“You don’t have to be a lawyer to know your rights. But if you don’t assert them, you don’t have them.”
“What you don’t know doesn’t hurt the school — it penalizes your child, sometimes for a lifetime.”
🎧 Want to advocate like a boss? Register for Karen’s 2-Day Special Education Advocacy Training — available on-demand or join us live in Florida this summer!
📩 Need help now? Email: advocate@specialeducationacademy.com We have full-time, personally trained partner advocates nationwide.
🎓 Join The Academy Access 300+ hours of training, live we
✨ 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 advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
🧠 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.)
...
You Can’t Make This Up: Real Questions, Real Answers
Season 1 · Episode 1
Tuesday, April 1, 2025 • Duration 53:17
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 for ECSE eligibility?
What to do when your district says, “We don’t do that here”
Getting support in your classroom when you're short-staffed
What to say when your child’s IEP isn’t being followed
Why you cannot request a human, but you can request services
What’s illegal in self-contained classrooms
When to file a state complaint (and what to say)
How to advocate strategically without starting a war
Karen breaks it down with real talk, compassion, clarity, and the occasional call for a matching tattoo. 🙃
💬 Questions are read aloud by a moderator (SEA Advocate Partner) as Karen responds live with the wit, wisdom, and fire you’ve come to expect from your Special Education Boss®
🎧 Subscribe + Share We release new episodes every week, covering real-world issues, current policy shifts, and parent empowerment through the lens of the law. Subscribe, rate, and review the podcast so we can help more families, teachers, and advocates navigate the special education process with confidence and clarity.
🎓 Want to be trained as an advocate? Join our 2-Day In-Person Training or access it On Demand—because what you don’t know could cost your child their education. 👉 Learn more here
📚 Need expert help now? Email us at: advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
Ask the Advocate: Real Questions, Real Answers from the IEP Frontlines
Season 1 · Episode 1
Tuesday, April 1, 2025 • Duration 44:02
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. Karen pulls no punches — offering clarity, candor, and laughs as she unpacks the legal and practical sides of special education.
Questions are read aloud by a moderator as Karen responds live with the wit, wisdom, and fire you’ve come to expect from your Special Education Boss®.
Whether you’re new to advocacy or a seasoned warrior, Episode 1 will inspire, equip, and remind you: when we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. 💥
💡 In This Episode, Karen Answers Questions Like:
What are the criteria for Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)?
Can I get an aide on my child’s school bus?
What do I do when the school won’t follow the IEP?
Is it illegal to pre-determine manifestation determination?
Can I move my child with an IEP to a new district?
What’s the truth about compensatory services and how to get them?
Should parents worry about the future of 504 plans?
📚 Resources & Links Mentioned
Join The Academy — Weekly training + hundreds of hours of expert content
Need help? Email us at advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
🧠 Key Terms Discussed
IEP vs. 504
Prior Written Notice (PWN)
FAPE & IDEA
Mutually Agreed Upon Time
Season 1 · Episode 4
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 • Duration 05:13
Have you ever been told the IEP meeting is already scheduled and you just need to show up? Or that your school onlyholds 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 alone.
Karen also tackles:
The legal obligation for schools to notify all legal parents or guardians (even if they’re divorced or across the world 🌍)
What “meaningful participation” really means—and why denying flexible scheduling violates it
Practical scripts and steps to advocate for your rights when scheduling is a struggle
Whether you’re a parent, advocate, or educator, this episode gives you clarity and confidence when that IEP invite hits your inbox.
📝 Need support? Join The Academy for weekly training, replays, and a full library of special education resources: 👉 https://www.skool.com/special-education-academy/about
✨ 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 advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
Ask the Advocate – Real Questions, Real Answers, Real Advocacy
Season 1 · Episode 5
Thursday, April 10, 2025 • Duration 42:21
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 more
Whether 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.
✨ 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
The 5 Pillars of an Amazing IEP
Season 1 · Episode 6
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 • Duration 49:37
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 emotion
Whether 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.
IEP Chaos, Charter School Myths & Advocate Q&A
Season 1 · Episode 7
Thursday, April 17, 2025 • Duration 44:32
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: advocate@specialeducationacademy.com → 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
How to Write Compliant IEP Goals That Actually Help Kids Thrive
Season 1 · Episode 9
Thursday, April 24, 2025 • Duration 35:09
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’re getting A’s and B’s”
How to base goals on expectation and rate of progress—not generic standards
This episode is a must-listen for any parent, teacher, or advocate who wants to ensure students get the supports and services they deserve.
Know Your Rights: The Truth About Procedural Safeguards in Special Education
Season 1 · Episode 8
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 • Duration 37:43
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 meeting
Plus, 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. ✨
Mastering Specially Designed Instruction and Progress Monitoring with Dr. Mitchell Yell
Season 1 · Episode 10
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 • Duration 01:09:33
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 goals
The critical difference between procedural and substantive violations
What happens when schools fail to monitor student progress
How parents and advocates can hold schools accountable without escalating unnecessarily
Dr. Yell shares practical advice for school-based staff, advocates, and parents alike, plus reveals key insights about the Supreme Court case A.C. v. Osseo Area Schools and why it matters to special education nationwide.
✨ Whether you're a parent, advocate, teacher, or admin, this conversation will leave you better equipped—and more empowered—to support students with disabilities.
✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨
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✨ 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 advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
🧠 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.)
...
Manifestation Determination
LRE (Least Restrictive Environment)
OHI and SLD Eligibility
Compensatory Education
OCR Complaints
Special Education Law (34 CFR §300)
📬 Want Your Question Answered on a Future Episode? Send your question to: advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
Or message us on Facebook or Instagram @SpecialEducationBoss
✨ 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 advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
🧠 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.)
🧠 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.)
...
📬 Have a question? Email us at advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
🧠 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.)
...
🗣️ 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
✨ 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 advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
🧠 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.)
🧠 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.)
...
✨ 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 advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
🧠 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.)
...
👩⚖️ 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 advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
🧠 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.)
...
👩⚖️ 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 advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
🧠 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.)
