The Collaborative IEP

Are you ready to tackle IEP meetings with confidence and ease? 💪 In this week’s episode, I’m introducing something that’s going to change the game for parents and teachers: the IEP Guru Academy Videos!

What you’ll learn in this episode:

✨ How these short, focused videos meet YOUR needs.

✨ The practical strategies, workbooks, and tools they offer.

✨ Why they’re perfect for busy parents and educators who want quick, effective solutions.

💡 Imagine walking into your next IEP meeting feeling prepared, calm, and ready to advocate for your child. These videos make it possible—and I’m breaking it all down for you in today’s episode!

We’re rebranding! After much thought and heart, I'm thrilled to introduce The Collaborative IEP—a brand that better reflects our mission to empower and support families and educators in navigating the IEP process together. 💪💙And that’s not all! To kick off this new chapter, I’m launching the IEP Guru Academy videos—short, affordable, and jam-packed with practical strategies designed to make your IEP advocacy journey easier. Each video is a powerful tool, helping you feel more prepared and confident without taking too much time out of your busy day. Catch all the details in this week's podcast episode, where I share why I made these changes, what you can expect from The Collaborative IEP, and a sneak peek into the new IEP Guru Academy videos.Tune in now and join me in this exciting next step!

We wrap up our 200th episode celebration today with one of your favorite repeat guests, Dr. Rachel Schwartz, and man did we ever have fun! Dr. Rachel and I set out with a loose idea of discussion topics, but what you really get in this episode is a discussion between someone who supports IEP teams in supporting students' behavior and an advocate who sees the trends when things go south. Dr. Rachel provides so many insights and strategies for common behavioral issues at schools - both how to support the student and how to advocate within IEP teams. We talk reinforcers, skill deficits, replacement behaviors, sensory process, belonging, and even shame!!!! That one blew my mind and made me want to re-read every Brene Brown book with my clients in mind! I know you'll love this episode!

Rachel Schwartz, Ph.D., BCBA-D, has worked internationally creating and supervising programs for individuals with disabilities. Her work as a consultant and trainer includes teaching behavior analytic strategies and exploring issues related to sexual education and quality of life. Dr. Schwartz has published original research on these topics in special education journals as well as presented at national, state, and local conferences. Through her work as a trainer and consultant with the Watson Institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr. Schwartz taps into more than 15 years of experience working in special education to empower students, families, and professionals.

Links: 

• The Watson Institute
• LinkedIn- The Watson Institute
• When Behavior Impedes Learning- ADDitude
• A Parent's Guide to Problem-Solving Problem Behaviors (ADDitude) 

When Pepper Stettler's daughter, Louisa, was first entering school, she was IQ tested. Pepper didn't think much of it... until the results came in. What happened next prompted Pepper to go on a years-long journey of research and discovery. Pepper assimilated the results of that into a book called A Measure of Intelligence: One Mother's Reckoning with the IQ Test, and boy is it ever good! In the book, Pepper explores not only the history of IQ testing but also the methodology of testing, the impact on people with disabilities, the impact on the special education system, and so much more. Pepper and I set out to answer some common interview questions, and even though I never read one questions during our interview, we answered all of them in an organic, excited conversation! That's my favorite kind of interview! If you've ever wondered about IQ testing, how it impacts eligibility, or how it affects special education, this is a must listen! Pepper's book can be found on Amazon or other booksellers!

Pepper Stetler is the author of A Measure of Intelligence: One Mother's Reckoning with the IQ Test. She writes extensively on issues facing people with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Slate, The Progressive, the Ploughshares blog and Gulf Coast. Pepper is a professor of Art History at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she lives with her husband and daughter Louisa.

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As we wrap up this 200th celebration In this inspiring episode, I sit down with my friend Mandi Jamison, whose daughter, Clara, has defied expectations. Clara, who has Down syndrome, was a varsity cheerleader and is now pursuing her dreams as a model. Mandi shares her journey as a dedicated advocate, working tirelessly to secure Clara's inclusion in extracurricular activities, academics, and cheerleading. Together, we discuss the challenges, triumphs, and the powerful impact of advocacy in creating opportunities for children with disabilities. You won't want to miss this uplifting story of perseverance and breaking barriers!

A dedicated stay-at-home mom of three—ages 21, 19, and 4—and proud cat owner to Poptart, I hold a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Xavier University. Married to my high school sweetheart, I love learning about photography, and stalking Google flights for travel deals.

Does your child experience demand avoidance? This episode is all about Pathological Demand Avoidance/Persistent Drive for Autonomy, and our guest is one of your favorites, not to mention MINE! Dr. Taylor Day is my go to on demand avoidance and drive or autonomy, and in this episode we dive a little deeper into PDA and what it means to support students that experience it. Taylor talks us through this concept of "non-negotiables," "shoulds," and "yets," one of the best pieces of behavior advice I have ever heard as a mom! I got so jazzed during this episode that I couldn't help but insert some advocacy advice. I find PDA so hard to navigate with school teams. and this conversation opened so many doors for me! Hope it helps you!

Dr. Taylor Day is a licensed psychologist specializing in neurodivergent affirming care for autistic children and their families, including very early diagnosis and early intervention. She has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and is the CEO and founder of Dr. Tay Concierge Clinical Care. Her practice integrates The Whole Family Approach, a process she created utilizing evidence-informed principles after seeing a gap in autism care. Her passion for child psychology and her focus on autism is in many ways tied to her own personal experience growing up with a brother who was diagnosed at 23 months of age.

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Free Support Guide for your PDA Child

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As we continue to celebrate our 200th episode, we welcome school-psych-turned-advocate, April Rehrig to the pod this week! April's been on the pod twice before, and you all have loved her. I think that's because she's a) so incredibly knowledgeable and b) really good at explaining hard stuff. Because April's a school psych, she's really good at special education eligibility and reading reports. That's why we had her talk about what to ask your school people about special education evaluations and how to do so. Join us for this crazy helpful episode... and join me in wishing April a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY today, too!!!!

April Rehrig is the founder of  Rise Educational Advocacy and Consulting, LLC. She spent over 20 years as a teacher and school psychologist before starting Rise. April is a Licensed Educational Psychologist and Board Certified Special Education Advocate. She’s a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist and Master IEP Coach©️. Rise offers Parent IEP Coaching , Teachers Pay Teachers Toolkits & Templates, Group Training, and DIY IEP Workshops. Follow April on Instagram @riseedadvocacy, YouTube at Rise Educational Advocacy, and book a Parent Consultation.  

Whenever we have a potty training expert come to our local Down syndrome association, spots fill up instantly. That's one of the reasons I was so drawn to Molly Johnson's account on IG years ago.

The other reason: She's just amazing! We hosted Molly back in Episode 136, and her episode was so popular that we invited her back to go Beyond the Basics in potty training! Molly makes things just so simple and reasonable. I know you'll love this episode.

Molly Johnson is an autism consultant, working with parents to reduce challenging behaviors and develop new skills. When working with parents, Molly helps families understand the reason for the barrier and how to move beyond that barrier. After years of being an autism teacher, it was clear that parents needed guidance on behaviors and skills at home. Molly now supports parents from all over the world to improve behaviors, skills, and advocacy.

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It's time to celebrate—200 episodes of Special Education Advocacy with Ashley Barlow!

In this special milestone episode, I’m answering YOUR questions! You all made me think, reflect, and grow, and I couldn’t be more grateful. 💙

Thank you to each and every one of you for tuning in, sharing your stories, and being such loyal listeners. It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m so honored to be part of your advocacy journey! Here’s to many more episodes together! 🎧✨

In today’s episode, I reference a few fan-favorite episodes:

• Episode 13: The Wright Way with THE Special Education Guru - Pete Wright We dove into the world of special education law with Pete Wright, a true legend in the advocacy community. His expertise and insights still resonate with advocates across the country.
• Episode 41: Equity, Inclusion, and More with Heather Avis from The Lucky Few This episode with Heather Avis sparked a powerful discussion about inclusion and belonging, as we explored the challenges and joys of true equity in education.
• Episodes 28, 29, & 30: Allllll Things Dyslexia with Daphne Corder Our three-part series with Daphne Corder was packed with actionable information about dyslexia. From early intervention to accommodations, we covered all the bases for parents and educators alike.
• Episode 17: Caroling for the Caregiver: Mind, Body, and Spirit with Kara Ryska A beautiful conversation with Kara Ryska about the importance of self-care for caregivers. This episode was a heartfelt reminder to prioritize our own well-being as we care for others.

Nobody has time for complicated, convoluted conversations about behavior supports at schools. When students struggle with behaviors, all members of IEP teams are left feeling frustrated, concerned, and exhausted. IEP teams need no-nonsense, effective, and efficient help supporting their students behaviorally, and the good news is that Dr. Annie McLaughlin is in this world. When I asked Dr. Annie where IEP teams should start with Behavior Supports, she said, "Believing that the child is trying to tell you something." Woah! What if we all started with mindset and communication? What if we all assumed positive intention from the child? What if we all looked for the need? Dr. Annie is the real deal, and in this episode she and I talk through behavior supports, collaboration amongst school teams, advocacy supports, and so much more! If you like Dr. Annie's episode, be sure to check out Episode 127 when I you first met her on our little pod!!!

Dr. Annie is a full time educational consultant in Maryland where she helps families navigate the IEP process as well as train school systems on best practices in Special Education and behavior analysis. She began her career as a special education teacher and behavior analyst in clinics and schools before transitioning full time to consulting and advocacy. She has three elementary and middle school aged children and enjoys gardening with them.

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