Advocating for your child can feel overwhelming—even when you know a lot. In this episode, I come back to the roots of The Collaborative IEP and refocus on the advocacy side of special education.

I revisit the three skills I believe are essential to advocating successfully for your child: understanding special education law, understanding special education practice, and having strong advocacy and negotiation skills. While we’ve spent a lot of time on practice, this episode zeroes in on the third skill—negotiation.

I walk through a mediation strategy I use to avoid piecemeal decision-making and protect flexibility during negotiations. Using a real-world example, I explain why resolving issues one at a time can limit outcomes and how a more strategic, visual approach can lead to better results at the IEP table.

In this episode, I cover:

1. The three core skills every parent advocate needs
2. Why negotiation strategy matters in special education
3. How mediation works in special education disputes
4. A practical strategy for keeping all issues on the table during negotiation

If you’re feeling stuck, frustrated, or like you’re missing something in your advocacy, this episode will help you refocus on the skills that actually move the needle.