Parental Guidance

Catherine and Carla share all about advocates.

Catherine and Carla talk about a Free Appropriate Public Education. (FAPE)

Carla and Catherine are thrilled to bring their first guest onto the podcast. Tune in to listen to Kim talk about how she and her family are managing remote instruction for her 3 boys, one of which has a disability.

Catherine and Carla talk about what to do when you're district only provides distance learning or your child can't safely return to face-to-face learning. They also discuss the case of the student in Georgia who was suspended for sharing a photo of the school's crowded hallways.

In this first episode of a multi-part series, Catherine and Carla discuss the pandemic that has rocked the world, as we prepare for the 2020-2021 school year.

Carla and Catherine talk about ADHD in the home and at school and share a story about losing your one set of car keys during a monsoon!

If you're getting advice through online forums on how to handle IEP meetings, you need to listen to this episode. While you can get some good advice through these forums, you can also be steered very wrong. In this episode, Carla and Catherine talk about how to use online advice for what it is, but when to seek advice from an advocate or attorney.

Carla and Catherine share more helpful information for parents going into the summer.

Catherine and Carla discuss Extended School Year Services and how to work with your District to get appropriate ESY services for your child.

Catherine and Carla discuss different educational methodologies, what they are and how much input parent's can have in what methodologies are used for their child.

Carla and Catherine discuss when to consider bringing an educational advocate to the IEP table and how to ensure the they have the appropriate expertise to navigate the process with you.

FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) can sometimes be confusing. Carla and Catherine start to break it down in this episode.

Carla and Catherine discuss school voucher programs or special needs scholarships and how they can be misused by school systems. You will not find this with a google search.

Carla and Catherine discuss the differences between school refusal and truancy, and how to get the school to address school refusal appropriately.

Carla and Catherine talk about your child's rights inside the school and what the school can and can't do.

Catherine and Carla discuss Fortnite fears and social media mayhem and share some important tips on keeping your kids safe online.

Catherine and Carla give some crucial advice for all parents as they head into an IEP meeting. These tips can't be found in your typical "google" IEP checklist. Don't miss this important episode!

Carla and Catherine delve into the complexity of predetermination, giving parents the tools to ensure that they are meaningful participants in the IEP process.

Catherine and Carla discuss how to ensure that expelled students do not fall further behind and how to ensure that the Interim Alternative Educational Placement is appropriate.

Catherine and Carla discuss teacher's rights when advocating for their students. If you are a teacher, a related services professional or anyone working in a school with students with disabilities, you can not miss this episode.

Catherine and Carla discuss the ins and outs of alternative interim educational settings, when it's permissible and appropriate and who makes the decisions.

Carla and Catherine talk about "Manifestation Hearings" and how to determine if your child's conduct is a manifestation of his or her disability, which would prevent the district from changing your child's educational placement for disciplinary reasons.

Catherine and Carla discuss suspensions and expulsions, student's due process rights and lament on the ineffectiveness of suspension and expulsion as a discipline measure.

In this episode, Catherine and Carla discuss discipline for students who are not identified for special education and when to know if they should receive the same protections as students who are identified.

Carla and Catherine kick off a multi-part series all about discipline.

Carla and Catherine share all that parents need to know about one of the most important opportunities available to students - Independent Educational Evaluations (or IEEs, for short.) Learn what they are and how to get one (at no cost to you) for your child!

Carla and Catherine discuss what general and special education parents need to know about transporting their children to and from school.

Carla and Catherine discuss what parents need to know about bullying to protect their children.

Carla and Catherine talk about what they think is one of the most important things for parents to school age children to remember! Knowledge is power and we're giving it to you!

Carla and Catherine discuss everything that parents everywhere NEED to know about 504s and IEPs. Knowledge is power and we're giving it to you!