The Inclusive Education Project seeks to "level the playing field" in the area of education for children with special needs through awareness & advocacy.
06/10/2026
Transition IEP meetings are essential when your child transitions from elementary school to middle school, middle school to high school, and high school to college/vocational school. If you haven’t had a transition IEP meeting for next school year, you can still get one scheduled as soon as the new school year begins. We are breaking it down in today’s episode. Join us!
05/29/2026
Some things that we’ve notice being thrown around at the end of this school year - we wanted to clarify the truth behind some of these common statements made.
05/26/2026
Crazy time is here! Schools across the country have a LOT happening in these final days of the school year. For parents, there is a sense of relief, along with the panic of realizing that summer is about to begin and that they need to plan what their kids will do. Having a structured literacy plan is key, what it doesn’t have to be complex. Don’t be confused by the plethora of reading programs that are advertised as a “must-have” resource. Today’s guest helps us understand what’s most important for parents to know as they help their children hone their reading skills. Join us!
05/21/2026
released a “Least Restrictive Environment” FACT SHEET which outlines the legal requirements of LRE as a guide for school districts and parents to further understand the basics of LRE.
Questions? DM us or comment below!
What do we mean when we say LRE or Least Restrictive Environment. I often see school districts focus solely on the place without discussing the full dynamics of a program and the demographic - what is LRE for one student will not automatically be LRE for another just because of the place.
Let’s talk about some of the most common mistakes school districts or schools make with be the IEP Process:
1. Pressuring a parent to consent to something they do not fully understand, have not had time to digest or do not agree with.
2. Relying on subjective options instead of concrete data.
3. Predetermination of eligibility, services or placement. Deciding before an IEP meeting, failing to discuss or analyze with the full IEP team.
4. Offering non-measurable or vague goals, accommodations or services. Not creating SMART goals.
5. Not documenting all support being provided in the IEP.
6. Failing to Assess at FIRST sign of suspicion of a disability, delaying the request or referral with SST or 504 meetings.
7. Failure to fully implement the IEP
8. Failing to assess in all areas of suspected disabilities or need.
9. “We don’t do that here” or “we’ve always done it this way” mentality.
10. Excluding Parents from team discussions or the IEP process.
Let’s discuss 10 of the most COMMON mistakes parents make while going through the IEP process. PARENTS - do not blame yourself for what you don’t or didn’t know - it is the Districts obligation to ensure you are informed and understand your rights.
Let’s get into it:
1. Signing the IEP immediately due to pressure; allowing the team to pressure to sign day of instead of taking the IEP home to digest, discuss and request changes as necessary
2. Not putting requests in writing - especially assessment or IEP requests. A school is supposed to help you put requests in writing but to make sure it gets done, start with the request in writing.
3. Not insisting on an IEP assessment IMMEDIATELY, allowing a school to delay or wait for an SST or 504 meeting.
4. Relying on emotion only instead of data. Allowing frustrating to dictate the meeting instead of bringing (or requesting) concrete data to support needs.
5. Requesting services without accompanying goals.
6. Failing to get everything in writing. Specific details, accommodations, any support being provided should be written into the IEP (and not just the notes).
7. Accepting vague, non-measurable goals (and accommodations) - SMART goals.
8. Accepting the same goals year after year without modifying services and supports.
9. Focusing on BEST instead of what is APPROPRIATE (legal standard is a Free Appropriate Public Education - FAPE).
10. Waiting for a major problem to arise to act, only communicating or escalating issues when there is a big problem rather than engaging in consistent, proactive monitoring. Not requesting IEP meetings throughout the year and waiting only for the annual.
05/12/2026
Welcome to the final weeks of the school year. Across the country, school districts are winding down to summer break from now through mid-June. It is a busy time for everyone involved in education. Today’s episode explores the power of inclusion, particularly when policies don’t always align with what best serves our students. We are thrilled to welcome Andrew Goff back to the show for his unique perspective on this topic. Join us!
04/30/2026
Efforts to weaken procedural protections in the name of efficiency risk exacerbating existing disparities by further limiting access for the families most in need of support. Efforts to dismantle the Federal Department of Education and remove necessary agencies puts the whole system at risk. Continue to keep up the fight and keep contacting your reps!
04/28/2026
What is an IEP? What does it mean for your child? How do IEP’s and IEP meetings differ across school districts m? What is my recourse if the teacher who relates best to my child moves to another school? We’re answering these questions and more in today’s solo episode with Amanda and Vickie!
| Monday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Tuesday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 4:30pm |
| Friday | 4:30am - 5pm |