How do you know if your child is entitled to a special education evaluation? In this episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, breaks down the Child Find mandate under IDEA (34 CFR §300.111) and what it means...

f your child’s IEP feels incomplete, confusing, or delayed—you are not alone. In this episode of Ask the Advocate, Karen Mayer Cunningham tackles rapid-fire questions from parents, educators, and advocates facing real-world special edu...

What happens when a school tries to take away a diabetic student’s cell phone used for monitoring? Or when IEP goals are written at only the 20th percentile? Or when districts “table” evaluation requests for months?In this Ask the Ad...

What if girls learned early that their identity sits on an unshakeable foundation—not a number on a scale or a grade on a test?In this conversation, Karen sits down with Dr. Tiff Watson—performance coach, sports psych p...

SDI isn’t a buzzword—it’s the heart of special education. In this episode, Karen breaks down why special education = specially designed instruction (SDI), how SDI is different from accommodations, and the exact questions to ask ...

In this Related Services session, Karen Mayer Cunningham breaks down what IDEA really says about services that support a student’s access to FAPE—and how schools should write and deliver them.What we cover:Physica...

Karen Mayer Cunningham’s new book, The Epic IEP™: A Powerful Playbook for Parents, Educators, and Advocates Navigating the Special Education Process, is here! 📚This episode of Ask the Advocate is dedicated to unpacking ...

In this Ask the Advocate episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham—The Special Education Boss®—answers your most pressing special education questions with clarity, humor, and straight-to-the-point strategies you can take to the IEP or 504 table....

In Session 2 of our OSEP Letters series, Karen Mayer Cunningham—The Special Education Boss®—breaks down Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs): what they are, when to request one, who chooses the evaluator, how districts must respond...

Happy Monday, Advocates! In this Ask the Advocate episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham—The Special Education Boss®—tackles another round of rapid-fire questions from parents, teachers, and advocates across the country. From recess rights to...

Karen kicks off a multi-part series on must-know guidance letters from the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Today’s focus: the Dec 20, 2013 letter about twice-exceptional (2e) students and how states may—and may <...

What happens when a school tries to take away a diabetic student’s cell phone used for monitoring? Or when IEP goals are written at only the 20th percentile? Or when districts “table” evaluation requests for months?In this Ask the Ad...

Are your IEP meeting notes inaccurate? Has your child been placed on a 504 when you know an IEP is needed? Are you being told your student can’t get transportation or that grades prevent eligibility? You don’t know what you don’t know—but you n...

Are you sitting at the IEP or 504 table feeling unprepared, overwhelmed, or unsure of your rights? You don’t know what you don’t know—but you need to. In this Ask the Advocate episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, Th...

Paraprofessionals change lives—but confusion about their role can lead to serious violations. In this training, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, explains exactly what federal law requires so teams can support students proper...

New school year, clean slate. Before the meetings start, let’s get crystal clear on your reason (your “why”), your expected outcomes, and how you’ll get there—so your child actually receives an educational benefit (the standard in IDEA), not ju...

Do you know your rights? In this Ask the Advocate Q&A, Karen tackles the most common—and confusing—special education questions parents face, from eligibility and evaluations to services, placement, and what to do when the school says...

Feeling lost in the maze of special education? In this Ask the Advocate episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham answers rapid-fire questions about IEP signatures, extended school year (ESY), RTI, para support, compensatory time, evaluations, and more. ...

What is Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) — and why is it the foundation of special education?In this brand-new series, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, breaks down one of the most misunderstood (and misused...

It’s one of our most popular formats—rapid-fire Q&A straight from TikTok Live! In this episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, answers your biggest special education questions with her signature mix of clarity, humor, ...

In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham unpacks one of the most overlooked yet powerful safeguards in special education: Prior Written Notice (PWN).Most parents don’t realize that a PWN is not o...

It’s a Marvelous, Amazing Monday with Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, back with another Ask the Advocate episode!This week’s Q&A is packed with real parent and teacher questions covering IEP servi...

This week’s Ask the Advocate is packed with real questions from parents, teachers, and advocates across the country—and straight answers you won’t hear anywhere else.From Denton ISD removing a child’s Dexcom, to confusion around...

he U.S. Supreme Court has spoken—A.J.T. vs. Osseo Area Schools is now a landmark decision shaping the future of special education rights.In this powerful episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits dow...

What exactly is an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE), and when should you request one? In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham breaks down the facts about IEEs under IDEA and why they matter for parent...