What’s right, what’s wrong, and what you absolutely need to know about your rights in special education.
In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham is back—answering live questions about IEPs, 504s, placement, compensatory services, and so much more. If you’ve ever been told:
• “We don’t offer that here…”
• “We’re removing resource classes…”
• “Your child doesn’t qualify…”
• “We’re amending without a meeting…”
…it’s time to sit all the way down and tune in.
Karen unpacks:
• Resource vs. inclusion vs. life skills
• When to file a state complaint
• Why MTSS/RTI cannot delay an evaluation
• Compensatory time: how much is due and when to push back
• The TRUTH about asynchronous and hybrid service models
• What parents can do when the school “doesn’t have” something federally required
• The reality of charter schools and IEP implementation
• How to advocate when no one else will—and why sometimes you need to be the big mouth in your district
💡 Plus: Karen shares summer training updates you don’t want to miss.
🗓 Upcoming Trainings Mentioned:
✅ Virtual 2-Day Intensive: (https://academy.specialeducationacademy.com/register/vs-pif/) June 21–22, 2025
✅ In-Person 2-Day Intensive (https://advocate.specialeducationacademy.com/in-person-intensive/) (Florida): Mid-July
✅ Mastermind Launch (https://advocate.specialeducationacademy.com/mastermind-3/) : July 22, 2025
🎯 Ready to get trained to advocate with confidence and clarity?
Join The Academy (https://www.skool.com/special-education-academy/about)
Listen to more episodes on Buzzsprout, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app.
Follow, like, share, and subscribe—it helps us reach more families who need this info.
Support the show (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2464872/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 (https://www.skool.com/special-education-academy/about)
📬 Have a question? Email us at advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
📱 Follow Karen on:
• TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@specialeducationboss) & Instagram: @specialeducationboss
• YouTube: Special Education Academy (https://www.youtube.com/c/SpecialEducationAcademy/videos)
🧠 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.)
...
In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham is back—answering live questions about IEPs, 504s, placement, compensatory services, and so much more. If you’ve ever been told:
• “We don’t offer that here…”
• “We’re removing resource classes…”
• “Your child doesn’t qualify…”
• “We’re amending without a meeting…”
…it’s time to sit all the way down and tune in.
Karen unpacks:
• Resource vs. inclusion vs. life skills
• When to file a state complaint
• Why MTSS/RTI cannot delay an evaluation
• Compensatory time: how much is due and when to push back
• The TRUTH about asynchronous and hybrid service models
• What parents can do when the school “doesn’t have” something federally required
• The reality of charter schools and IEP implementation
• How to advocate when no one else will—and why sometimes you need to be the big mouth in your district
💡 Plus: Karen shares summer training updates you don’t want to miss.
🗓 Upcoming Trainings Mentioned:
✅ Virtual 2-Day Intensive: (https://academy.specialeducationacademy.com/register/vs-pif/) June 21–22, 2025
✅ In-Person 2-Day Intensive (https://advocate.specialeducationacademy.com/in-person-intensive/) (Florida): Mid-July
✅ Mastermind Launch (https://advocate.specialeducationacademy.com/mastermind-3/) : July 22, 2025
🎯 Ready to get trained to advocate with confidence and clarity?
Join The Academy (https://www.skool.com/special-education-academy/about)
Listen to more episodes on Buzzsprout, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app.
Follow, like, share, and subscribe—it helps us reach more families who need this info.
Support the show (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2464872/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 (https://www.skool.com/special-education-academy/about)
📬 Have a question? Email us at advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
📱 Follow Karen on:
• TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@specialeducationboss) & Instagram: @specialeducationboss
• YouTube: Special Education Academy (https://www.youtube.com/c/SpecialEducationAcademy/videos)
🧠 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.)
...