Ennis Britton's On the Call

A student who hasn’t been in a traditional K-12 setting for a while may need some time to adjust. But when do expected bumps in the road become signs that something more is going on? Jeremy and Erin dig into a state complaint from Colorado involving a middle schooler with a private autism diagnosis who returned to school after homeschooling and soon faced failing classes, chronic work-completion problems, and absences. The state found the district’s early MTSS approach reasonable, but identified the parents’ verbal evaluation request as the point of notice. They review where reasonable adjustment ends and IDEA Child Find begins, with a decision that gives administrators a particularly useful roadmap.

ICYMI! Here are early episodes related to the topic: Season 3, Episode 14: On the Call: Child Find and Season 4, Episode 11: On the Call: Twice Exceptional

An IEP is only as strong as its implementation, and placement means more than the building a student attends. When vaping devices, food deliveries, and an unofficial classroom hangout enter the picture, the facts get stranger than fiction. In this episode, Jeremy and Erin discuss a New Mexico state complaint where a teacher repeatedly pulled a student from general education classes for non-educational reasons. The district failed to implement the IEP, but the student's continued progress meant no denial of FAPE. They share practical tips for documenting student removals, monitoring IEP implementation, and making sure every staff member understands that placement changes must go through the IEP team.  

Looking for more on this topic? Check out this earlier episode: On the Call: Staffing Shortages and Failure to Document

When a new concern arises, does the IEP team need to reconvene right away, or can thoughtful implementation and monitoring be enough? In this episode, Jeremy and Erin take the call and examine when new information, changing needs, or disappointing progress should prompt an early IEP review. They also discuss a recent Colorado state complaint about whether a district had to revisit a kindergartner’s recently revised IEP in response to ongoing concerns. They share practical tips for responding to parent input, documenting the team’s decisions, and recognizing when “the student has good grades” is helpful evidence but not a universal legal force field.  

Looking for more on this topic? Listen to this past episode: On the Call: Repetitive IEP Goals - Ennis Britton's On the Call

Mom said, "Not yet." Dad said, "Let's do it." The district was stuck in the middle. In this episode, Erin and Jeremy tackle one of special education's most uncomfortable questions: what happens when divorced parents with equal rights completely disagree about services? They review a recent case from Delaware and explore parent participation, consent, custody orders, and why school districts should avoid becoming family court judges. Buckle up, because this IEP meeting had more drama than a holiday dinner.

When parents demand a detailed list of assessments before signing consent, what’s a district to do? Using a recent Connecticut case as a cautionary tale, Jeremy and Erin unpack what IDEA actually requires, why over-specifying can backfire, and how districts can preserve flexibility without sidelining parent participation. They also share practical tips for documenting conversations and keeping the focus where it belongs: understanding the student’s needs.

Here is the link to the earlier episode Jeremy references: On the Call: Bespoke Education/Methodologies

A student escalates, the hallway gets loud, and suddenly everyone is asking: “Did we follow the IEP… like, enough?” In this episode, Erin and Jeremy break down a recent case from Massachusetts and how real-time de-escalation, “trusted adult” language, and short removals collide, and how strong documentation can keep your team out of hot water. Spoiler: implementing the plan doesn’t mean the plan magically works every time. 

Looking for more on this topic? Be sure to check out this past episode: On the Call: MDR Basics

When does “waking up” a student become a wake-up call for the district? In this episode, Jeremy and Erin unpack a recent federal case out of Pennsylvania involving a student whose medication caused drowsiness and staff responses that allegedly crossed the line into disability discrimination. The discussion includes how Section 504 and the ADA apply when student behavior may be disability-related, what “deliberate indifference” looks like in practice, and why prompt, respectful, individualized responses can help your team reduce the risk of OCR complaints or litigation. 

Looking for more information on this topic? Be sure to check out these past episodes: 

On the Call: OCR Complaints & Records Requests

On the Call: When the 504 Plan Falls Short

What happens when you have a homebound student and escalating parent behavior? Even when a parent’s conduct is the roadblock, the district’s obligation to implement the IEP does not disappear, so the move is to change what you can control. Erin and Jeremy review a relevant case from Washington State and share practical tips on when to reconvene the IEP team to consider a placement that can actually be implemented, how to use strong prior written notice, and how to set communication boundaries or campus restrictions without cutting off parent participation. This is a great time to pressure-test your protocols before the next crisis hits. 

If you're looking for more on this topic, we've covered it here: On the Call: Navigating Parent Communications and On the Call: Parent Participation.

On the Call: SLAPP A classroom disruption sparks a parent letter packed with phrases like “prompt action” and “least restrictive environment,” and suddenly everyone’s asking: Who do we respond to, what can we say, and how do we protect staff without spilling confidential student information? In this episode, Erin and Jeremy review key takeaways from a recent case in Massachusetts and what it signals about parent petitioning, anti-SLAPP protections, and school communications. They break down what schools can address publicly, how to keep communications in the right lane, and practical ways to support staff while protecting student privacy.

A little yelling, a lot of feelings, and one big legal question: MTSS and RTI or IDEA, which controls? School staff know that a student's involvement in MTSS or RTI does not always mean the student has a disability. But sometimes, parents might not see the difference. This episode breaks down when schools can be on the hook for utilizing MTSS or RTI in place of an evaluation under IDEA, and offers practical tips for conversations with families and staff when engaging in the MTSS or RTI process.      

Here's the past episode Jeremy and Erin reference: Season 4, Episode 11 Twice Exceptional.  

Here's a link to the children's book Jeremy references in this episode!