Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham
The Special Education Boss® Podcast is where advocacy meets action. Join Karen Mayer Cunningham each week as she empowers parents and professionals to understand their rights, navigate the system, and show up strong at the IEP table.
Behavior Is Communication: Safety, Structure & Relationship with John Vergara
What if we stopped calling kids “difficult”… and started getting honest about what difficult behavior is really communicating?
In today’s episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with John Vergara (aka The Difficult Student) — an assistant principal over special education and one of the most impactful voices online when it comes to behavior, leadership, and building classroom culture that actually works.
John shares his personal story — from being the student with challenging behavior to becoming a leader supporting teachers, paraprofessionals, and IEP teams across two schools. This conversation is real, practical, and grounded in what help...
Ask the Advocate: Recording IEP Meetings, Paras, Inclusion, FAPE & Out-of-District Placement
This week’s Ask the Advocate is a fast-paced Q&A covering what parents and educators are dealing with right now: staffing shortages, messy “tier” conversations, behavior needs being dismissed, and districts trying to move too fast (or stall completely) when the child needs support.
🧑🏫 Staffing, Paras, and “Who’s Allowed to Do What”
Sub paras placed in self-contained/tier settings with no training—what to say and who to alertCan students be left alone with high school helpers?Can a short-term/long-term sub run a self-contained classroom for consecutive years?📚 IEP Process, Docum...
Ask the Advocate: Truancy, One-to-One Aides, LRE, and The Epic IEP Book
In this Ask the Advocate episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, Special Education Boss®, answers rapid-fire questions from parents, teachers, and advocates—and shares how her new book, The Epic IEP, gives you a clear roadmap to write and understand an IEP that actually serves the child.
Karen and Cindy dig into real situations from the IEP/504 table, including:
The Epic IEP & Pre-Order Bonuses – How the 7-part framework walks you through an IEP step by step, plus how to pre-order the book and unlock $500 in bonuses and group bundl...Ask the Advocate: IEP Data, 504 vs IEP, Behavior, RTI, and Comp Time Q&A
What do you do when the school’s “data” makes no sense, your child is stuck on a 504 instead of an IEP, or behavior is being blamed on your student instead of addressed in the plan? In this Ask the Advocate episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, The Special Education Boss®, is answering rapid-fire questions from parents, teachers, and paras who are in the thick of it every day.
All with humor, straight talk, and a whole lot of “you’re not crazy for asking.”
📚 The Epic IEP™ – Pre-Order + Bonuses
Karen’s new book, The Epic IEP<...
Cold Reads Don’t Lie: An Epic IEP Story Every Parent Needs to Hear
Today’s episode of The Epic IEP™ is a little bit longer — but you’re going to want to hear this. Karen Mayer Cunningham, The Special Education Boss®, shares a real IEP meeting where the school’s data didn’t match what the student could actually do at home. And the difference wasn’t small.
Karen walks through why she always brings her own data to the table — three cold reads, two cold writes, and a clear picture of the child’s real baseline. When the school claimed the student was reading 80 words correct per minute...
When Vision Minutes Go Wrong: How to Use Data to Fix an Epic IEP
Today’s episode of The Epic IEP™ is going to be a little bit longer — but you’re going to want to hear this. Karen Mayer Cunningham, The Special Education Boss®, shares a story that is funny, frustrating, fantastic, and absolutely essential for anyone sitting at an IEP table.
Karen walks you through a real meeting where a student with a vision impairment was receiving 15 minutes a semesterof “consult.” The team insisted it was enough. The paperwork looked “fine.” The VISIT form was “calculated.” But the child still wasn’t receiving the direct services he needed.
...Why Disagreement Isn’t Disrespect: A Real IEP Story
Today’s episode of The Epic IEP™ is a little longer — but you’re going to want to hear this. Karen Mayer Cunningham, The Special Education Boss®, shares a real IEP meeting where everything was “fine”… until the parent disagreed. And that’s when things got interesting.
Karen breaks down how a simple request — adding general education as an implementer on two IEP goals — turned into pushback, confusion, and the classic line: “I thought we were collaborating.” She explains why parents are equal stakeholders, why disagreement is normal, and why “collaboration” should never be used as pressure.
In...
Epic IEP Meetings Gone Wild: Services, LRE, Vision Minutes & Telling the Truth About Data
Today’s episode of The Epic IEP™ is a little longer — but you’re going to want to hear this. Karen Mayer Cunningham, The Special Education Boss®, breaks down a real IEP story that starts with “she’s doing fantastic” and ends with a fourth grader reading 13 words correct per minute and a team refusing resource for five meetings straight.
If you’ve ever sat at the table and wondered why services become the sticking point, this episode gives you clarity. Karen explains why the “why” doesn’t matter — power, control, personality, panic, excuses — none of it changes the team’s ob...
When “She’s Doing Fantastic” Isn’t True: The Resource Room Fight Every Parent Faces
Welcome back to The Epic IEP™, where we share stories that are funny, frustrating, and absolutely fantastic—because they really happen at the IEP table.
In today’s episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, Special Education Boss®, breaks down one of the most common battles in special education: getting a student the actual services they need.
This fourth grader was reading 13 words correct per minute (average is 120), had failed district and state assessments, and still the team insisted she was “doing fantastic.” After four meetings, the district finally agreed she needed resource—and five years la...
“He Has a Disability Every Day”: The Schedule-of-Services Fight You Won’t Believe
Welcome back to The Epic IEP™, where we share stories that are funny, frustrating, and absolutely fantastic — because they really happen at the IEP table.
In today’s episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, Special Education Boss®, walks into what should have been a routine meeting… and instead ends up in a debate about whether a student needs support every day or only three days a week— even though his disability exists seven days a week.
When the team insists the student “isn’t focused,” “isn’t motivated,” and “could do it if he wanted,” Karen breaks...
“You Wanted This!”: When a Teacher Flips Out in an IEP Meeting
Welcome back to The Epic IEP™, where we share stories that are funny, frustrating, and absolutely fantastic—because they really happened at the IEP table.
In today’s episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, Special Education Boss®, walks into what should have been a simple progress-review meeting… and instead gets blamed for everything from eligibility to data collection.
When the teacher admits she didn’t take any data because she “didn’t want to stress the student out,” the meeting goes sideways fast.
Then comes the outburst:
“YOU wanted this! YOU got the IEE! YOU made her e...
The ESY Myth That Stops Services: Why “Regression Only” Is Wrong
Welcome back to The Epic IEP™, where we share real stories from the IEP table — the fantastic, the frustrating, and the downright funny.
In today's episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, Special Education Boss®, walks you through a 6:20 AM Zoom meeting that was supposed to be “quick and easy”… until it wasn’t.
A visually impaired and orthopedically impaired student needed ESY. The team said no. Why? Because they believed the #1 myth in special education — that ESY requires documented regression only.
But IDEA has two prongs, and only one of them deals with regression...
What Schools Miss About ADA, Access & the Law
Welcome to Tales from The Epic IEP™ — real stories that are funny, frustrating, and fantastic from the IEP table.
In this debut episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, Special Education Boss®, shares one of the most jaw-dropping meetings she’s ever attended — a story that reminds every parent, teacher, and advocate why facts, not feelings, win meetings.
When a three-year-old student with a physical disability was denied access to the playground and told to “prove he was stable,” Karen realized again how far we’ve drifted from the spirit of IDEA and ADA — and w...
From MTSS to the IEP Table: What Schools Aren’t Teaching (Hope, Clarity & The Epic IEP)
“I assumed everyone at the table understood the law… until I learned they didn’t.”
In this powerful conversation, Karen Mayer Cunningham (Special Education Boss®) and Cindy unpack what really happens between MTSS, eligibility, and the IEP—and why so many well-meaning educators and parents are working from bad training, not bad intent. You’ll hear Cindy’s journey from 27 years in the system to discovering Special Education Academy™, and Karen’s charge to bring clarity, rigor, and hope back to the table.
What we cover:
MTSS → IEP: why g...You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know — But You Need To
You don’t know what you don’t know — but you need to. In this Clips from TikTok Live episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham (Special Education Boss®) answers real questions from parents, teachers, and advocates—linking every answer back to federal requirements, not opinions.
What we cover:
When 1:1 paras help short-term—and why they don’t fix instructionEligibility vs. services: needs drive goals, not labelsHow to follow up on an open OCR complaintDyslexia/dysgraphia/dyscalculia: what to request instead of “the disses”504 accommodations: students shouldn’t have to ask for civil rightsPlacement & behavior: FBA, counseling, an...Actionable IEPs, Real Evaluations, and Your Epic IEP Playbook
This episode dives deep into The Epic IEP—the practical, step-by-step playbook every parent, teacher, and advocate needs. Karen and Cindy unpack what’s inside (including built-in QR codes for templates, guides, and ongoing tools) and answer powerful questions from the community.
Inside This Episode:
How The Epic IEP serves as your outline for meetings, evaluations, and progress trackingThe real story behind 1:1 classroom models and why ratios matterWhat “evaluate suspected disabilities” actually means under Child FindWho’s responsible for what: gen ed vs. special ed vs. parasWriting behavior goals and when to request an FBA or psy...Q&A: One-to-One Aides, Bullying, Transportation, and Real IEP Strategy
This Q&A gets practical fast—how to think about one-to-one aides, what to do when bullying pushes a student out of a class they love, how accommodations must be delivered (without kids “asking”), and why “emergency placements” and mass homebound aren’t a thing under IDEA. Direct, clear, actionable—just how we like it.
What we cover:
One-to-one aides: When they help (short-term, targeted), when they don’t, and what to teach instead: skills and strategies.Placement clarity: Matching setting to student needs; using the continuum—not wishful thinking.Foreign language...Medical Diagnosis vs. IDEA Eligibility + Live Q&A
Does a medical diagnosis guarantee an IEP? Not under IDEA. Today, Karen breaks down medical diagnosis vs. educational eligibility—and why the IEP team makes the call based on educational impact and specially designed instruction, not just a doctor’s note. Then we dive into your Q&A: ADHD suspensions in K, Tourette’s (OHI), MDRs & safety, private school obligations, 504 vs. IEP, re-evals, para shortages, and more.
We’re not giving legal advice. We’re educating you.
What You’ll Learn
Dx ≠ Eligibility: How a medical diagno...Due Process Hearings 101: Timelines, Exhibits, and Winning with Data
If you ever land in a due process hearing, your documents become your voice. In today’s SEB Live Q&A, Karen Mayer Cunningham breaks down how hearings actually work—resolution sessions, mediation, exhibits (joint, petitioner, and respondent), witnesses, timelines—and why clean, consistent documentation is the difference between overwhelm and outcomes.
What we cover
Due Process ≠ TV drama: what really happens in an administrative hearing15-day resolution session window and how timelines run outside the school calendarJoint vs. Petitioner vs. Respondent exhibits (what goes where and why it matters)How to “...Live Q&A: Hard Truths, Real Questions, and Why The Epic IEP Changes Everything
Karen shares why she wrote The Epic IEP, who it’s for, and how this book delivers a clear roadmap for parents, educators, and advocates to navigate and negotiate successful student outcomes — without guesswork, confusion, or misinformation.
💬 Inside this episode:
Who The Epic IEP is really for (and why every teacher, parent, and advocate needs it)The biggest lies told in IEP meetings — and how to respond with truth and dataWhat to do when schools retaliate against parents or ignore IDEA timelinesWhen to request compensatory time, a due process hearing<...Live Q&A: The Heart, Humor, and Hard Truths Behind The Epic IEP
Welcome back, y’all! In this Special Education Boss® episode, we’re taking you inside our Live conversation about the launch of The Epic IEP — my brand-new, world-changing book written for parents, educators, and advocates navigating the special education process.
Grab your latte and lean in as we talk about:
☕️ The story behind The Epic IEP — and why it’s my love letter to every parent, teacher, and advocate sitting at the IEP or 504 table.
📘 How one pandemic pivot in 2020 turned into a nationwide advocacy movement.
💬 Why we must stop “agreeing to disagree” when it comes to children’s ri...
Can the School Do That?
What happens when you find yourself asking, “Can the school do that?”
In this episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham — Special Education Boss and author of The Epic IEP — breaks down one of the most common (and frustrating) questions in special education.
Karen explains the difference between what schools can do, what they should do, and what’s legally enforceable under IDEA and FAPE. Drawing from nearly three decades of advocacy experience and thousands of IEP meetings, she shares why focusing on “what’s next” is far more powerful than asking “why did they do th...
Who Is The Epic IEP For? | Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham
Who did Karen Mayer Cunningham write The Epic IEP for—and why?
In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen opens up about the heart and mission behind her brand-new book, The Epic IEP—a powerful, actionable playbook for parents, educators, and advocates who sit at the IEP table.
For nearly three decades, Karen has trained thousands to navigate and negotiate successful student outcomes. But she knew there needed to be a way for everyone—regardless of experience—to have access to the exact protocols, processes, and practices she’s used to help stu...
SEA Podcast | Remote & Virtual Services in Your IEP (+ Q&A)
Are districts allowed to require teletherapy or virtual delivery for your child’s IEP services?
Today, I’m unpacking what IDEA actually requires about how services are delivered—and why “remote-only” isn’t a blanket substitute for direct, in-person services when schools are open.
We walk through the federal requirements (34 CFR §300.320/.324) in plain language—no legalese—and use real meeting scripts to help you push for services that are appropriate, effective, and delivered with fidelity (direct vs. consult, group vs. individual, staffing, setting, and data collection).
📘 Pre-Order the Book...
Homework, IEPs & Questions of the Day
Is homework required by law?
In this episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham — the Special Education Boss® — breaks down one of the most common questions families bring to the IEP table: “Is homework legal, and what happens when it causes more harm than help?”
Karen explains what IDEA, ESSA, and state laws actually say about homework (spoiler: nothing requires it).
She also answers real questions from parents, educators, and paraprofessionals across the country, including:
✨ How to request testing to move from a 504 Plan to an IEP
✨ How 504s apply to afterschoo...
Homework, 504s, and IEP Questions Answered
Karen Mayer Cunningham, Special Education Boss®, trains everyone at the 504 and IEP table to navigate and negotiate successful student outcomes. In this episode, she addresses one of the most common questions in special education: Is homework required for students with disabilities?
From there, Karen answers a series of real-world Questions of the Day, offering clarity and actionable steps on topics including:
✅ When and how to move from a 504 Plan to an IEP
✅ Adaptive physical education (APE) and interstate transfers
✅ After-school programs and 504 Plan obligations
✅ Implementing IEPs when moving between s...
Dismissing an IEP Team Member | Special Education Boss with Karen Mayer Cunningham
Can a parent dismiss a member of the IEP team? What if a related service provider says “nothing’s changing” — do they still have to attend?
In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham explains who must attend every IEP meeting, when you can legally excuse someone, and how to protect your child’s educational rights when team members are missing.
You’ll learn:
The five federally required IEP team membersThe right (and wrong) way to excuse a providerWhy “we talked to mom” is not a substitute for attendanceWhat happens when data changes...What Goes in an IEP? Present Levels + Questions of the Day
What Goes in an IEP? Present Levels + Questions of the Day
In this powerful episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham breaks down exactly what belongs inside an IEP — and why understanding the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance is critical to getting it right for every child.
Karen walks through the four required components of the IEP under federal law (IDEA §300.324), explaining what each section really means — beyond what the software says — and how parents, educators, and advocates can use this knowledge to drive meaningful outcomes.
You’ll also hear real...
IEP Progress, Evaluations, Behavior, and the Epic IEP Playbook | Ask the Advocate with Karen Mayer Cunningham
What do you do when your school refuses to test, your teacher isn’t certified, or your child’s IEP goals aren’t being met?
In this Ask the Advocate episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham answers real parent and teacher questions about evaluations, progress reports, 504 Plans, IEP goals, behavioral supports, and everything in between—with humor, heart, and straight talk.
✨ In this episode:
IEP report cards vs. progress reports—what’s required each grading periodHow to file a discrimination complaint through the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR)Why schools ca...Ask the Advocate: Paraprofessionals, IEP Myths, and the Truth About Special Education Law
n this episode of Ask the Advocate, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, dives deep into the questions flooding her inbox every week — from paraprofessionals and IEP goals to compensatory services, parent rights, and what really happens when the law isn’t followed.
Joined by Cindy, Karen breaks down complex special education issues with humor, honesty, and heart. You’ll learn how to recognize violations, protect your child’s rights, and walk into IEP meetings more informed and confident than ever before.
📘 The Epic IEP Is Coming!
Karen’s groundbreaking new book The Epic...
EP Meeting Game Plan: Drafts, Present Levels, Goals, LRE & Services
Walking into an IEP meeting without a plan is how we end up tabling, redoing, and wasting time. In today’s TT Lunch Live, Karen lays out her exact meeting modality—what to request, what to review, and how to build an EPIC IEP that actually drives progress.
What we cover:
The four documents Karen always has open: last FIE, 36 weeks of progress reports, last annual IEP, and the current draftHow to open the meeting (hint: don’t jump straight to present levels)Building pristine, prescriptive, “puffy” Present Levels (strengths, needs, and...Panel Q&A: Real Special Education Scenarios Every Parent and Advocate Needs to Hear
Join Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, for a powerful panel Q&A and discussion covering real special education questions from parents, advocates, and professionals across the country.
In this open conversation, Karen tackles critical issues facing families and educators — from IEP rights to retaliation policies, advanced classes, AAC devices, and more — all with her signature blend of humor, clarity, and empowerment.
💬 In this episode, we cover:
What services a child who is blind should receive — and why proper vision assessments matterHow to join The Academy and access 300...Live Q&A: Real IEP Scenarios, Parent Rights & Special Education Solutions
What happens when real parents and educators bring real IEP and 504 questions to the table?
In this Live Q&A episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, answers rapid-fire questions straight from families and professionals navigating the special education process.
From 504 Plans and IEP violations to placement decisions, behavior supports, and discrimination scenarios, Karen keeps it real — empowering you with clarity, confidence, and next steps.
💬 Topics Covered:
✨ Twice-exceptional students and Special Olympics participation
✨ When a co-taught class isn’t staffed as written in the IEP
Paraprofessionals, 504 vs IEP, PWN, and Back-to-School Prep
In this Ask The Advocate session, Karen Mayer Cunningham answers rapid-fire questions on everything from paraprofessionals and “direct supervision” to prior written notice (PWN), Child Find, reconvenes, data access, and how to handle placements when needs don’t match the setting. She also shares a quick update from Capitol Hill on IDEA funding and accountability.
Key reminders: “Have to” isn’t a law, data > opinions, and if it isn’t in writing, it didn’t happen.
✳️ What You’ll Learn
Paraprofessionals & “direct supervision”...Latte & Learn: DATA First, IEP Prep, Homeschool vs. Public School, and Rapid Q&A
Need a quick caffeine boost for your advocacy? In this Latte & Learn session, Karen Mayer Cunningham and Cindy dig into the “dirty four-letter word” in special education—DATA—and why decisions at the IEP table must be driven by it. You’ll hear real questions from parents and teachers on preschool IEP prep, paraprofessional roles, behavior supports, homeschool vs. public school, reconvenes, documentation, audits, and what to do when you simply don’t agree.
Karen’s reminder: if it isn’t written down, it didn’t happen. Teach → test → track → pivot. That’s how we get outcomes.
Quick Rapid-Fire Q&A with Karen Mayer Cunningham
Ever wish you could ask Karen Mayer Cunningham all your special education questions — and get straight answers, fast?
This episode is for you. 💥
Join Karen for a rapid-fire Q&A covering real parent and teacher questions about IEPs, 504s, paraprofessionals, behavior, homeschool transitions, private school rights, suspensions, and more.
Karen brings her trademark humor, clarity, and tough-love truth to every answer — reminding us that when it comes to student rights, “direct supervision” actually means direct supervision.
✳️ What You’ll Learn
What “direct supervision” of paraprofessionals really meansWhether paraprofessionals can...Do you know what to do once you receive your Full Individual Evaluation (FIE)?
In this episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, walks you through what happens after you receive your child’s evaluation results and how to prepare for your eligibility and IEP meeting with confidence.
Karen explains what to look for in each section of your FIE—from speech and language to cognitive, adaptive, achievement, and related services—and how to make sure your questions are answered before and during the meeting.
Too often, parents are handed evaluations full of technical language and acronyms that make no sense. This episode breaks it down so you...
Time, Prep & Participation in IEP Meetings: How Parents Can Secure Their Rights
When it comes to IEP meetings, three key elements can make or break the process: Time, Prep, and Participation. In this episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, unpacks what parents, educators, and advocates need to know to ensure these rights are respected.
Too often, parents are told the meeting has already been scheduled, drafts are withheld, or their concerns will just be “noted.” Karen breaks down why none of those responses align with IDEA, and what steps you can take to prepare and participate as an equal team member.
✨ Here’s what you’...
Requesting a Full Individualized Evaluation: Time, Prep & Participation in IEPs
Parents often feel rushed, dismissed, or unprepared when it comes to IEP meetings—but under IDEA, you have rights that guarantee your time, preparation, and full participation.
In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham breaks down what she calls the TPP of IEPs:
✨ Time – Why IEP meetings must be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time, not just whenever the school decides.
✨ Preparation – How to request a full draft IEP ahead of the meeting so you can make informed decisions (and why withholding a draft is...
Child Find Explained: How Schools Must Identify & Test Students Under IDEA
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 for families.
👉 If your child is struggling—academically, emotionally, behaviorally, or with memory, communication, or attention—you have the right to request testing. Schools cannot delay by requiring MTSS, RTI, or SST before an evaluation. Karen walks you through:
✨ What the law says about Child Find
✨ Why advancing grade-to-grade doesn’t remove eligibility for testing
✨ The 2011...
