This week on Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham is back behind the mic—and not holding back. From surprise IEP changes to last-minute general ed placements, Karen shares exactly what to do when your child’s services suddenly shift, your 504 isn’t enough, or you're navigating retention, testing, accommodations, and more.

💥 Plus, Karen answers:

• What rights do you actually get with a 504?
• Can a substitute really deliver IEP services?
• Why does your child suddenly not need special ed next year?
• When should you file a state or federal complaint?
• Can a teacher just copy/paste the old IEP goals?

💡 Spoiler: the answer is always in the data.

Whether you're a parent, educator, or advocate, you’ll walk away better equipped to stand your ground—and serve students with confidence.

🧠 Want more weekly training?
Join The Academy and get live Monday night sessions + 250+ hours of recorded training.
👉 www.specialeducationacademy.com

🎧 Subscribe. Share. Show up. Because when we get it right for the child—we get it right for everybody.

✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨

👩‍⚖️ Hosted by Karen Mayer Cunningham, Advocate & Special Education Boss®
Each week, Karen shares real stories, legal insights, and no-nonsense strategies to help you navigate special education with clarity and confidence.

👉 Subscribe & never miss an episode — new episodes drop every week!
🎓 Join The Academy: Weekly live trainings + 250+ hours of advocacy tools & expert resources
🔗 Learn more at The Academy

📬 Have a question? Email us at advocate@specialeducationacademy.com

📱 Follow Karen on:

• TikTok & Instagram: @specialeducationboss
• YouTube: Special Education Academy

🧠 Want to level up your advocacy game?
Check out the Advocate's Bookshelf — a curated collection of must-have tools, guides, and legal references every special education advocate should own. From federal code to diagnostic manuals, these are the essentials that help you advocate with clarity and confidence.

📚 Browse now: https://amzn.to/3RiQPLl
(As an Amazon Associate, Karen may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you.)

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In this heartfelt and unforgettable episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham is joined by Jennifer Swan—a constitutional lawyer, caregiver, and speaker who shares her extraordinary journey raising her daughter Kennedy, who lives with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

More than just a story of survival, this is a message of radical perspective, courage, and joy in the face of lifelong medical challenges. Jennifer shows us how to shift from feeling trapped by our circumstances to choosing a life worth living—for ourselves and our children.

🌟 QUOTE WORTH REMEMBERING:

📲 Connect with Jennifer:
IG + TikTok: @diagnosis_magical
Interested in coaching or her curriculum? DM her to learn more about:
• Living Proof: Limits Are an Illusion (for special needs caregivers)
• Engage Your Inner Counsel (for individuals being called to more)

💥 This is more than a story—it’s a roadmap for anyone navigating complex needs, grief, or feeling stuck in the “waiting room” of life. Jennifer reminds us: “The circumstance isn’t a cage—it’s a portal.”

🧠 Need representation or help navigating your IEP meeting?
Email us: advocate@specialeducationacademy.com

✅ Subscribe to our channel for weekly episodes, trainings, and real answers:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/@SpecialEducationBoss

🎧 Prefer audio? Catch this episode on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Just search: Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham

👩‍🏫 Want to train as an advocate? Join our next Two-Day Intensive:
https://www.specialeducationacademy.com/training

👣 Want more trainings, resources, and advocacy support? Join The Academy:
🔗 https://www.skool.com/special-education-academy/about

✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨

👩‍⚖️ Hosted by Karen Mayer Cunningham, Advocate & Special Education Boss®
Each week, Karen shares real stories, legal insights, and no-nonsense strategies to help you navigate special education with clarity and confidence.

👉 Subscribe & never miss an episode — new episodes drop every week!
🎓 Join The Academy: Weekly live trainings + 250+ hours of advocacy tools & expert resources
🔗 Learn more at The Academy

📬 Have a question? Email us at advocate@specialeducationacademy.com

📱 Follow Karen on:

• TikTok & Instagram: @specialeducationboss
• YouTube: Special Education Academy

🧠 Want to level up your advocacy game?
Check out the Advocate's Bookshelf — a curated collection of must-have tools, guides, and legal references every special education advocate should own. From federal code to diagnostic manuals, these are the essentials that help you advocate with clarity and confidence.

📚 Browse now: https://amzn.to/3RiQPLl
(As an Amazon Associate, Karen may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you.)

...

In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen dives into a rapid-fire Q&A answering the real questions families and teachers are facing right now—from placement and eligibility to SDI, IEPs, 504 plans, behavior, executive functioning, transition, and more.

If you've ever left an IEP meeting feeling confused, overwhelmed, or ready to throw a chair (Karen’s words, not ours), this episode is for you.

🎯 Here’s what Karen covers:

• Can a child have a 504 and an IEP at the same time?
• Why executive functioning isn’t a class—and what really works
• What ESY is (and isn’t), and when it applies
• Can a para deliver specially designed instruction?
• Why goals must be based on need, not just placement
• What happens when the school won’t follow LRE?
• How to prepare for transition services (hint: start sooner than you think)
• Karen’s origin story and why she’ll always fight for your kid

📣 Be sure to: 👉 Subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen
👉 Watch the full video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/918iqLJtGb8
👉 Join The Academy for 300+ hours of training + live weekly support: https://www.skool.com/special-education-academy/about

✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨

👩‍⚖️ Hosted by Karen Mayer Cunningham, Advocate & Special Education Boss®
Each week, Karen shares real stories, legal insights, and no-nonsense strategies to help you navigate special education with clarity and confidence.

👉 Subscribe & never miss an episode — new episodes drop every week!
🎓 Join The Academy: Weekly live trainings + 250+ hours of advocacy tools & expert resources
🔗 Learn more at The Academy

📬 Have a question? Email us at advocate@specialeducationacademy.com

📱 Follow Karen on:

• TikTok & Instagram: @specialeducationboss
• YouTube: Special Education Academy

🧠 Want to level up your advocacy game?
Check out the Advocate's Bookshelf — a curated collection of must-have tools, guides, and legal references every special education advocate should own. From federal code to diagnostic manuals, these are the essentials that help you advocate with clarity and confidence.

📚 Browse now: https://amzn.to/3RiQPLl
(As an Amazon Associate, Karen may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you.)

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