Special Ed Rising; No Parent Left Behind

SPECIAL ED RISING: NO PARENT LEFT BEHIND

Episode Description

Disability rights are human rights—and the decisions made in Washington have a direct impact on the lives of people with disabilities and the families who support them.

In this episode, Mark Ingrassia draws on nearly four decades of experience working with children and families to examine what's at stake for the disability community as we approach the elections.

From changes to the Department of Education and concerns about IDEA and Section 504 oversight to proposed Medicaid reductions and the future of essential community services, Mark explores how federal policies can affect education, healthcare, independence, and civil rights.

He also discusses why congressional elections matter, the role of Congress in protecting disability services, and why voters need to look beyond campaign promises and examine candidates' records.

Mark shares why he is supporting Democrats, expressing concern that the Trump administration's policies are putting essential services and hard-won disability protections at risk.

This is more than a political conversation. It's about equality, opportunity, dignity, and the future of disability rights in America.

• The Department of Education: What restructuring could mean for special education oversight and accountability.
• IDEA: Why federal protections for students with disabilities must be supported and enforced.
• Section 504: The importance of protecting students and individuals from disability discrimination.
• Federal Oversight: How agency changes and staffing reductions could make it harder for families to resolve violations of their rights.
• Medicaid: Why Medicaid is a lifeline for therapies, personal care, behavioral health services, medical equipment, and independent living.
• The ADA and Civil Rights: Why protections must be backed by meaningful enforcement.
• Congressional Elections: Why control of the House and Senate matters when it comes to disability policy and federal funding.
• The 2026 Elections: Why Mark is supporting Democrats and urging voters to consider the consequences of their choices.

For families raising children with disabilities, access to education, healthcare, therapies, and support services isn't optional. These resources can shape a child's future and determine whether individuals with disabilities can live independently and participate fully in their communities.

When these services are threatened, families carry the burden.

Mark makes the case that disability rights must remain a national priority—and that voting is one way we can hold elected officials accountable.

Look beyond the slogans. Look at the policies. Look at the voting records.

The future of disability rights depends on leaders who understand that special education, healthcare, accessibility, and community support are essential—not extras.

Disability rights, special education, IDEA, Section 504, Medicaid, Department of Education, Trump administration, disability advocacy, ADA, healthcare access, independent living, disability services, congressional elections, voting, Democrats, parent advocacy, Special Ed Rising.

specialedrising.com

Shellee Howard, a renowned college and education consultant, shares insights on navigating the complex transition from high school to college, especially for students with IEPs and special needs. This episode offers practical guidance for parents to advocate effectively and secure funding and accommodations for their children.

keywordscollege planning, IEP, special needs, scholarships, college admissions, advocacy, education consulting, college readiness, financial aid, parent guidance

key topics

• The importance of early IEP evaluation and advocacy
• Strategies for navigating college admissions with special needs
• How to find and secure scholarships for unique student profiles
• The role of independent evaluations in college readiness
• Managing the financial aspects of college for students with disabilities
• Building a support team for college success
• The impact of social media and self-awareness on college prospects
• Resources and tools for parents to advocate effectively

Sound Bites

• "Parents need constant reminders and resources"
• "Start the IEP process early in high school"
• "There is a college for everyone, if you know where to look"

Chapters

00:00Introduction and episode overview

01:58Shellee Howard's background and expertise

03:48Challenges faced by parents of students with IEPs

05:57The importance of early evaluation and advocacy

09:01Understanding college accommodations and services

11:57The role of independent evaluations in college prep

14:59Starting the transition early in high school

18:11Helping students discover their gifts and passions

20:51Addressing social media and self-identity issues

24:04Choosing the right college environment and support

27:00Exploring career options and undecided students

29:47Financial planning, scholarships, and resources

32:56The importance of advocacy and resourcefulness

35:47Building a support team and community resources

38:53Addressing the future and college alternatives

41:58Encouraging proactive parent involvement

45:09Success stories and scholarship opportunities

46:48Special offers and final advice

48:09Closing remarks and podcast info

Shellee Howard links: www.collegereadyplan.info and collegereadyplan.com/resources

specialedrising.com

Ray's Respite Care Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/f/join-rays-respite-care-mission

When a child experiences significant behavioral challenges, families and educators can find themselves caught in a cycle of incidents, phone calls, meetings, and frustration. But what if we shifted the conversation from blame to understanding, from reacting to preventing, and from simply documenting behavior to teaching skills that help children communicate, participate, and grow?

In this episode of Special Ed Rising: No Parent Left Behind, Mark Ingrassia explores how parents, caregivers, teachers, and school teams can work together to understand behavioral patterns, support difficult transitions, teach functional communication, interpret data responsibly, and build more consistent responses across home and school.

The episode also examines what research tells us about functional communication training, visual supports, and collaboration during school transitions. The central message is that evidence-informed strategies must be individualized, implemented thoughtfully, and evaluated to determine whether they are helping the child.

This is a conversation about accountability with compassion, safety with dignity, and the shared responsibility adults have to help children learn and thrive.

Research discussed: Walker, Lyon, Loman, and Sennott (2018), A systematic review of Functional Communication Training (FCT) interventions involving augmentative and alternative communication in school settings, Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Fontil and colleagues (2020), Barriers to and Facilitators of Successful Early School Transitions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Developmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Mouzakes and colleagues (2025), A Closer Examination of the Visual Schedule Component of Interventions to Improve Transitions, Behavioral Interventions.

Listener reflection: What is one change that could help your home-school team move from responding to difficult moments toward preventing them and building skills together?

speciledrising.com

Ray's Respite Care: https://www.gofundme.com/f/join-rays-respite-care-mission

What happens when a child with a disability enters the foster care system?

In this episode of Special Ed Rising: No Parent Left Behind, Mark Ingrassia explores the unique challenges children with disabilities can face in foster care, including longer stays, multiple placement changes, and increased use of group homes or institutional settings.

Inspired by NPR reporting by Joseph Shapiro, Mark looks at the impact of trauma, autism, intellectual disabilities, complex medical needs, and behavioral-health challenges—and asks whether the system is equipped to truly understand and support these children.

The conversation also examines how families can reach a crisis point when they cannot access the respite, behavioral, medical, and community supports their child needs. Sometimes, “I can't do this anymore” really means, “I've been doing this alone for years, and I desperately need help.”

Mark discusses the story of Christian Williams, a 15-year-old with Type 1 diabetes and behavioral-health challenges who died while living in a therapeutic group home, raising important questions about whether children with complex needs are being placed in settings equipped to care for them.

The episode explores the importance of family connections, kinship care, better coordination between schools, medical providers, caregivers, and child-welfare agencies, and listening to former foster youth about what children actually experience.

Most importantly, this is a conversation about changing the way we think about children with disabilities in foster care.

Maybe the goal shouldn't be to make children fit the system. Maybe the goal is to build a system that can fit the child.

Because every child deserves to be understood before they're judged, supported before they're punished, and connected before they're corrected.

In This Episode:

• Children with disabilities in foster care
• Placement instability and trauma
• Behavioral-health and complex medical needs
• Families reaching crisis without adequate support
• Custody relinquishment and disability-related needs
• Christian Williams' story
• Kinship and family connections
• Coordination across schools, healthcare, and child welfare
• Listening to former foster youth
• Building a foster-care system that fits the child

Reporting Discussed: Joseph Shapiro, NPR

specialedrising.com

Ray's Respite Care: What happens when a child with a disability enters the foster care system?

In this episode of Special Ed Rising: No Parent Left Behind, Mark Ingrassia explores the unique challenges children with disabilities can face in foster care, including longer stays, multiple placement changes, and increased use of group homes or institutional settings.

Inspired by NPR reporting by Joseph Shapiro, Mark looks at the impact of trauma, autism, intellectual disabilities, complex medical needs, and behavioral-health challenges—and asks whether the system is equipped to truly understand and support these children.

The conversation also examines how families can reach a crisis point when they cannot access the respite, behavioral, medical, and community supports their child needs. Sometimes, “I can't do this anymore” really means, “I've been doing this alone for years, and I desperately need help.”

Mark discusses the story of Christian Williams, a 15-year-old with Type 1 diabetes and behavioral-health challenges who died while living in a therapeutic group home, raising important questions about whether children with complex needs are being placed in settings equipped to care for them.

The episode explores the importance of family connections, kinship care, better coordination between schools, medical providers, caregivers, and child-welfare agencies, and listening to former foster youth about what children actually experience.

Most importantly, this is a conversation about changing the way we think about children with disabilities in foster care.

Maybe the goal shouldn't be to make children fit the system. Maybe the goal is to build a system that can fit the child.

Because every child deserves to be understood before they're judged, supported before they're punished, and connected before they're corrected.

In This Episode:

• Children with disabilities in foster care
• Placement instability and trauma
• Behavioral-health and complex medical needs
• Families reaching crisis without adequate support
• Custody relinquishment and disability-related needs
• Christian Williams' story
• Kinship and family connections
• Coordination across schools, healthcare, and child welfare
• Listening to former foster youth
• Building a foster-care system that fits the child

Reporting Discussed: Joseph Shapiro, NPR

specialedrising.com

Ray's Respite Care: What happens when a child with a disability enters the foster care system?

In this episode of Special Ed Rising: No Parent Left Behind, Mark Ingrassia explores the unique challenges children with disabilities can face in foster care, including longer stays, multiple placement changes, and increased use of group homes or institutional settings.

Inspired by NPR reporting by Joseph Shapiro, Mark looks at the impact of trauma, autism, intellectual disabilities, complex medical needs, and behavioral-health challenges—and asks whether the system is equipped to truly understand and support these children.

The conversation also examines how families can reach a crisis point when they cannot access the respite, behavioral, medical, and community supports their child needs. Sometimes, “I can't do this anymore” really means, “I've been doing this alone for years, and I desperately need help.”

Mark discusses the story of Christian Williams, a 15-year-old with Type 1 diabetes and behavioral-health challenges who died while living in a therapeutic group home, raising important questions about whether children with complex needs are being placed in settings equipped to care for them.

The episode explores the importance of family connections, kinship care, better coordination between schools, medical providers, caregivers, and child-welfare agencies, and listening to former foster youth about what children actually experience.

Most importantly, this is a conversation about changing the way we think about children with disabilities in foster care.

Maybe the goal shouldn't be to make children fit the system. Maybe the goal is to build a system that can fit the child.

Because every child deserves to be understood before they're judged, supported before they're punished, and connected before they're corrected.

In This Episode:

• Children with disabilities in foster care
• Placement instability and trauma
• Behavioral-health and complex medical needs
• Families reaching crisis without adequate support
• Custody relinquishment and disability-related needs
• Christian Williams' story
• Kinship and family connections
• Coordination across schools, healthcare, and child welfare
• Listening to former foster youth
• Building a foster-care system that fits the child

Reporting Discussed: Joseph Shapiro, NPR

specialedrising.com

Ray's Respite Care: https://www.gofundme.com/f/join-rays-respite-care-mission

In this episode of Special Ed Rising: No Parent Left Behind, we explore the transformative power of inclusive theater with ArtStream, a nonprofit creating opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to perform, create, collaborate, and tell their own stories.

Joining me are Hayley Cutler, MFA, Artistic Director of ArtStream, and Adrian Forsythe, an ArtStream performer since its founding in 2005 who is entering his 21st season.

keywords inclusive theater, disability arts, community building, improvisation, original productions, arts and advocacy, peer support, arts education, accessibility in arts, creative collaboration

key topics

• The history and mission of Artstream
• The process of devising original theater with actors with disabilities
• The role of improvisation and collaboration in artistic development
• The impact of inclusive arts on community and confidence
• The integration of families and support networks in arts programs
• The importance of authentic representation and 'nothing about us without us'
• The growth of actors from beginners to professionals
• The benefits of arts for advocacy and self-expression

Sound Bites

• "Every piece is original, every story is unique"
• "Nothing about us without us"
• "Everyone deserves a chance to perform their art"

Chapters

00:00Introduction to Artstream and its mission

01:57The process of creating original inclusive theater

09:50The role of improvisation and collaboration

19:56Impact on actors' confidence and community

30:00Family involvement and community support

39:59The growth of actors and the importance of authentic representation

49:56Future aspirations and performances around the world

Website: https://art-stream.org/

Specialedrising.com

Ray's Respite Care: https://www.gofundme.com/f/join-rays-respite-care-mission

In this episode, January Addison Lare shares her insights on navigating special education, advocating for children, and building collaborative relationships between families and schools. Her personal experiences and professional expertise offer valuable guidance for parents, educators, and advocates.

special education, advocacy, IEP meetings, parent-school collaboration, disability support, education system, guardianship, Medicaid, family advocacy

• The importance of relationship building in IEP meetings
• Strategies for parents to advocate effectively
• The role of advocates in special education
• Impact of policy changes on families and services
• Guardianship and long-term planning for individuals with disabilities
• The need for systemic change in education and advocacy

January Addison Lare

Educational & Family Advocacy Consultant

Founder, Empowered to Thrive LLC

📞 785-513-9735

📧 [email protected]

🌐 empoweredtothriveconsulting.com

📍 811 S 1st Street, Atwood, KS 67730

• “Fake it till you make it.”
• “Parents want someone to listen.”
• “Treat it accordingly.”

00:00 — Introduction and guest background

324:55:32 — Personal journey and name origin

6388:49:06 — Experience in special education and advocacy

14972:09:33 — Guardianship and long-term planning for loved ones

28555:30:07 — Impact of policy changes on services and families

352777:43:44 — Entering IEP meetings: Building relationships

380833:17:10 — Preparing for effective meetings and collaboration

453611:04:09 — The role of advocates and communication tips

535277:44:32 — Addressing systemic challenges and future outlook

🌐 Empowered to Thrive Consulting

📧 [email protected]

📞 785-513-9735

specialedrising.com

Ray's Respite Care: https://www.gofundme.com/f/join-rays-respite-care-mission

Special Ed Rising: No Parent Left Behind

“How was school today?”

“Fine.”

Sound familiar?

In this episode, Mark Ingrassia turns the Back-to-School Feelings Game Show into a year-round tool for helping kids talk about what’s really happening at school.

Using fun rounds like the Weather Report, Feelings Meter, Worry Button, Pause Button, Backpack Question, Superpower Round, and Surprise Round, parents can help their children identify feelings, recognize challenges, ask for help, and think about solutions.

Mark also explains how to adapt the game for nonspeaking children and children who communicate using AAC, pictures, signs, gestures, pointing, objects, or other communication methods.

The goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety. It’s to help children understand that feelings are information and that communication is always welcome.

The game is the vehicle. Communication is the goal.

For parent coaching, workshops, and resources, visit specialedrising.com.

Special Ed Rising: No Parent Left Behind.

Ray's Respite Care: https://www.gofundme.com/f/join-rays-respite-care-mission

In this episode of Special Ed Rising: No Parent Left Behind, Mark Ingrassia examines recent claims from President Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggesting a connection between vaccines and autism.

Mark asks a simple question: Where’s the evidence?

The episode looks at decades of research involving hundreds of thousands of children, including large studies, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews examining the MMR vaccine, thimerosal, and vaccination more broadly. The research has consistently found no evidence that vaccines cause autism.

Mark also discusses why rising autism diagnoses do not automatically establish a cause, the retraction of the original 1998 vaccine-autism study, and the importance of distinguishing legitimate scientific questions from conclusions made before the evidence is available.

Most importantly, this conversation is about families. Parents need accurate information, qualified professionals, meaningful services, and support—not fear, confusion, or unnecessary guilt.

We should continue researching autism. We should ask difficult questions. But we also have to be willing to follow the evidence.

• Trump and RFK Jr.'s claims about vaccines and autism
• What decades of research actually show
• The MMR vaccine and autism
• Thimerosal and vaccine safety
• Why autism prevalence alone doesn't establish causation
• The impact of misinformation on families
• What policymakers should be focusing on instead

Don't follow the person. Follow the evidence.

• Hviid et al. (2019), Annals of Internal Medicine — Nationwide study of MMR vaccination and autism involving more than 650,000 children. MMR Vaccination and Autism: Nationwide Cohort Study
• Madsen et al. (2002), New England Journal of Medicine — Population-based study examining MMR vaccination and autism in more than 500,000 children. Population-Based Study of MMR Vaccination and Autism
• Taylor, Swerdfeger & Eslick (2014), Vaccine — Meta-analysis of cohort and case-control studies examining vaccines and autism. Vaccines Are Not Associated With Autism: Meta-Analysis
• DeStefano & Shimabukuro (2019), Annual Review of Virology — Review of the evidence surrounding the MMR vaccine and autism. The MMR Vaccine and Autism
• Price et al. (2010), Pediatrics — Study examining prenatal and infant exposure to thimerosal and autism risk. Prenatal and Infant Exposure to Thimerosal and Autism
• World Health Organization (2025) — Global expert review reaffirming that available evidence does not show a causal relationship between vaccines and autism. WHO: Vaccines and Autism Evidence Review
• Autism Science Foundation — Evidence-based information and research on vaccines and autism. Autism Science Foundation: Autism and Vaccines
• Disability Scoop (August 12, 2026) — Michelle Diament, “Doctors, Advocates Call Out Trump For Claims About Autism.” Disability Scoop: Doctors, Advocates Call Out Trump For Claims About Autism

Visit specialedrising.com for more resources and information.

Question everything. Demand evidence. Listen to autistic people. No Parent Left Behind.

In this episode, Matthew Alexander shares his inspiring journey of founding a travel agency dedicated to supporting families with children who have special needs, including autism. He discusses the importance of accessible travel, how to plan inclusive vacations, and the transformative benefits of travel for individuals with disabilities.

keywordsaccessible travel, autism, special needs, family vacations, travel planning, inclusive travel, disability accommodations, travel tips, autism travel, travel with special needs

key topics

• The origin of Matthew Alexander's travel agency supporting families with special needs
• The importance of understanding autism from a first-hand perspective
• How travel can positively impact individuals with disabilities
• Key questions families should ask for accessible accommodations
• The role of partnerships and relationships in providing accessible travel options
• Innovative solutions for accessible travel including hotels, airlines, and cruises
• The significance of planning and communication in accessible travel
• Resources and programs that support travelers with hidden disabilities

Sound Bites

• "Travel can be transformative for people with disabilities."
• "Understanding autism from a first-hand perspective helps create better travel experiences."
• "Accessible travel is about more than just wheelchairs; it includes medications, sensory needs, and emotional support."

Website https:Professional Accessible Travel Hub

https://specialedrising.com/

Ray's Respite Care: https://www.gofundme.com/f/join-rays-respite-care-mission

In this episode I’ll be presenting some resource links and information to support you in parenting your child with exceptional needs.