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.
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    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.
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    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.
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    23 mins
  • Exploring the School Attendance Crisis: School Refusal or Truancy?

    Exploring the School Attendance Crisis: School Refusal or Truancy?
    Mar 17 2026
    Whether you’re ready for Spring Break or still have a few weeks until Spring Break, the reality is that there isn’t much of the school year left. There are many assessments and IEP meetings that need to be scheduled now. In today’s episode, we are talking with a wonderful guest, really getting into the trenches of evaluations and the escalating attendance crisis of the last few years. Join us to learn more!Dr. Dennis Lefevre recently served as the Executive Director of Student Support Services in a small, high-performing school district in southern CA. Prior to 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 by the lack of ownership among school, home, and community. 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:Understanding the crisis and the disconnect between school districts and parentsPrioritizing the fidelity of “the data” is not the solutionDifferent categories of school team perspectives: those who are competent and conscientious, those who are “just okay,” and those who aren’t competent and are just waiting for summer breakThe benefit of school study team meetings in identifying school refusal/avoidance or simple truancyA truism in school attendance: “The longer you’re out, the harder it is to go back.”Understanding external and internal behaviors in crafting solutionsWhen the IEP program/curriculum is the root cause of attendance issuesThe facts: 19-25% of students remain chronically absent since COVID (Neurodivergent/special needs students are affected about 3x more than their peers.)Specifics about the MDAE, Multi-Domain Attendance EvaluationResources: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.
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    32 mins
  • Beyond Dysregulation: How FBAs and BIPs Can Support Your Child

    Beyond Dysregulation: How FBAs and BIPs Can Support Your Child
    Mar 3 2026
    It’s already March, and we are quickly approaching Spring Break season when different school districts have those breaks scattered over the next 4-6 weeks. Seeing a flare-up in behavior problems is not unusual during this time. There are highly severe sensory and emotional dysregulations happening with many students, and our goal should not be punishment. We need to appropriately address these behaviors that might be outside of the student’s control, especially those that are a result of a disability. Join us for today’s discussion about Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBAs) and Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIPs).Show Highlights:The first step in an FBA is to collect data to define and describe the behaviors.Sensory overload, avoidance, and seeking attention are common challenges that cause dysregulated behaviors.Unmet needs have to be understood and met before behaviors can be regulated; this is where a BIP comes in.A BIP can be helpful when “the behavior is affecting a student’s learning or the learning of others.”Autistic students may use masking behaviors at school and explode later.How FBAs compare to the former Functional Analysis AssessmentDefining behavior in assessments should follow the ABC format: antecedent, behavior, and consequence.We must teach both preventive and reactive coping skills.The BIP should be checked and thoroughly evaluated after 30-60 days.Amanda’s advice to parents about getting the most out of a BIPVickie’s advice to teachers about implementing a BIPResources: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: Facebook, Instagram, X, the IEP Website, and Email.
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    23 mins
  • The Time is NOW: Be Proactive in Scheduling End-of-Year Meetings

    The Time is NOW: Be Proactive in Scheduling End-of-Year Meetings
    Feb 17 2026

    We are entering the crazy season when Spring Breaks will be happening all over the country during March and April. This is a friendly reminder to be proactive in scheduling any meetings, tours, tests, and assessments that you would like to have completed before the end of the school year. The year will be winding down before we know it! We don’t want to see more students fall behind by multiple grade levels simply because assessments haven’t been done in a timely fashion. It’s not just academics that warrant an IEP meeting; social and emotional struggles should be documented and addressed as well. Don’t be afraid to be the “squeaky wheel” when it comes to advocating for your child’s educational services!

    Show Highlights:

    • When there is a problem, be proactive, not reactive.
    • Don’t be afraid to raise the alarm and raise the questions to get support in place for your child.
    • Transition IEP meetings should be robust and address ALL the student’s needs.
    • Amanda’s tips for IEP meetings for students transitioning to middle or high school
    • Specific problems with providing IEP services and accommodations amid the current teacher shortage
    • Handling RSP hour shortages and makeup times (Ask for the logs to verify the required hours.)

    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.

    Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns via Facebook, Instagram, X, ​​the IEP Website, and Email.
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    19 mins
  • Better Behavior Solutions: Brain Breaks, Connection, and Rhythm

    Better Behavior Solutions: Brain Breaks, Connection, and Rhythm
    Feb 3 2026
    In our final episode of 2025, we spoke with Dr. Doug Bolton about innovative solutions for students experiencing dysregulation. We received a lot of feedback on that episode and had already planned a follow-up episode about the shift in perspective we are seeing in student behavior. We are thrilled to welcome him back to learn from him about student behavior and regulation. Join us for another conversation with Dr. Bolton!Dr. Doug Bolton is a clinical psychologist who has always been drawn to working with kids who experience behavioral problems. Knowing that being in schools gives him the best vantage point from which to help kids, Doug became a school psychologist and later a principal at a therapeutic school. He is currently a consultant working with families to help vulnerable kids become more resilient. From his unique perspective and extensive experience, he wrote the book Untethered.Show Highlights:Recognizing rhythms to the school year, especially as a new semester beginsThe correlation between mental health issues and the school year (for students AND teachers)Our system is stressing everyone out because of the over-focus on test scores.A focus on test scores makes us lose the connective tissue of learning and community.Our best learning requires emotional regulation and connection in relationships.What we know about deep learning and where it happensThe value of a teacher who is willing to put ego aside and TRY to implement the IEP accommodations for a studentBrain breaks are essential for emotional regulation.Music, art, recess, and vocational planning are brain breaks that help decrease stress hormones.Proactive breaks vs. reactive breaks (Not all breaks are equal!)Being curious about misbehavior (“Misbehavior is stress behavior.”)Disruptive students are dysregulated students.Key takeaways from Dr. Bolton about the power of belonging, connected relationships, and emotional regulationConnect with us on social media with your questions for Dr. Bolton for a future episode!Resources:Connect with Dr. Doug Bolton: Website and UntetheredContact 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.Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns via Facebook, Instagram, X, the IEP Website, or Email.
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    32 mins
  • Shifts are Happening: Pay Attention!

    Shifts are Happening: Pay Attention!
    Jan 20 2026

    2026 has already had an interesting start, with numerous changes to education, particularly here in California. We urge you to check with your state representatives to see what’s happening in your state amid the chaos and confusion of the current state of US education. Your voice needs to be heard! We want this solo episode to focus on the trends we are seeing right now and how parents can be proactive. One of the biggest problems is the lack of services for the kids who need them most; so many are struggling to learn and function, but they are deemed ineligible for IEPs. Join us to learn more!

    Show Highlights:

    • Understanding the federal law and its interpretation of IEP eligibility
    • Decisions are made in various ways and based on various criteria from state to state
    • Accommodations and supports are wonderful, but how would that child do without those in place?
    • Being the squeaky wheel has its advantages.
    • What the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) provides
    • Digging deeper into social skills and problem-solving skills can help identify special needs.
    • Parents can ask for additional assessments and evaluations from their school district.
    • Special education analysis needs to be done from a holistic perspective that considers each child as a whole person.

    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.

    Be sure to connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns: Facebook, Instagram, X, IEP Website, and Email
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    30 mins