What happens when a seasoned special education teacher realizes the system isn't built to support the very students it's supposed to serve?
In this powerful conversation, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with former educator Alan Driggers, who recently left the classroom after 14 years to become a full-time special education advocate. Alan shares what it's really like behind the scenes in public education: the lack of training, inconsistent processes, data collection failures, and systemic barriers that leave both teachers and students in the dark.
You’ll hear:
Why Alan became the 504 coordinator with zero training
What happens when advocates show up—and schools call in their attorneys
Why behavior support programs fail without accountability
The real reason many students never get evaluated under Child Find
What led Alan to finally walk away and join the advocacy movement
How teachers are unintentionally getting it wrong—and how it impacts IEPs
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or advocate, this episode will open your eyes to the cracks in the system—and how one educator decided to do something about it.
Join The Academy: https://www.skool.com/special-education-academy/about
The Academy: has 250+ hours of training for anyone who sits at the IEP/504 table.
Want more information? Send us an email at advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
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In this powerful conversation, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with former educator Alan Driggers, who recently left the classroom after 14 years to become a full-time special education advocate. Alan shares what it's really like behind the scenes in public education: the lack of training, inconsistent processes, data collection failures, and systemic barriers that leave both teachers and students in the dark.
You’ll hear:
Why Alan became the 504 coordinator with zero training
What happens when advocates show up—and schools call in their attorneys
Why behavior support programs fail without accountability
The real reason many students never get evaluated under Child Find
What led Alan to finally walk away and join the advocacy movement
How teachers are unintentionally getting it wrong—and how it impacts IEPs
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or advocate, this episode will open your eyes to the cracks in the system—and how one educator decided to do something about it.
Join The Academy: https://www.skool.com/special-education-academy/about
The Academy: has 250+ hours of training for anyone who sits at the IEP/504 table.
Want more information? Send us an email at advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
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