​​Happy New Year! We can’t believe it’s already 2026. We made it through the holidays, which can be a particularly challenging time for many students. Our last episode of 2025 covered the topics of misbehavior and dysregulation, and we continue in that direction with today’s guest. Join us to learn more!

Dr. Desirie Sykes is a speaker, leader, advocate, author, and CEO. She is the founder of NESS Behavior Consulting and NESS Cares, a nonprofit in New York. NESS Behavior Consulting provides resources for mental health and special education, targeting children with a primary diagnosis of autism. Dr. Sykes collaborates with local school districts in the Long Island, NY, area, providing support and services tailored to meet a student’s IEP. Her passion is to enlighten, uplift, and empower, while changing the narrative around mental health and providing accessible resources to those who need them.

Show Highlights:

1. Being sensitive and intuitive when behavior signals a deeper mental health issue
2. Bridging the gap between home and school behavior: A look at the big picture
3. Parents should speak up in IEP meetings and ask questions confidently.
4. Identifying your “starting point” in getting real about behavioral responses
5. The challenge: Turning functional behavioral plans into doable bits
6. Importance of concrete, objective data about student behavior
7. “How does the child feel about their environment?”
8. Look at the big picture, not just the IEP meeting.
9. Implementation of the needed supports is the key!
10. One thing Dr. Sykes wants educators and parents to know
11. Services available through NESS Behavior Consulting

Resources:

Connect with Dr. Desirie Sykes

NESS Behavior Consulting

NESS Cares

DesirieSykes.com

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

Thank you for listening!

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This episode will be the final one of 2025, as we take a break from the podcast over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Before we introduce today’s topic and guest, we want to address the “elephant in the room”: the shifts happening in the Department of Education under the Trump administration. Just a heads-up: following us on Instagram is the best way to stay up to date on current happenings in our world. Please keep in touch! Today’s topic is behavior and discipline with our guest, Dr. Doug Bolton. Join us!

Dr. Doug Bolton is a clinical psychologist who has always been drawn to working with kids who experience behavioral problems. Knowing that being in schools gives him the best vantage point from which to help kids, Doug became a school psychologist and later a principal at a therapeutic school. He is currently a consultant working with families to help vulnerable kids become more resilient. From his unique perspective and wide range of experience, he wrote the book Untethered. 

Show Highlights:

• When it comes to discipline and punishment with our kids, we are getting it wrong.
• Incentives, motivations, and punishments
• Regulation and dysregulation show up differently for different kids. (“Misbehavior is stress behavior.” –Stuart Shanker)
• Figure out the “why” of the stress—and help them learn to cope.
• How punishments reinforce failure and create shame
• Understanding upstream vs. downstream behaviors
• Our expectations of students under the guise of “academic rigor”
• The results of our insensitivity to kids’ developmental needs
• An issue of development: Kids born in August are 31% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than kids born in September.
• Steps to create upstream solutions to help kids build resilience when they misbehave:
• Focus on assisting them to get regulated.
• Get curious, and listen to what’s going on with them. 
• Get them talking to each other to create a community of belonging.
• The value of taking a classroom to “pause and ponder.”

Resources:

Connect with Dr. Doug Bolton:  Website and Untethered

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. 

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show. 

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns: Facebook, Instagram, X, IEP Website, and Email.

With so many school holidays fast approaching, there are many kids who need interventions right now, and their parents are panicking. Furthermore, the effects of the government shutdown are being felt as Head Start programs are having to close their doors. Families are scrambling, and we are witnessing significant shifts that are having a profound impact on our kids. Today’s guest shares her perspective on anti-DEI sentiment and the current state of our country, affecting both education and the corporate world. 

Nadine Jones is a 2003 graduate of Howard Law School, with a background in antitrust and corporate law as a general counsel. In January of 2025, she left that corporate position to work from home as a consultant. As the mother of a special-needs son, she has insight into what parents in the US face today. 

Show Highlights:

• Nadine’s perspective on the most immediate risks to legal compliance in the shutting down of DEI programs
• Anti-DEI sentiment, which causes major problems for contractors whose top customer is the federal government
• Diverse workforces and better marketplace competition
• Nadine’s advice for educators who want to do the right thing for their students (in lower and higher education)
• Ethical considerations when funding is not available
• What was so attractive about eliminating DEI?
• Nadine’s thoughts about what’s coming and what our attitudes should be
• The importance of letting the data ground what we do
• DEI work can go on, even when it’s not termed “DEI.”

Resources:

Connect with Nadine Jones

Website and LinkedIn 

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. 

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show. 

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns: Facebook, Instagram, X, IEP Website, and Email.

Today’s topic is one that not many people are talking about, but it’s a big problem in our country. We are discussing the deficit in our children’s education about civics, government, and basic politics. As parents and educators, we have a huge responsibility to do better, and today’s guest is taking on the challenge. Join us to learn more!

Lindsey Cormack is a professor of political science at Stevens Institute of Technology, a little-known but premier engineering school in Hoboken, NJ. Seeing extremely bright students every day who don’t understand the basics of our government prompted her to write How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It's Up to You to Do It). The guidebook is geared toward parents to help them produce good citizens who are active and knowledgeable participants in our government and politics. 

Show Highlights:

• Lindsey’s extensive research and writing process
• Identifying the deficit and what can be done about it
• Our educational plan in civics and government is NOT working.
• The “We don’t talk about politics” attitude is not helping our children.
• Two ends of the spectrum about politics in the US
• It’s not fair (or true) to say that all politics are bad.
• Kids need to see specific behaviors modeled, like collaboration through difference, information-seeking techniques, normalizing disagreement, and how to consider another perspective.
• The beauty of American democracy is based on collaboration and compromise, and our kids need to learn this.
• “Raise an athlete—not a fan.”
• Parents should be the agents of change.
• An overview of Lindsey’s book
• Key takeaways from Lindsey

Resources:

Connect with Lindsey Cormack: Website and How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It's Up to You to Do It)

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. 

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show. 

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns: Facebook, Instagram, X, IEP Website, and Email.

Typically, October is a busy month for us as we are already a couple of months into the new school year; reality has set in, and winter/holiday breaks are fast approaching. Today’s focus comes from a lively topic of discussion that was posted on our Instagram last week: an update on CA Assembly Bill 461, which repeals a 2011 Truancy Law. That law provided for criminal misdemeanor charges, fines, and jail time for parents of chronically truant children or for a student over 18 with chronic truancy. The problem is that the law disproportionately affects low-income students and those with disabilities, some of whom are fighting for the accommodations and support they need. The new law repeals the 2011 law and sets forth a plan for supportive strategies instead of punishments. Join us to learn more!

Show Highlights:

• The backfiring of the 2011 law: The first case prosecuted a person of color with a child with sickle-cell anemia while she was trying to get additional accommodations in place.
• Governor Newsome’s perspective on the new law, effective January 2026, is that this is a social issue and not a criminal problem.
• The problems families face in receiving attendance letters when they are actively trying to get their kids into school
• Many parents are trying to find ways to ensure it is safe for their child to go to school. 
• Local change CAN happen!
• The new law offers a more collaborative approach to the truancy problem. 
• The ramifications of the CA law that might spread to other states

Resources:

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. 

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show. 

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns: Facebook, Instagram, X, IEP Website, and Email.

We’ve become accustomed to the normal back-to-school craziness this time of year, but this year seems more chaotic than usual! Numerous lawsuits are being filed to challenge the funding cuts, which are having a significant impact on programs, services, staffing, and students. There are numerous unknowns that contribute to the turmoil. We are doing our best to keep our listeners informed as much as possible. In this episode, we refer back to the Supreme Court decision from earlier this year, in which $65 million in educational funding was cut. Join us to learn more!

Dr. Annalies Corbin is the founder and CEO of The PAST Foundation. Her work focuses on educational research and development, aiming to be not only a thought leader but also a thought partner with school districts, states, and the federal government. The overriding question driving Dr. Corbin’s work is, “What do our kids really need?”

Show Highlights:

• A breakdown of the Supreme Court’s decision to withhold $65M in teacher grant funding
• Inclusion is EVERYTHING!
• The implications of withholding the $65M, specifically relating to ongoing research
• Ramifications for national security, citizenship, the future economy, and other aspects
• What can we do to forge educational reform?
• The current state of affairs: “Education is to be controlled by the states.”
• Dr. Corbin’s call-to-action: “We need to spend the time, energy, and work at the state levels to advocate for the things kids need.”
• Understanding a frustrating system for educators
• The next great iteration of our educational system

Resources:

Connect with Dr. Annalies Corbin: Website, Instagram, and the Learning Unboxed Podcast 

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. 

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show. 

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns: Facebook, Instagram, X, IEP Website, and Email.

Here we are, on the front lines of the fight for inclusive education. Now, a month or so into the new school year, we are already in the thick of the fight, and we are seeing numerous lawsuits being filed as things are changing daily. Many of our listeners are already feeling the impact of funding cuts to education. Today’s episode focuses on the actions of the US Department of Education at the beginning of August regarding five school districts in northern Virginia. Join us to learn more.

Show Highlights:

• $50 million is being withheld from the states in the form of formula funding, discretionary grants, and impact aid grants.
• The example of attempted resolutions for trans kids—and the stance of VA school districts who won’t back down
• The far-reaching budget impacts of the withholding of this funding 
• The chilling fact: Our children are the ones who suffer the most.
• Practical results in terms of staffing, programs, hiring, and critical services
• The legal perspective and ramifications of this decision
• Look out for the domino effect! Contact your representatives.
• Key takeaways about the federal government’s power and our fragile system
• What you can do today to help

Resources:

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. 

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show. 

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns: Facebook, Instagram, X, IEP Website, or Email.

Our goal is always to keep people informed about what’s going on in today’s world that directly affects the education of our students. It is essential to consider the communities that are forming within the broader context of the current political climate. How are conversations being navigated around important topics like race and culture? Today’s guest has valuable insights to share! Join us!

Jebeh Edmunds is the founder and CEO of Jebeh Cultural Consulting, a firm that helps disseminate multicultural lesson plans for K-12th grade. Part of her essential work also includes providing training sessions on DEI and cultural responsiveness. Jebeh was a classroom teacher for 18 years before she became an entrepreneur. Proud of her heritage, Jebeh is a first-generation Liberian-American who came to the US as a toddler. 

Show Highlights:

• Foundational steps to set yourself up as a culturally responsible educator
• We should ALL learn from our mistakes.
• Watch out for biases.
• Children are capable of having hard conversations.
• Common ineffective strategies around cultural responsiveness:
• “I don’t see color.”
• “We don’t have any people of color here, so we don’t need this lesson.”
• Books help open the door for brave and honest discussions.
• Jebeh’s advice to educators about reacting in “the hot moment” regarding the following:
• Handling harmful statements (You cannot ignore them.)
• Asking for help from your school administrators
• Jebeh’s key takeaway: “Look to families as a resource and support. They are giving you their best resource: their child.”

Resources:

Connect with Jebeh Edmunds: Website (Find resources and courses.) and Jebeh's podcast, Cultural Curriculum Chat with Jebeh Edmunds.

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. 

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show. 

Please feel free ​​to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns via our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X), our IEP Website, and Email.

We are in the middle of the start of another school year across the country, whether your students have already returned or have a later start date. One of the most important events from last school year was the Supreme Court decision to withhold $65M in federal funding for education, and we are seeing those impacts across the board. Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez is here to unpack the decision and the far-reaching effects. Join us to learn more!

Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez is the CEO at the National Center for Learning Disabilities, an organization that is almost 50 years old. Their mission is to serve ALL students, their families, their educators, and their future employers. Dr. Rodriguez has a background steeped in education, from teaching special education at all levels to being an administrator. Her passion for advocacy and equity for all students is the central theme of her work, always focused on a more inclusive and equitable education system. 

Show Highlights:

• The story of the $65M earmarked for DEI efforts—now withheld by the Supreme Court decision
• Who will feel the impacts? Every single student!
• The uproar from multiple states about the withholding of grant money, most of which was to combat the nationwide teacher shortage
• Specific examples of what these grants were doing in teacher retention and residency programs
• The politicization of teacher preparation is a dangerous precedent.
• The average layperson is unaware of what’s happening and what the effects of this decision are.
• The need for awareness and the dangers of staying silent
• Action steps you can take today
• Dr. Rodriguez’s admonition to school leaders, superintendents, and any concerned person who wants to take action

Resources:

Connect with Dr. Rodriguez and the NCLD: Website (Click the “Take Action” tab at the top!)

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. 

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show. 

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns: Facebook, Instagram, X, IEP Website, and Email.

Welcome back to the podcast as we kick off a new school year! We are excited, as always, to jump into some very important topics in the coming weeks. First up is our amazing guest, Jennifer Catalano, to discuss her work in deaf education and share her perspective on the least restrictive environments for these students. Is it better to have 100% inclusion or 100% special instruction? Let’s learn more from Jennifer’s perspective in today’s episode!

Jennifer Catalano is the director of both undergraduate and graduate deaf education programs at Flagler College in St. Augustine, FL. Her background spans deaf education, elementary education, and special education, making her current role the perfect intersection of her experience and expertise. She loves working with current and future teachers to help them serve deaf and hard-of-hearing students. 

Show Highlights:

• Jennifer’s introduction to deaf education began in high school.
• The recent shift to integrate these students with their peers
• The most important factor is to follow the path for EACH student in finding what’s best for them—not a one-size-fits-all approach.
• The best scenario is a blend of inclusion and special instruction
• LRE should stand for “Language Rich Environment.”
• An overview of Jennifer’s course: The Deaf Ecosystem Course
• A unique approach to getting alumni business owners involved
• The critical language period of the first 5 years of life–and the ripple effects
• Encouraging and promoting inclusive practices, even in the business world

Resources:

Connect with Jennifer Catalano: Flagler College Website and Email

Mentioned in this episode: Deaf President Now documentary

Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

Thank you for listening!

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. 

If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show. 

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns: Facebook, Instagram, X, IEP Website, and Email.