We are so honored to have today’s guest with us for an inside look at a groundbreaking case in the field of special education litigation. Jack Robinson is a partner and co-founder of Spies, Powers, and Robinson, a law firm located in Denver, Colorado. He took one of the biggest cases in special education all the way to the US Supreme Court in 2017. In Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, Jack represented a family that sued their school district, claiming it did not provide their autistic son with an adequate education as required by federal law.

The monumental Supreme Court ruling in the case raised the standard that schools must meet in educating students with disabilities, potentially impacting millions of students across the country. 

Show Highlights:

• How the background on the Endrew F. case actually began with the Supreme Court ruling on the Thompson School District v. Luke P. case in 2008
• Why the Endrew F. case originated because the child was making no progress or advancement on IEP goals or objectives, along with regressing behavior
• Why it’s disheartening when the concept of what’s “right for the child” is completely ignored
• Where the state of our education system is right now, with no spirit of collaboration with parents and a predominant “Us vs. Them” mentality
• The basic timeline of the Endrew F. case
• How due process and appeals in special education cases can take years, years, and more years

Links/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, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

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Summer can be hectic for families, and we hope you have a plan to manage your parental sanity and have time to make great memories with your kids! As always, we will be here with podcast episodes full of helpful information and insights. We have a great conversation today about social workers on school campuses that have access to your child. Join us! 

Laura Adams is the mother of four daughters, two of which are adopted from China. She is the founder of FACTS4SafeFamilies, an organization whose mission is to transform the future for adoptive and foster children. FACTS is an acronym standing for “Foster and Adoptive Children Teaching Supports.” Laura built her organization based on her personal family experience in dealing with school social workers and the flawed system. 

Show Highlights:

• Why foster and adoptive parents need to be “detectives” to figure out what their children need as they grow and heal from past traumas
• How Laura went through a disturbing situation with her child’s social work team in which DCFS was involved
• Why Laura was determined to prevent her experience from happening to other families in the future—and FACTS4SafeFamilies was begun
• What school social workers do and how their roles differ from other social workers
• Why school social workers are overseen differently from state to state
• Why there is a stigma attached to a child seeing a social worker in school–and why you might not know your child sees a social worker!
• Why we must determine as a country what mental health care should look like in a school setting
• How FACTS4SafeFamilies is developing new training resources for social workers and teachers
• What parents can do to learn more and help improve the current system of social workers in schools

Links/Resources:

Connect with Laura and FACTS for Safe Families: Website and Email 

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, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

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IEP website

Email us: [email protected] 

Today’s topic is a new one for the podcast, and it may be something new for our listeners. We are learning about an immersion school, how it functions, and why this education model works well for many students and families. Join us to learn more!

We are joined by Maria Ventura and Jasmine Allen-Matora. Maria is a special ed teacher in a self-contained classroom of kids from TK- 5th grade. She has two master’s degrees in multicultural education and special education. Jasmine is the Prevention Intervention Support Services Coordinator and the EL designee at a local school here in California. 

Show Highlights:

• What is an immersion school?
• How the 90/10 model works at Jasmine’s school and progresses to a 50/50 model by 5th grade
• Why immersion school parents must take a more participatory role in their child’s education
• How kids benefit in an immersion school by learning cultural awareness and unique skills that make them more marketable later in life
• Why students with IEPs need to have access to these resources to develop skills and talents and find opportunities to reach their full potential
• What the statistics show about dual language students’ progress
• Why “teaching Spanish” is very different from “teaching IN Spanish”
• The wide range of bilingual programs available, including those in Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, German, and more
• How parents can find more information about immersion schools in their area

Links/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, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

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Instagram - We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us there and send us your questions!

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IEP website

Email us: [email protected]

Our heads are spinning as we rapidly approach the end of the school year. Fresh off the first couple of post-COVID years, it is important to change things in education and revamp what’s not working well. Today’s guest helps us gain a fresh perspective on our kids as individuals, neurodiversity, and inclusive education. Join us!

Dr. Rina Bliss is a genetics expert, sociologist, and the author of three books. She is also the mom of three kids under 7 years of age. A former teacher in the Oakland Unified School District, she also taught as a long-term substitute in San Francisco during her grad school years both in general ed and special ed classrooms. All of these experiences helped redefine for her what intelligence means with a more inclusive outlook. She currently teaches as an Associate Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University. 

Show Highlights:

• What “neurodivergent” means 
• Why each student (and each person) should be treated as the individual they are and valued as the person they are
• Why the numbers that indicate academic progress should NOT be the sole factor for elementary students
• Why each student should have an individualized plan and not be grouped together and labeled
• What Rina sees in the treatment of neurodivergent children
• Why standardization in education should be removed in favor of individualization all the way through the school years
• How our educational system is set up on standardized education over individualized learning
• Why we are ALL neuroplastic in our learning and intelligence 

Links/Resources:

Connect with Dr. Bliss: Website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter

Get Rethinking Intelligence: A Radical New Understanding of Our Human Potential by Dr. Rina Bliss. 

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, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

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Instagram–We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us there and send us your questions!

Twitter

IEP website

Email us: [email protected] 

The end is near! We are SO close to summer break, even though schools everywhere are finishing up at different times over the next couple of weeks. It is a busy, busy time for everyone involved in education. We need to continue to push for change, which is one thing we hope to accomplish by going through the eligibility categories. We didn’t want to let May (Mental Health Awareness Month) end without touching on the emotional disturbance category, so that’s the focus of today’s show. The category name itself carries a lot of stigmas as it relates to a lot of children’s mental health experiences that require special education and related services. Join us to learn more!

Show Highlights:

• What the law says about the emotional disturbance category
• Why a student only needs to qualify with ONE of the listed behaviors to be eligible
• Why a quiet kid doesn’t always mean a self-regulated and calm kid
• Why qualifying within ANY of the eligibility categories simply “opens the door” for special education services
• Why the emotional disturbance eligibility category might find students eligible when there are no other diagnoses and academic challenges
• Why a common occurrence in this category is the student’s reluctance to go to school 

Links/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, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

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Instagram–We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us here and send us your questions!

Twitter

IEP website

Email us: [email protected] 

If you're a parent or caregiver of a child with neurodevelopmental differences, you know how important it is to have a clear understanding of your child's eligibility for educational and treatment plans. With so many questions surrounding eligibility evaluations, it can be overwhelming to navigate the process. As we continue with our series of shows about eligibility, we are here to help with an information-packed conversation!

We are excited to be joined by Dr. Jayme Jones, a pediatric neuropsychologist who has maintained a private practice in CA since 1995. Her background is extensive in the assessment and treatment of preschool and school-aged children with a variety of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, and she provides regular trainings on many related topics. In this episode, she sheds light on some of the trends she's seeing and helps provide clarity on the confusing subject of eligibility and assessments.  You’ll hear her take on pandemic deficits, the conflict of interest in many school districts, and what it takes to get the support your child needs.

Show Highlights:

• What the biggest challenges are in getting students qualified for assistance
• Why the pandemic cannot be blamed for ALL the learning deficits
• What the difference is between IEP assessments and school assessments
• Why individual scores are more important than aggregate scores
• Why there is often a conflict of interest between school personnel in your IEP meeting and school administrators
• How some school districts are doing it right
• Dr. Jayme’s advice to parents about being supportive AND being their child’s advocate
• Why standardized tests are used for non-standard students
• Why parents need to let their children fail
• Why parents should prioritize a comprehensive evaluation for their child (sooner, rather than later) and hire advocates and attorneys when possible

Links/Resources:

Connect with Dr. Jayme Jones: Website

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, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

Facebook

Instagram–We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us here and send us your questions!

Twitter

IEP website

Email us: [email protected]

If you are anything like us, you are feeling the chaos of the mad scramble to the end of the school year. We always know that May feels like this, but April seems like a blur that zoomed by, and now we find ourselves trying to get those IEP meetings  and transition meetings done. Our guest knows exactly what IEP chaos looks and feels like as the mom of a special needs child. She is on a mission to help other parents and families deal with diagnoses and advocate for inclusion. Join us to learn more!

Beth Leipholtz is the author of The ABCs of Inclusion, a nonfiction book for parents to read with their kids. The book details the journey of Beth’s family and lets other parents know what to expect after diagnosis, and it includes the stories of 26 kids (one for each letter of the alphabet) with disabilities both seen and unseen. It is described as a picture book about disabilities that teaches kids that it’s OK to be different. Her son, Cooper, was born deaf in 2019, so she jumped right into research, learning, and early intervention services. Her small school district in Minnesota began their involvement with Cooper right after his diagnosis at six weeks of age, and Beth cannot imagine where they would be without their amazing support system. 

Show Highlights:

• How early intervention happened for Beth’s son with phenomenal support
• How and why Beth wrote her book, The ABCs of Inclusion
• How Beth and another parent (from Instagram) host a podcast for parents of kids with hearing loss
• Why it’s important to read inclusive books to kids at early ages

Links/Resources:

Connect with Beth: Website, Book

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, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

Facebook

Instagram–We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us there and send us your questions!

Twitter

IEP website

Email us: [email protected]

As a much-needed tangent from our eligibility series, today’s topic is manifestation determination meetings. We have mentioned it in previous episodes in passing, but we will take a closer look in today’s episode. We will discuss what it is, how it relates to eligibility, and what it means for schools and parents. Join us to learn more!

Show Highlights:

• What the law says about misbehavior and manifestation determination of a student with an IEP
• Why a manifestation determination meeting is essentially another kind of IEP meeting
• Why an assessment should be done prior to a manifestation determination meeting to evaluate the student’s history, circumstances, etc. 
• How behaviors should be evaluated in terms of the child’s disabilities, regardless of their eligibility category
• What the law allows school districts to do in determining if a behavior is a manifestation of the student’s disability
• How the manifestation determination meeting can lead to a new placement for the child and/or expulsion
• What parents should do when in crisis about their IEP student’s behavior

Links/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, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

Facebook

Instagram–We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us there and send us your questions!

Twitter

IEP website

Email us: [email protected]

As we fight and advocate daily for equity and inclusivity in education for ALL children, we can’t overlook the needs of those with physical disabilities. What could be more important than making disability-competent healthcare accessible to everyone? Our guest, Chanda Hinton, joins us today to discuss the importance of medical rights and how ONE person can make a difference and effect change. Join us to learn more!

Chanda Hinton is a disability advocate and the founder of the Chanda Center for Health in Denver, CO. Their mission is to deliver, advocate, and educate for integrative therapy and other services to improve health equity and outcomes for individuals with physical disabilities. Though the center works with all disabilities, they specialize in serving those with spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and spina bifida. 

Show Highlights:

• Chanda’s spinal cord injury and paralysis from childhood set her up to be the perfect disability rights advocate
• How the center provides strong, disability-competent healthcare for the disabled–all under one roof with attention to every one of their special needs
• Why the keyword in advocating for disability rights is access
• Many people think there is nothing they can do to effect change in the current system—and why that’s WRONG
• Get started as an advocate to bring change
• Chanda’s advice about using advocacy and cooperation to make a difference

Links/Resources:

Connect with Chanda and the Chanda Center for Health: Website and Email

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, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

Facebook

Instagram–We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us here and send us your questions!

Twitter

IEP website

Email us: [email protected] 

This is your friendly reminder (again) that the school year is winding down, so make those appointments for IEP meetings and such before the time passes.

In today’s show, we are joined by AJ Crabill to discuss why school boards exist and what their purpose is. He has written a book about school boards and how we can make them better. This is a fundamental topic that affects the education of our children. Join us to learn more!

AJ Crabill works with schools across the country to help deploy student-led restorative practices. He invites schools to rethink how behavior is addressed and taught, and he works with superintendents and school boards at the governance and senior management layer to be intensely focused on improving student outcomes. He also helps schools be more strategic in the deployment of resources to be more student-centric. 

Show Highlights:

• Why do school systems exist? To improve student outcomes
• What is the role of the school board? To represent the vision and values of the community in the context of education
• How school boards and administrators spend time, energy, and money on issues that are NOT improving student outcomes
• Why diversity matters in representing the vision and values of communities
• Where parents can start in getting to know their school board
• Why it is powerful to push for change against the status quo
• How many states have no training unique to those elected to be school board members—they are in systems that are setting them up to fail!

Links/Resources:

AJ Crabill’s book: Great on Their Behalf: Why School Boards Fail, How Yours Can Become Effective

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, then please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, or Google Play. It helps other listeners find this show.

Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions/concerns:

Facebook

Instagram–We are doing videos on Instagram, so connect with us here and send us your questions!

Twitter

IEP website

Email us: [email protected]