Baseline data is one of the most important parts of an IEP, yet it’s often rushed, vague, or poorly explained. Without it, progress becomes subjective, goals can be recycled, and parents lose real leverage in advocating for their child.

In Episode 22, I unpack what baseline data really is, why it matters, and how understanding it changes the way parents approach IEP meetings. This episode is not about catching schools doing something wrong or creating conflict, it’s about clarity, accountability, and making informed decisions that ensure your child truly moves forward.

This conversation is for parents who have seen progress reports that “feel” positive but don’t match what they observe at home, who hear phrases like “we feel progress is happening” without concrete evidence, or who realize goals were written without a clear starting point. I explain how strong baseline data turns opinions into facts, why legally measurable goals require it, and how missing or poorly collected baselines can lead to artificial progress, stalled goals, and lost years.

Drawing on professional expertise and real-life examples, this episode breaks down baseline data in plain language, shows how it should be written, and provides practical steps parents can take - without being labeled difficult. Understanding baseline data doesn’t just change paperwork; it changes conversations, power dynamics, and outcomes.

🌱 In this episode, I cover:

✨ What baseline data actually is, and what it is not

✨ Why baseline data is the foundation of every IEP goal and service

✨ Common examples of weak vs. strong baseline statements

✨ How missing or low baselines create artificial progress

✨ Why subjective progress is dangerous for students

✨ How baseline data protects against wasted years and recycled goals

✨ The legal importance of baseline data under IDEA

✨ Practical, parent-friendly steps to request and review baseline data

✨ How baseline data helps parents advocate with confidence, not conflict

If you are in the early months of intervention and questioning whether you are doing enough, this episode is meant to ground you. You are not falling behind. You are building a foundation. Early intervention works best when it is intentional, paced, and rooted in understanding rather than fear.

🎧 Press play when you’re ready. Let’s learn this together.

Episode 22 is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FlorDeAmelia

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TC4pMJxQrwcyStNfnc9Rd?si=b77353d4aea34a3d

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starting-with-iep/id1828187191

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3a1b111a-750f-4c5e-a3c5-38c55ee4e2d4/starting-with-iep

📲 Let’s Connect!

Turn IEP stress into confidence. I share useful resources every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday across all my social platforms.

Podcast Website: http://www.startingwithiep.com/

Website:

Early intervention does not feel loud or urgent in the beginning. It often feels quiet, slow, and filled with doubt. Families start to wonder whether anything is actually happening, whether progress should look different, or whether they should be pushing harder for more services. Those questions are rarely answered clearly, and that uncertainty can be just as heavy as the diagnosis itself.

In Episode 21, I walk parents through what the first six months of early intervention are truly designed to do and why this phase often feels invisible. This episode is not about adding more therapy, rushing milestones, or jumping ahead to school-based services. It is about understanding the foundational work that determines whether early intervention will actually support long-term progress or simply become another source of stress.

This conversation is for parents who are already receiving early intervention but feel unsettled by the pace, the lack of visible skill gains, or the pressure to do more. I explain what professionals are observing during the early months, why baseline data matters more than most families realize, and how early regulation and engagement set the stage for later learning and IEP success.

Drawing from professional expertise and lived experience, this episode reframes progress, normalizes regression, and clarifies why quality and consistency matter far more than volume. It also shows families how the data they are gathering now quietly prepares them to become stronger advocates when school-based services begin.

🌱 In this episode, I cover:

✨ What is actually happening during the first 30 days of early intervention

✨ Why observation and baseline data are critical and often misunderstood

✨ What real progress looks like in the first 90 days

✨ Why regulation and engagement come before skill acquisition

✨ The most common early intervention mistakes in the first six months

✨ Why more services do not always lead to better outcomes

✨ How early intervention quietly prepares families for future IEP meetings

✨ Why regression does not mean failure and comparison undermines clarity

If you are in the early months of intervention and questioning whether you are doing enough, this episode is meant to ground you. You are not falling behind. You are building a foundation. Early intervention works best when it is intentional, paced, and rooted in understanding rather than fear.

🎧 Press play when you’re ready. Let’s learn this together.

Episode 21 is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FlorDeAmelia

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TC4pMJxQrwcyStNfnc9Rd?si=b77353d4aea34a3d

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starting-with-iep/id1828187191

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3a1b111a-750f-4c5e-a3c5-38c55ee4e2d4/starting-with-iep

📲 Let’s Connect!

Turn IEP stress into confidence. I share useful resources every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday across all my social platforms.

Podcast Website:

Early intervention doesn’t begin with a school meeting or an IEP document. It begins in the quiet moments when something feels off and you are deciding whether to trust your instincts or wait it out. That decision carries more weight than most families are ever told.

In Episode 20, I walk parents through the Infants and Toddlers Program under IDEA Part C and why early intervention is not about rushing a child, labeling them, or doing something “too soon.” It is about responding while the brain is most flexible and before families are left trying to make up lost ground later.

This episode is for parents who are newly navigating a diagnosis, living in uncertainty without answers yet, or hesitating to make the call because they fear paperwork, judgment, or being told to wait. I share what early intervention actually looks like in real homes, how eligibility works, what services truly include, and the things I wish someone had explained to me before I learned them the hard way.

This conversation blends lived experience, advocacy guidance, and research to reframe early intervention as support, not scrutiny and as preparation, not pressure. It is about empowering families before the IEP process even begins.

🌱 Here’s what I walk you through in this episode:

✨ What the Infants and Toddlers Program really is and what it is not

✨ Why you do not need a diagnosis to request an evaluation

✨ How early intervention supports parents, not just children

✨ Why progress is not linear and why that is normal

✨ How IFSPs differ from IEPs and why the transition should never be a surprise

✨ What research shows about timing and long-term outcomes

✨ Why your concerns and intuition matter just as much as test scores

If you are standing at the very beginning of this journey and wondering whether it is too early to ask for help, this episode is your permission to act. You are not behind. You are being responsive. Early support is not an overreaction, it is an investment in your child and in yourself as an advocate.

🎧 Press play when you’re ready. Let’s learn this together.

🔗 Visit DORS: https://dors.maryland.gov

Episode 19 is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FlorDeAmelia

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TC4pMJxQrwcyStNfnc9Rd?si=b77353d4aea34a3d

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starting-with-iep/id1828187191

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3a1b111a-750f-4c5e-a3c5-38c55ee4e2d4/starting-with-iep

📲 Let’s Connect!

Turn IEP stress into confidence. I share useful resources every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday across all my social platforms.

Podcast Website: http://www.startingwithiep.com/

Website:

IEP meetings don’t just test your knowledge of special education, they test your emotional endurance. The self-doubt, the second-guessing, the feeling that everyone else knows something you don’t, it can be isolating in ways few people talk about.

In Episode 19, I’m addressing one of the most overlooked yet powerful factors in a parent’s IEP journey: building a parent support network. This episode is for the parents who leave meetings replaying every word they said, wondering if they were too much (or not enough) and for those navigating this system feeling completely alone.

I share why IEP outcomes are shaped not only by what happens in the meeting, but by how supported, informed, and regulated you feel outside of it. This episode blends lived experience, advocacy insight, and research-backed guidance to show why community is not optional: it’s protective.

🌱 Here’s what I walk you through in this episode:

✨ Why parent networks change how families experience IEP meetings

✨ How peer support helps regulate emotions before and after meetings

✨ Why feeling “behind” doesn’t mean you’re failing—it means the system wasn’t built for families

✨ How connected parents recognize patterns instead of isolated incidents

✨ National and local parent support resources every family should know about

✨ How informed, supported parents advocate with clarity and confidence

✨ Why community directly impacts IEP quality and long-term outcomes

If you’ve ever felt isolated, overwhelmed, or unsure of yourself as an advocate, this episode is a reminder that strength does not come from doing this alone. Support is not a luxury, it’s a strategy.

🎧 Press play when you’re ready. Let’s learn this together.

🔗 Visit DORS: https://dors.maryland.gov

Episode 19 is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FlorDeAmelia

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TC4pMJxQrwcyStNfnc9Rd?si=b77353d4aea34a3d

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starting-with-iep/id1828187191

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3a1b111a-750f-4c5e-a3c5-38c55ee4e2d4/starting-with-iep

📲 Let’s Connect!

Turn IEP stress into confidence. I share useful resources every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday across all my social platforms.

Podcast Website: http://www.startingwithiep.com/

Website: https://www.flordeamelia.com

LinkedIn:

Receiving a diagnosis can feel like the ground has shifted beneath you. The fear, the grief, the questions, and the pressure to “do the right thing” all arrive at once. I know this feeling deeply.

In Episode 18, I’m speaking directly to newly diagnosed families and to the parents who are quietly wondering if they should be doing more, sooner. I share the moments I wish someone had prepared me for, the mistakes that come from being told to “wait and see,” and the systems that are meant to support you—but only if you know how to access them.

This episode is part guidance, part lived experience, and part reminder that you are not late, you are not failing, and you are not alone.

🌱 Here’s what I walk you through in this episode:

✨ Why a diagnosis is not a label, but a key to services and protection

✨ The most common advice that delays early intervention—and why it’s harmful

✨ Who to call first and how to build the right medical and educational team

✨ The difference between IFSP, IEP, and Child Find—and when each one applies

✨ Why early action protects not just your child, but your family’s mental health

✨ Practical steps you can take right now, even if you feel overwhelmed

If you’re at the beginning of this journey, or supporting someone who is, I hope this episode brings clarity, reassurance, and a sense of direction. You do not have to figure this out by yourself.

🎧 Press play when you’re ready. Let’s learn this together.

🔗 Visit DORS: https://dors.maryland.gov

Episode 18 is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FlorDeAmelia

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TC4pMJxQrwcyStNfnc9Rd?si=b77353d4aea34a3d

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starting-with-iep/id1828187191

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3a1b111a-750f-4c5e-a3c5-38c55ee4e2d4/starting-with-iep

📲 Let’s Connect!

Turn IEP stress into confidence. I share useful resources every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday across all my social platforms.

Podcast Website: http://www.startingwithiep.com/

Website: https://www.flordeamelia.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/starting-with-iep

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StartingWithIEP

Instagram:

Planning for adulthood started early for me, long before Aliyah reached her teenage years. I realized quickly that her adulthood was going to look very different from other kids, and if I wanted her to have the best possible future, I needed to understand transition IEPs, DORS, and the services that support young adults with disabilities.

In this episode, I’m sharing my own journey. The emotional moments, the unexpected roadblocks, the misinformation that almost kept Aliyah from qualifying for programs, and the “trust but verify” lesson I wish every parent knew. I talk about the day I realized not every beautiful program was meant for her, why I pushed to start transition planning earlier than the school suggested, and how Aliyah’s internship surprised me in the best way.

🌱 Here’s what I walk you through in this episode:

✨ What a transition IEP really means and why you shouldn’t wait to learn about it

✨ Why starting early prevents isolation, regression, and the painful gap year after graduation

✨ What DORS is, who qualifies, and how it supports our kids in building real job skills

✨ Why you should never assume your child is “not eligible” for services

✨ How my expectations for Aliyah changed when I saw her thriving at work

✨ Action steps you can take TODAY to strengthen your child’s transition plan

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or unsure about what adulthood will look like for your child, I hope my story helps you feel more prepared, more confident, and less alone.

🎧 Press play when you’re ready. Let’s learn this together.

🔗 Visit DORS: https://dors.maryland.gov

Episode 17 is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FlorDeAmelia

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TC4pMJxQrwcyStNfnc9Rd?si=b77353d4aea34a3d

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starting-with-iep/id1828187191

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3a1b111a-750f-4c5e-a3c5-38c55ee4e2d4/starting-with-iep

📲 Let’s Connect!

Turn IEP stress into confidence. I share useful resources every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday across all my social platforms.

Podcast Website: http://www.startingwithiep.com/

Website: https://www.flordeamelia.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/starting-with-iep

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StartingWithIEP

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flordeamelia_ebs/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/flordeameliahoffman/

For content collaborations, email:

Planning for adulthood started early for me, long before Aliyah reached her teenage years. I realized quickly that her adulthood was going to look very different from other kids, and if I wanted her to have the best possible future, I needed to understand transition IEPs, DORS, and the services that support young adults with disabilities.

In this episode, I’m sharing my own journey. The emotional moments, the unexpected roadblocks, the misinformation that almost kept Aliyah from qualifying for programs, and the “trust but verify” lesson I wish every parent knew. I talk about the day I realized not every beautiful program was meant for her, why I pushed to start transition planning earlier than the school suggested, and how Aliyah’s internship surprised me in the best way.

🌱 Here’s what I walk you through in this episode:

✨ What a transition IEP really means and why you shouldn’t wait to learn about it

✨ Why starting early prevents isolation, regression, and the painful gap year after graduation

✨ What DORS is, who qualifies, and how it supports our kids in building real job skills

✨ Why you should never assume your child is “not eligible” for services

✨ How my expectations for Aliyah changed when I saw her thriving at work

✨ Action steps you can take TODAY to strengthen your child’s transition plan

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or unsure about what adulthood will look like for your child, I hope my story helps you feel more prepared, more confident, and less alone.

🎧 Press play when you’re ready. Let’s learn this together.

🔗 Visit DORS: https://dors.maryland.gov

Episode 16 is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FlorDeAmelia

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TC4pMJxQrwcyStNfnc9Rd?si=b77353d4aea34a3d

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starting-with-iep/id1828187191

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3a1b111a-750f-4c5e-a3c5-38c55ee4e2d4/starting-with-iep

📲 Let’s Connect!

Turn IEP stress into confidence. I share useful resources every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday across all my social platforms.

Podcast Website: http://www.startingwithiep.com/

Website: https://www.flordeamelia.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/starting-with-iep

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StartingWithIEP

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flordeamelia_ebs/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/flordeameliahoffman/

For content collaborations, email:

Guest: Solo episode with Flor De Amelia, Special Needs Mom, Advocate, and Host of Starting With IEP

IEPs don’t only determine services, minutes, or goals. They influence the way our children connect with the world, the opportunities they can access, and the friendships that either form or never get the chance to grow. In this solo episode, I talk about something we rarely discuss in IEP meetings but feel deeply as parents: the social side of our children’s lives.

I share the painful moments when doors were closed to my daughter, the long drives, the hours spent waiting in parking lots, and the resilience that comes from wanting your child to simply belong. I talk about the youth who inspired these social groups, the loss that shook our community, and the mission it sparked to create safe, joyful spaces where kids can be themselves.

You’ll hear why interest-based groups matter so much, why some kids come alive the moment they talk about what they love, and how these natural environments reveal strengths schools often miss. I explain how parents can use these experiences to strengthen IEP goals, advocate with more clarity, and understand their child’s social needs beyond academics.

This episode is honest and rooted in real experiences from my own home and the families I support. If you have ever felt the weight of trying to find the “right” program, or wondered whether your child will ever find their people, I hope this conversation brings comfort and connection.

💡 In this episode:

• How social groups help kids practice real IEP social goals in natural environments
• Why shared interests spark friendships that feel meaningful and safe
• The heartbreaking moment that inspired Flor to build more inclusive groups
• How parents can use community settings to gather their own baseline data
• Why schools may not see the challenges that appear at home
• What to ask when discipline becomes overwhelming or traumatic
• How interest-based friendships help kids feel seen, understood, and valued
• Why community support matters for both kids and parents on the IEP journey
• The role volunteers and peer buddies play in creating true inclusion
• How to find social groups in your county, even when options feel limited

If you are a parent searching for connection, belonging, and hope, this episode is here to remind you that you are not alone. Our kids deserve places where they can grow socially, emotionally, and confidently, and together we can build the communities they have been waiting for.

🎧 Listen and discover how understanding executive functioning can transform your child’s growth, and your family’s peace of mind.

Episode 15 is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FlorDeAmelia

📲 Let’s Connect!

Turn IEP stress into confidence. I share useful resources every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday across all my social platforms.

Podcast Website: http://www.startingwithiep.com/

Website: https://www.flordeamelia.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/starting-with-iep

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StartingWithIEP

Instagram:...