Inclusive Education Project (IEP) Podcast
Episodes
IEP Meetings & Beyond: Advocate for Services, Placement & Success
28 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Don’t Wait: The Critical Window for TK & Kindergarten IEPs (And Why Early Intervention Matters)
14 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 befo...
Analyzing School Non-Attendance Data: Where Do We Go From Here? with Dr. Dennis Lefevre
31 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
We are back with the second part of our conversation with Dr. Dennis. Our previo...
Exploring the School Attendance Crisis: School Refusal or Truancy?
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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. ...
Beyond Dysregulation: How FBAs and BIPs Can Support Your Child
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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...
The Time is NOW: Be Proactive in Scheduling End-of-Year Meetings
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
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 p...
362: Better Behavior Solutions: Brain Breaks, Connection, and Rhythm
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In our final episode of 2025, we spoke with Dr. Doug Bolton about innovative solutions for students experiencing dysregulation. We received a lot of f...
Shifts are Happening: Pay Attention!
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
2026 has already had an interesting start, with numerous changes to education, particularly here in California. We urge you to check with your state r...
Trauma-Informed IEPs: When Behavior Signals More with Dr. Desirie Sykes
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year! We can’t believe it’s already 2026. We made it through the holidays, which can be a particularly challenging time for many s...
A New Look at Misbehavior: Creating Upstream Solutions for Dysregulated Students with Dr. Doug Bolton
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode will be the final one of 2025, as we take a break from the podcast over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Before we introduce toda...
The Current State of DEI in the US: What is Worth Fighting For?
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
With so many school holidays fast approaching, there are many kids who need interventions right now, and their parents are panicking. Furthermore, the...
How to Raise a Citizen (And Why It’s Up to You to Do It) with Lindsey Cormack
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s topic is one that not many people are talking about, but it’s a big problem in our country. We are discussing the deficit in our children’...
A Look at CA Assembly Bill 461 and a New, Much-Needed Approach to Truancy
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Typically, October is a busy month for us as we are already a couple of months into the new school year; reality has set in, and winter/holiday breaks...
What Do Our Kids Really Need? Moving Forward with the “Next Great Iteration” of our Educational System with Dr. Annalies Corbin
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve become accustomed to the normal back-to-school craziness this time of year, but this year seems more chaotic than usual! Numerous lawsuits are...
Virginia District Funding Cuts Jeopardize Education For All
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Here we are, on the front lines of the fight for inclusive education. Now, a month or so into the new school year, we are already in the thick of the ...
Racial and Cultural Responsiveness and Accountability in Education with Jebeh Edmunds
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our goal is always to keep people informed about what’s going on in today’s world that directly affects the education of our students. It is essen...
The Ripple Effect of Losing $65 Million in Federal Education Support with Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are in the middle of the start of another school year across the country, whether your students have already returned or have a later start date. O...
Finding Balance in the “Least Restrictive Environments” for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students with Jennifer Catalano
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to the podcast as we kick off a new school year! We are excited, as always, to jump into some very important topics in the coming weeks. ...
350: The Current State of Affairs in US Education: Our Appearance on Dr. Karen Wilson’s Podcast
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This is our last episode before our much-needed summer break. Taking this break helps us to refocus and prepare for a new school year. We recently mad...
Clearing Up Confusion About 504 Plans with April Rehrig
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The landscape of American education has undergone significant changes over the past few months, particularly in the realm of special education. Our di...
Digging into DEI Success for Students with Tracy Baynes, Part 2
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode brings back Tracy Baynes to share her best tips and advice for getting your student involved in their education earlier rather than ...
Digging into DEI Success for Students with Tracy Baynes
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We continue our journey to view the education of our children holistically as we strive to develop them into productive and inclusive members of socie...
A One-Size-Fits-All Approach Does Not Work with Dr. OiYan Poon
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s conversation covers the impact of recent executive orders on DEI, the historical context of the civil rights movements, and the importance o...
Innovative Learning with the Modern Classrooms Project with Robert Barnett
15 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode features a fascinating conversation about strategies to support students and schools during unknowns and big transitions in educatio...
Fostering Independence and Community: A Look at Jonathan’s Landing Foundation
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Many parents of kids with disabilities share the same fear of what will happen to their child in adulthood and when they are no longer here to care fo...
Inclusivity and Equity in the Classroom with Dr. Emily Affolter
18 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We love to offer solutions along with our discussions of the current problems in education today. Today’s fresh perspective comes from Dr. Emily Aff...
The “Dear Colleague” Letter and Recent Executive Orders
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
One of the benefits of hosting a podcast in our field of civil rights and special education is that we can do quick follow-ups to incidents as they ha...
Connection, Vulnerability, Empathy, Advocacy, and “Healthy Mental Health” with Mike Robbins
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We are still in the early months of 2025, and there is a LOT happening in the state of California and across the country. There are many important con...
Understanding ICE and Immigration Issues in 2025
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There is SO much going on in our country right now, and we are faced with many unknowns about what’s coming next. We don't want to be part of the “...
Workable Solutions to Combat Teacher Burnout with Karen Foley
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Teachers are our “boots on the ground” partners for all we want to accomplish in education. There are real mental health challenges all around us,...
Helping Students Learn Executive Functioning Skills with Dr. Tara Williams
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Executive functioning is more than a catchy buzzword phrase in the world of education. What does it mean, how can we understand it better, and how can...
Advocacy, Equity, Inclusion for Even the Most Marginalized with Patrick Jones
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Grassroots efforts usually work to bring about change. Unfortunately, our political leaders don’t look closely at education, disability rights, and ...
Building a Classroom Community of Confident Writers with Rob Sanders
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Believe it or not, October is over. It was a busy month for IEP meetings, and the holiday rush is about to begin. In today’s episode, we want to giv...
Education is in Peril with the Implications of Project 2025
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode includes a look into the controversial Project 2025 plan, a 900-page roadmap created by far-right think tanks, like The Heritage Fou...
The Changing Face of College Admissions and Equity with Emily Chase Coleman
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s episode, Vickie and Amanda discuss the evolving landscape of college admissions with Emily Chase Coleman, CEO of HAI Analytics. They expl...
The US Supreme Court, Affirmative Action, and the Future of Education
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode focuses on a Supreme Court case in favor of eliminating affirmativeaction, which has huge implications in the world of education. In...
Leading with Empathy in an Inclusive Classroom Environment with Dr. Jessica Werner
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s focus is on accommodating children in the general education classroom to provide a truly inclusive environment. It’s vital for all of us i...
Teaching Inclusion, Acceptance, and Responsibility Through Character Development with Kristin Woodward-Vaassen and Icle Freeland
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Teaching Inclusion, Acceptance, and Responsibility Through Character Development with Kristin Woodward-Vaassen and Icle FreelandCharacter educat...
Teaching the Teachers: Strategies for Inclusive Education with Andrew Goff
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Most of the country is off and running into another school year, and it’s a great time to reflect on where we can improve and how we can be more kno...
ENCORE: Live from the BOOST Conference!
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is a replay of our session at the BOOST Conference from a few months ago. It relates specifically to next week’s conversation, whi...
The Benefits of Instructional Audio Systems for Inclusive Classrooms with Dr. Stephanie Meyer
27 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Last week’s episode was about central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) and its impacts on a student’s ability to learn. For this episode, we ar...
Digging Deeper into Central Auditory Processing Disorder
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s show expands on our previous episode with Dr. Connie McReynolds in which we discussed central auditory processing deficits in kids with auti...
Solving the ADHD Riddle with Dr. Connie McReynolds
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the beginning of another school year, and we are coming to you with many informative episodes to prepare and support you in whatever challenges...
A Big-Picture View of Special Education Litigation with Tim Adams
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome! Today’s episode takes a big-picture view of what’s going on in education with our taxpayer dollars and how we can educate more parents ab...
ENCORE: Approaching Life with an Unstoppable Mindset with Michael Hingson
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are joined today by a special guest, Michael Hingson, host of the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. We have shared a lot of time on each other’s podca...
ENCORE: Three Steps to Plan Now for the Future of Your Disabled Child with James Lange
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're happy to bring you some of our listener favorites during the next few weeks. These episodes are sure to pique your interest by featuring topics ...
ENCORE: LIVE from the Boost Conference
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We're happy to bring you some of our listener favorites during the next few weeks. These episodes are sure to pique your interest by featuring topics ...
Proactive Solutions to Students’ Mental Health with Maria Barrera
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are taking a summer break for July to soak up a little summer fun with our families, so we are replaying some of our most popular episodes that are...
Moving From Diversity to Inclusion (Part 2 with Michael Hingson)
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We promised you a Part 2 with Michael Hingson—and here it is! We don’t always get the opportunity to follow up a guest interview with a second par...
Affirming Neurodiversity in IEPs with Santanna Ficken
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is Part 2 of our conversation with Santanna Ficken, a mental health practitioner who proudly identifies as a disabled, autistic/ADHD...
Systemic Ableism in the IEP Process–and How We Can Change with Santanna Ficken
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is Part 1 of our conversation with Santanna Ficken, a mental health practitioner who proudly identifies as a disabled, autistic/ADHD...
The Right Approach to Bullying Prevention with Alain Pelletier
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
June is here! That means many school districts are on summer break, and many more are in the last week or so of the school year. Wherever June finds y...
A Holistic View of Language and Cultural Context (Part 2) with Dr. Alexander Tan
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are honored to visit again with Dr. Alexander Tan to discuss the integrity of evaluations and assessments of English-language learners. This topic ...
Proactive Solutions for Students’ Mental Health with Maria Barrera
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a busy, busy time of year as schools are finishing up! We wanted to get this episode in before the end of May, which is Mental Health Awareness...
Live from the BOOST Conference
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We recently had the chance to speak at the BOOST Conference about our podcast, the IEP system, and special education in general. The BOOST Conference ...
Three Steps to Plan Now for the Future of Your Disabled Child with James Lange
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are pivoting from our normal education-centric topics today to take a broader view of the financial side of raising a child with a disability. We w...
Approaching Life with an Unstoppable Mindset with Michael Hingson
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are joined today by a special guest, Michael Hingson, host of the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. We have shared a lot of time on each other’s podca...
Love Is a Classroom with Andrew Goff
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a very busy time of year for everyone involved in IEP meetings, for sure! In today’s episode, we are discussing IEP meetings and the roles of...
A Holistic View of Language and Cultural Context with Dr. Alexander Tan
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is Part 2 to our recent solo episode about English language learners. We are focusing on the bigger picture of language as only one ...
The Power of a “Stay-Put” Motion
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are you paying attention to the calendar? As we find ourselves in the last few weeks of the school year, this is your friendly reminder to act fast fo...
ENCORE: English Language Learners and IEPs
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today's show is a replay of a very popular and informative episode that we hope you'll enjoy.Today’s topic has popped up recently in some of our cas...
Tackling Brain Health: Amanda and Vickie make a guest appearance on the Neurologics podcast hosted by Karen Odell-Barber
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to a very special episode! Karen Odell-Barber with Neurologics was a recent guest on our show, so we returned the favor by appearing on her po...
Smooth Transitions for Your Child’s Next School Phase
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are in the season of Spring Break and Easter, which means transition IEP meetings should be happening. If you have procrastinated, it’s not too l...
Amazing Advances in Brain Optimization Technology with Karen Odell-Barber
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are learning more and more all the time about how our brains function and what it means to be neurodiverse. In this episode, we explore cutting-edg...
English Language Learners and IEPs
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s topic has popped up recently in some of our cases, and it’s an important one to cover because it is under-supported and often overlooked i...
Preparing Your Student for College and Self-Advocacy with Dan Jordan
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On our very first episode of 2024, we were joined by Dan Jordan to discuss the transition to college and accommodations for students with IEPs and 504...
The Return of Cursive Writing with Dr. Christina Bretz
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s topic is interesting and timely as California joins 22 other states in requiring public schools to teach cursive writing. This has been a ho...
California's Historic $2 Billion Settlement: Addressing COVID Learning Loss
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we delve into the details of a landmark settlement in California, where a $2 billion fund has been allocated to address the learning ...
Why Change is the Key to Truly Inclusive Education with Lacey Robinson
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We are excited to celebrate this 300th episode! It’s been a long time coming! What a great time it is to reflect back on the start of this podcast a...
A Parent's Guide to Educational Advocacy with Vickie Brett, ESQ
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode is a replay of Lynzy Coughlin’s podcast, Motherhood Meets Medicine, where Vickie recently appeared as a recent guest. She provided...
Why Collaboration and Communication Make All the Difference
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Here we are, well into January and the second half of the school year. As we often do, we like to remind you not to let deadlines pass concerning tran...
You, Me, and Neurodiversity with Alyssa Lego
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The New Year is always a great time for a fresh start, especially as we get back into the swing of the school year after the holiday break. It’s a t...
Common Misconceptions in SPED and the Use of Behavioral Tools with Hayley Montelongo
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There are so many misconceptions about special education that we hear frequently. In today’s show, we address those, along with understanding how be...
Self-Advocacy and Accommodations Beyond High School with Dan Jordan
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year! Whether your kiddos are already back to school or they have a few more days of Christmas Break, we all need to get ready for the secon...
ENCORE: Taking Inclusion and Diversity a Step Further
26 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
During our winter break during the month of December, we are featuring a few of our most popular episodes that you might have missed during the busy s...
ENCORE: Deep Dive into Manifestation Determination Meetings
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
During our winter break during the month of December, we are featuring a few of our most popular episodes that you might have missed during the busy s...
ENCORE: Private Schools vs. Non-Public Schools: What Parents Should Know
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
During our winter break during the month of December, we are featuring a few of our most popular episodes that you might have missed during the busy s...
ENCORE: The Little Things that Get Overlooked in IEPs
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
During our winter break during the month of December, we are featuring a few of our most popular episodes that you might have missed during the busy s...
How Young Adults are Thriving at Gateway Center with Robert Freiri
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you have an older student, you might already be thinking about post-high school transitions, so we are excited to dive into the topic of programs f...
ENCORE: Racism and Bias in Our Schools with Nadia Bennett
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Wherever you are listening from, your area of the country is probably in full back-to-school mode. We love to bring you helpful information to ensure ...
A Vision for Inclusive Living at The Village with Dr. Michael Held
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We see many clients in the transitional time of life after finishing high school and wondering what comes next. Today’s show focuses on a wonderful ...
Learning Stories: An Assessment Tool for Early Childhood with Julia Koumbassa
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You have heard us often discuss the shortcomings of standardized assessments in accurately determining the best ways to meet a child’s needs in the ...
A New Approach to Neurodivergent-Affirming Care with Dr. Taylor Day
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Here we are at the end of October already! If you haven’t met with your IEP teams, we remind you to schedule those meetings and do a check-in, even ...
Gender-Affirming Care Means Acceptance with Erin Pollard, LMFT, LPCC
26 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As we find ourselves here at the end of October, we are in the thick of the first semester. The holidays will be here before you know it, so this is y...
Eligibility Categories: Low Incidences Visual Impairment
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s episode finishes out this brief series on the four low incidences eligibility categories. We covered blindness, deafness, hearing impairment...
Eligibility Categories: Low Incidences Hearing Impairment
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this series about the four low-incidence eligibility categories, we are giving examples of different accommodation services we have advocated for i...
Low Incidences Deafness
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As we continue with our series on the eligibility categories of the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), we present another brief episo...
Low Incidences Deaf-Blindness
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We are returning to our series on the eligibility categories with four brief episodes on the categories that can be summarized within the law as “lo...
Navigating Special Education with Effective Communication with Peggy S. Bud, MS, and Tamara L. Jacobson, MS, EdD candidate
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the perfect time to give parents tips and best practices in navigating IEP meetings and working in collaboration with your school team. THE mos...
Understanding the Enigma, Part 2: A Look at Autism Below the Surface with Melody Abbene
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We are excited to follow up Episode 274 (Understanding the Enigma: Autism in Girls) with a Part 2 discussion with Melody Abbene. There are so many nua...
Safe, Creative Spaces in Schools for ALL Kids with Melissa Turnbaugh
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Here in mid-September, we are well into a new school year around the country. This is your friendly reminder to get ahead of any developing issues and...
Hope and Help for Students with Dyscalculia
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As we are off and running into the new school year, we are sending out good vibes and best wishes to all parents and educators that 2023-2024 will be ...
Racism and Bias in Our Schools with Nadia Bennett
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Wherever you are listening from, your area of the country is probably in full back-to-school mode. We love to bring you helpful information to ensure ...
Inclusive Education: A Conversation with Dan Vosnos of One Chance Illinois
22 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A new school year is always ripe with hope and anticipation that this one will be better than the last. We can all learn from our past mistakes AND su...
Understanding the Enigma: Autism in Girls - A Conversation with Dr. Melody Abbene
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today’s topic is one that many people don’t recognize or acknowledge: autism in girls. Autism seems to present differently and to be much more com...
Exciting Steps Toward Inclusive Education in California, with Arielle Starkman
08 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Things are always changing in the field of education, and sometimes even new legislation and policies are like a whirlwind. Today’s episode takes a ...
Why Standardized Tests Don’t Always Give a Clear Picture with Dr. Jayme Jones
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As always, it seems like the summer flew by, and now we find ourselves jumping into another school year already. One question that comes up frequently...
IEP Eligibility and the Law Part 2 [Encore Edition]
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For our July shows, we are featuring a few of our most helpful episodes that you might have missed during the busy school year. Today’s encore editi...
IEP Eligibility and the Law Part 1 [Encore Edition]
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
During our summer break for July, we are featuring a few of our most popular episodes that you might have missed during the busy school year. Today’...
How To Navigate Assessments and Accommodations [Encore Edition]
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For many, the intricacies of IEPs can be overwhelming, and often, essential details in the plan may be crucial to a child’s educational success. In ...