Inclusive Education Project (IEP) Podcast cover art

Inclusive Education Project (IEP) Podcast

Inclusive Education Project (IEP) Podcast

Written by: Inclusive Education Project
Listen for free

About this listen

 Disability rights is the next frontier in civil rights. We believe education is the key to building an inclusive society and ensuring that all students are given an equal opportunity. The Inclusive Education Project Podcast, hosted by Special Education and Civil Rights attorneys, Amanda Selogie and Vickie Brett, offers a fresh, smart perspective on what it takes to truly make our educational systems and communities inclusive. Tune in each week as Amanda and Vickie share insight on topics ranging from education reform to advocating for equal rights for all students, and participating in modern activism. This show will also offer user-friendly resources to help you and your family navigate the educational playing field.Copyright © 2017-2018. Inclusive Education Project. All Rights Reserved. Parenting Relationships
Episodes
  • IEP Meetings & Beyond: Advocate for Services, Placement & Success

    IEP Meetings & Beyond: Advocate for Services, Placement & Success
    Apr 28 2026

    What is an IEP? What does it mean for your child? How do IEPs and IEP meetings differ across school districts? What is my recourse if the teacher who relates best to my child is moved to another school? We’re answering these questions and more in today’s solo episode with Vickie and Amanda!

    Show Highlights:

    • The IEP outlines services, accommodations, and placements, but does not guarantee specific personnel to implement them.
    • A general rule for any concerns about your child’s IEP: Always ask!
    • Getting creative and specific in the IEP, regardless of the teacher
    • Advice to parents when “that one great teacher” goes elsewhere
    • Debate over different types of interventions (The law says they must be “appropriate.”)
    • Clearing up confusion over expert opinions and evidence-based programs
    • The most valuable teacher on your team is the one who is willing to try an intervention without becoming combative, defensive, and egotistical.
    • What to do right now for next year

    Resources:

    Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

    Thank you for listening!

    Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

    If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show.

    Connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns via Facebook, Instagram, X, the IEP Website, or Email.
    Show More Show Less
    23 mins
  • Don’t Wait: The Critical Window for TK & Kindergarten IEPs (And Why Early Intervention Matters)

    Don’t Wait: The Critical Window for TK & Kindergarten IEPs (And Why Early Intervention Matters)
    Apr 14 2026

    As the school year winds down, this is a critical window for families and educators. If there’s anything you’ve been meaning to put in motion before summer, now is the time to act. Planning ahead is essential, and school districts often operate on fixed timelines, leaving limited flexibility for scheduling assessments and services. In today’s episode, we’re diving into the challenges many families face in kindergarten and transitional kindergarten classrooms when it comes to getting students evaluated and connected with the support they need. Tune in as we break it down and share what you should know.

    Show Highlights:

    • The reality of expectations for TK students measured against kindergarten standards
    • Watch out for the “typical peer” trap.
    • What we are seeing from schools
    • An example to support this question: “Which group of typical peers is my child being compared to?”
    • Does the level of support prove that the child needs services?
    • Understanding the functional component of education (lining up, transitioning to other classrooms, grasping routines and procedures, etc.)
    • The purpose of an IEP is to provide consistent implementation from year to year.
    • It’s not appropriate to rely on the “COVID baby” designation to excuse a student’s struggles.
    • Early intervention is everything!

    Resources:

    Contact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.

    Thank you for listening!

    Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.

    If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show.

    Connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns via Facebook, Instagram, X, the IEP Website, or Email.
    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • Analyzing School Non-Attendance Data: Where Do We Go From Here? with Dr. Dennis Lefevre

    Analyzing School Non-Attendance Data: Where Do We Go From Here? with Dr. Dennis Lefevre
    Mar 31 2026
    We are back with the second part of our conversation with Dr. Dennis. Our previous episode covered the escalating attendance crisis and how we can address it with new evaluations and data-collection tools. We are excited to dive deeper into this important subject through Dr. Dennis’ expertise and passion. Join us!Dr. Dennis Lefevre recently served as the Executive Director of Student Support Services in a small, high-performing school district in southern CA. Before that role, he worked in various capacities in public, non-public, and private school settings with thousands of preschool, elementary, and secondary students. He had a front-row seat to the unfolding attendance crisis and became increasingly frustrated with the lack of ownership among schools, homes, and communities. He is now piloting a new kind of evaluation that is an intensive data collection process designed to lower the threshold enough to get students back on campus. As an educational psychologist in private practice, Dr. Dennis started an agency called Back at School, which offers consultations, advocacy, targeted data collection, interventions, workshops, and more to help the attendance crisis.Show Highlights:A new approach based on revising the BIP (Behavior Intervention Plan): the AIP (Attendance Intervention Plan)Creative interventions for attendance challengesDifferentiating between school refusal and truancySchool refusal is typically an attempt to escape aversive stimuli, like bullying, tests, social phobias, and separation anxiety.Truancy is characterized by defiance, a pursuit of external rewards, and developmentally inappropriate rebellious behavior.Educators are trained to treat all students the same, which doesn’t allow for specialized needs.Why it’s important to ask, “Is this a performance deficit or a skills deficit?”Providing even a small amount of control or choice to the student can be very effective.Resources:Connect with Dr. Dennis Lefevre: WebsiteContact us on social media or through our website for more information on the IEP Learning Center: www.inclusiveeducationproject.org.Thank you for listening!Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday.If you enjoyed this episode and believe in our message, please help us get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find this show.Connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns via Facebook, Instagram, X, the IEP Website, or Email.
    Show More Show Less
    23 mins
No reviews yet