You sit down to plan your week, look at your caseload, and immediately feel the pressure. Communication goals. Reading fluency. Fine motor. Math facts. Social skills. Behavior. All of it matters. But how are you supposed to work on everything without burning out?

In this episode Stephanie tackles the question every special educator asks at some point: How do we actually prioritize IEP goals when time, staffing, and student needs are pulling us in ten different directions?

The truth is you cannot target every goal at once. And that is not failure. It is strategy. Prioritizing the right goals at the right time is what moves you from survival mode to impact mode.

In this episode Stephanie covers:

• How to identify and sequence foundational skills that unlock other IEP goals

• Simple systems like task boxes, team communication, and shared goal awareness to create consistency

• A practical classroom rotation model to maximize limited time and focus on high impact priorities

Prioritizing IEP goals is not about doing less. It is about doing what matters most first. You are not failing your students because you cannot hit every goal every day.

Check out the IEP Matrix: https://www.theintentionaliep.com/the-iep-matrix/

Learn how to use IEP Work Bins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um2CoF6KaQw

Not a member? Join Today — you can get 50% off your first month of membership https://products.theintentionaliep.com/tii-membership-50off1stmonth-podcast/

For more information, check out more of Stephanie's resources:

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/the-intentional-iep-book/

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/

https://www.facebook.com/theintentionaliep

https://www.instagram.com/theintentionaliep

Stephanie brings listeners into one of the most important skills we can teach our students independence. It’s not about making our lives easier or stepping back because we’re tired. It’s about helping students gain confidence, take initiative, and develop the skills they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom.

In this episode, she shares practical strategies to guide students toward doing more on their own while supporting their growth along the way.

Stephanie covers

• Why independence matters for students’ confidence and learning

• How to start in the zone of proximal development and scaffold effectively

• Using prompting hierarchies and fading support over time

• Modeling skills, repeating, and helping students generalize across settings

• Allowing students to make mistakes and learn from them

By the end of this episode, you’ll have concrete ideas for helping students take the lead, step back just enough to let them try, and celebrate the small wins that show real progress.

Stephanie reminds us that every step toward independence matters and that with intentional support, students can achieve more than we often realize.

Not a member? Join Today — you can get 50% off your first month of membership https://products.theintentionaliep.com/tii-membership-50off1stmonth-podcast/

For more information, check out more of Stephanie's resources:

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/the-intentional-iep-book/

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/

https://www.facebook.com/theintentionaliep

https://www.instagram.com/theintentionaliep

In this episode, Stephanie shares the books she returns to again and again — resources that have helped her understand IEPs, advocate confidently, partner with schools, and support children with special needs in real and meaningful ways.

Top 6 Books:

The Intentional IEP Book

The Special Needs School Survival Guide

Parents and Professionals Partnering for Children with Disabilities: The Dance That Matters

Wrightslaw: All About IEPs

Your Special Education Rights: What Your School District Isn’t Telling You

The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed

Have you ever had a student master an IEP goal, only to come back later and realize that skill didn’t stick?

In this episode, Stephanie talks through why skill regression happens after mastery and what teachers can do to maintain IEP goals in ways that actually fit into the school day. This conversation focuses on keeping skills active, supporting generalization, and helping students carry what they’ve learned beyond a single setting or moment.

In this episode, Stephanie covers

1. why mastered skills fade without intentional maintenance
2. how to keep IEP goals active through daily routines
3. ways to support retention and re engagement after breaks

Mastery is not the finish line. When skills are maintained, students are more likely to use what they know with confidence and independence.

Not a member? Join Today — you can get 50% off your first month of membership https://products.theintentionaliep.com/tii-membership-50off1stmonth-podcast/

For more information, check out more of Stephanie's resources:

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/the-intentional-iep-book/

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/

https://www.facebook.com/theintentionaliep

https://www.instagram.com/theintentionaliep

One short paragraph can make or break an IEP. And yet impact statements are often rushed, copied forward, or treated like filler.

In this episode Stephanie breaks down IEP impact statements in a way that actually makes them useful, meaningful, and legally sound. You’ll learn what an impact statement really is, why it matters so much, and how to write one that clearly connects a student’s disability to their educational needs.

We cover:

1. What an IEP impact statement is (and what it is not)
2. Why impact statements are the bridge between eligibility and services
3. The exact data you need before you start writing
4. Simple sentence starters and plug and play templates you can reuse
5. Real world examples that show what strong impact statements look like
6. Where impact statements belong in the IEP

You’ll also hear reflection prompts to help you evaluate whether your current impact statements actually explain why the rest of the IEP exists.

This episode is perfect for special education teachers, case managers, and IEP team members who want to move beyond compliance language and write statements that truly reflect the student sitting in front of them.

If this episode helped bring clarity, share it with a teammate or a newer teacher who’s still figuring out how all the IEP pieces fit together.

Not a member? Join Today — you can get 50% off your first month of membership https://products.theintentionaliep.com/tii-membership-50off1stmonth-podcast/

For more information, check out more of Stephanie's resources:

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/the-intentional-iep-book/

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/

https://www.facebook.com/theintentionaliep

https://www.instagram.com/theintentionaliep

Whether you’re a veteran teacher, a parent, or brand new to special education, the law matters. It shapes eligibility decisions, service delivery, and what happens when teams disagree. Understanding it is not optional, and it does not have to feel overwhelming either.

In this episode, Ashley Barlow, attorney and advocate, breaks down IDEA in clear, practical terms.

We cover eligibility, district responsibilities, the biggest mistakes schools make, and how parents and teachers can challenge assessments and decisions. Real-world advice you can use right now to feel confident at the IEP table.

Not a member? Join Today — you can get 50% off your first month of membership https://products.theintentionaliep.com/tii-membership-50off1stmonth-podcast/

For more information, check out more of Stephanie's resources:

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/the-intentional-iep-book/

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/

https://www.facebook.com/theintentionaliep

https://www.instagram.com/theintentionaliep

Stephanie breaks down LRE and why most of what we assume about placement is wrong. LRE isn’t about keeping students in general education or giving “less support.” It’s about creating the environment where each student can make real progress with the supports they need.

In this episode, Stephanie covers:

1. What LRE really means and why one-size-fits-all placement doesn’t work
2. The LRE continuum, from general education with supports to specialized programs, with real examples
3. How placement decisions should be based on data, student needs, and meaningful growth—not convenience or fear

By the end of this episode, you’ll have clarity on how LRE works and practical insight to make confident, informed decisions that truly support students’ growth.

And don’t forget — you can get 50% off your first month of membership https://products.theintentionaliep.com/tii-membership-50off1stmonth-podcast/

For more information, check out more of Stephanie's resources:

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/the-intentional-iep-book/

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/

https://www.facebook.com/theintentionaliep

https://www.instagram.com/theintentionaliep

In this episode, Stephanie breaks down the top 5 misconceptions about student behavior and shows you how to respond in ways that actually work. You’ll learn why kids aren’t “just seeking attention,” why it’s not defiance, and why punishment alone won’t stop behavior.

Stephanie shares simple, actionable strategies you can use immediately, from tracking what happens before a behavior with an ABC sticky note to pairing consequences with teachable moments, all while keeping connection first.

If there’s one behavior that’s been driving you crazy, this episode will help you see it differently, respond with confidence, and remember that behavior is communication.

ABC Behavior Sticky Note

Endless Bundle of Data Sheets

And don’t forget — you can get 50% off your first month of membership https://products.theintentionaliep.com/tii-membership-50off1stmonth-podcast/

For more information, check out more of Stephanie's resources:

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/the-intentional-iep-book/

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/

https://www.facebook.com/theintentionaliep

https://www.instagram.com/theintentionaliep

If no one has told you lately, you’re doing the impossible every day. This episode of The Intentional IEP Podcast is a reminder of the incredible work special education teachers do. Whether you’re navigating IEPs, managing behaviors, or just figuring it all out as you go, this episode is for you.

Special education teachers aren’t “just” teachers. You are advocates, difference makers, and lifelines. You interpret neurodiversity, translate behavior, and bridge the gap between “what is” and “what could be.” You notice what others miss, hold space for what others don’t understand, and create opportunities for students to succeed even when the system makes it hard.

In this episode, Stephanie:

• Highlights the unseen impact special education teachers have on students’ lives
• Celebrates the creative problem-solving and innovation required every day in the classroom
• Reminds teachers that their work—advocacy, differentiation, coaching, and collaboration is transformative
• Offers encouragement and perspective for moments of overwhelm and self-doubt

This episode is a reminder that your work matters, even when it isn’t recognized or celebrated. You’re not just teaching...you’re changing lives, building bridges, and giving students a voice.

And don’t forget — you can get 50% off your first month of membership https://products.theintentionaliep.com/tii-membership-50off1stmonth-podcast/

For more information, check out more of Stephanie's resources:

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/the-intentional-iep-book/

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/

https://www.facebook.com/theintentionaliep

https://www.instagram.com/theintentionaliep

What if the most powerful thing a student learned wasn’t academic but how to speak up for themselves? In this episode of The Intentional IEP Podcast, Stephanie explores what self-advocacy looks like in practice and how it can be taught at every age.

Self-advocacy is a skill that helps students understand their needs, know their rights, and take action to access supports in school, work, and daily life. Starting early builds confidence, independence, and the ability to navigate real-world situations.

In this episode, Stephanie:

1. Shares strategies for elementary students to name their needs and ask trusted adults for help
2. Offers ways for middle school students to explain accommodations and manage supports
3. Provides approaches for high school students to take ownership of their IEPs, participate in meetings, and prepare for real-world advocacy
4. Gives tips for integrating self-advocacy into everyday classroom routines and small, practical steps

Stephanie provides actionable strategies teachers can use immediately to help students build confidence, independence, and the skills to speak up for themselves.

And don’t forget — you can get 50% off your first month of membership https://products.theintentionaliep.com/tii-membership-50off1stmonth-podcast/

For more information, check out more of Stephanie's resources:

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/the-intentional-iep-book/

https://www.theintentionaliep.com/

https://www.facebook.com/theintentionaliep

https://www.instagram.com/theintentionaliep