Don't IEP Alone. | Podcast Guru

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Inspired by her own son with disabilities, Lisa Lightner is an award-winning blogger and advocate. She has previously worked for her county's Arc and has served on the Boards of Directors for several disability organizations. Currently, she is her county's chairperson for the Right to Education Task Force, a federally decreed group set up in 1971 to ensure that all children in Pennsylvania had the opportunity to an education. When not attending IEP meetings with families or lobbying in Harrisburg and DC for disability rights, she can be found on the web at her IEP advice blog, A Day in our Shoes. She is known for her practical, realistic and implementable advice for parents. Warning: I've been told I have a Philly accent. I don't hear it. Also, I curse. It's something I'm working on as far as personal development. So please don't be put off. I'm trying. 📣Order my book on Amazon, Books-A-Million Bookshop.org Barnes & Noble!

Recent Episodes

ChatGPT, Privacy, and the High Stakes of IEP Decisions

In this episode of Don’t IEP Alone, Lisa Lightner clears up what she means when she criticizes generative AI and ChatGPT. She explains why concerns about privacy, content theft, environmental costs, and inaccurate information matter to families navigating IEPs. Lisa Lightner also challenges the idea that ChatGPT can replace an advocate. AI can only respond to the information you provide, it may miss what’s actually absent from an IEP, and it can be confidently wrong. When your child has only ...

19 MIN

Why I Don’t Ask for FBAs Anymore.

When a child’s behavior increases, the usual response is often to revisit the FBA or behavior plan. But Lisa Lightner argues that teams should first step back and examine the IEP itself. Are all of the child’s needs being met? Are evaluations missing something? Is the IEP being implemented with fidelity? Special Education Advocate Lisa Lightner explains why she now approaches behavior concerns differently. Many behaviors, she says, reflect lagging skills or unmet needs, and an FBA takes signi...

12 MIN

Who Decides When an IEP Support Is Needed?

Related: What Can I Ask for on an IEP? And How do I Get the Team to Agree? Schedule a consult for personalized assistance. Don't IEP Alone with Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate Thank you for listening to this episode of Don't IEP Alone. See you next time! Support the show Other ways I can help you with IEPs: 📚 Order Your IEP Playbook (my book)Schedule a Consult or IEP Record ReviewGet on the Waitlist for Training

11 MIN

Placement Should Follow the IEP, Not Define It

More on: How IEP Placement WorksHow to Get an Out of District Placement on your IEPToday is last day for registration for Don't IEP Alone Academy. Don't IEP Alone with Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate Thank you for listening to this episode of Don't IEP Alone. See you next time! Support the show Other ways I can help you with IEPs: 📚 Order Your IEP Playbook (my book)Schedule a Consult or IEP Record ReviewGet on the Waitlist for Training

10 MIN

Least Restrictive Environment Isn’t Always General Education

More information about LRE and a graphic of the LRE continuum: Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) in IEPs: Placement Must Be Based on Progress, Not Labels. Registration is OPEN NOW for Don't IEP Alone Academy. Don't IEP Alone with Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate Thank you for listening to this episode of Don't IEP Alone. See you next time! Support the show Other ways I can help you with IEPs: 📚 Order Your IEP Playbook (my book)Schedule a Consult or IEP Record R...

14 MIN