Inclusive Education Project (IEP) Podcast

When a child is struggling with behaviors at school, how do you know when it’s time to take a closer look at what’s really going on? And if a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) could help identify what’s behind those behaviors, how long should a team wait before moving forward? Today, we’re welcoming Dr. Desiree back for a candid conversation about FBAs, behavior intervention plans, data collection, and why it’s so important to understand not just what a behavior looks like, but what may be causing it. Amanda shares a recent IEP experience involving a young student who was struggling with behaviors like elopement, unwanted physical contact, and property destruction. The team had already agreed to move forward with an FBA once the new school year got underway, but a new behavior specialist recommended waiting while the school tried more interventions and collected additional data. That raised an obvious question: If one of the purposes of an FBA is to collect and analyze behavioral data, at what point does waiting simply delay getting a student the support they need? Dr. Desiree helps us unpack what should happen next. We discuss why behaviors need to be clearly and objectively defined, how understanding a behavior's function can guide appropriate supports, and why collecting good data is only part of the equation. The teachers, paraprofessionals, and other team members implementing the plan also need the training and tools to make it work. We also look at the difference between educational and medical services and how understanding both can help families make informed decisions about supporting their child. Show Highlights: Why a team might consider an FBA when a student’s behaviors are interfering with learning Amanda’s experience with a behavior specialist who recommended delaying an already-planned FBA Waiting to collect data before conducting an assessment intended to collect and analyze data may be problematic. The importance of identifying and clearly defining target behaviors Why behaviors such as elopement can look different from one school year, classroom, or environment to another How the function of a behavior can be misunderstood when everyone on the team is using a different definition Why observations and behavioral data should be objective rather than relying solely on subjective reports Importance of identifying antecedents and understanding what may be triggering or reinforcing a behavior Why an effective behavior plan requires more than a well-written report The need to ensure teachers, paraprofessionals, and other staff understand how to implement a student’s plan and collect useful data Why behavioral documentation can help establish a student’s needs and provide access to appropriate supports The distinction between educational services addressing behaviors that impede learning and medical services that address a child’s broader needs Why families receiving private medical or behavioral services may want to consider how those services can complement school-based supports Resources: Connect with Dr. Desiree and Ness Behavior Consulting for information about behavioral services and support. Email - [email protected] LinkedIn Call NESS Behavior Consulting directly: (516)-252-1444 NESS intake form Contact us on social media or through our website for more information about 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 the show on Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your rating and review help other listeners find the show. Connect with us and reach out with any questions or concerns: Facebook, Instagram, X, the IEP Website, or Email.

As the school year is off and running, we get the sense that everyone feels the pressure of juggling many moving parts. Our executive functioning skills are being put to the test, which makes today’s conversation extremely relevant. We are discussing all things executive functioning, including what these skills are and how we use them to complete tasks, manage emotions, and fulfill our obligations. These skills are important to students and adults in any educational setting, but they translate into real-world skills that are valuable in our lives at any age. Kids with learning challenges definitely need more support to learn and master these skills. How can we best teach these important skills? Join us for the conversation! Show Highlights: Executive functioning skills must be taught with the HOW and WHY in mind. What is executive functioning? Executive function doesn’t automatically happen as a certain birthday comes. The steps to help a student develop executive function include showing/modeling, teaching/training, and stepping back to allow independence to occur. Simply teaching daily routines, even to preschoolers, develops executive function. An example of a useful tool: an assignment triage sheet to manage classwork/assignments Task chunking can be done with a variety of tools and devices that help with all facets of time awareness and management. “Let’s try this together” is a huge step that is missing, especially with older children. Resources: Contact us on social media or through our website for more information about 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.

With the start of a new school year, everyone involved in education feels a varying degree of anxiety and uncertainty. Today’s topic, the influence of AI in education, is relevant to everyone: parents, teachers, and students. AI has come to the forefront in recent years, along with debate about the pros and cons of screen time. An expert joins us today to explain how AI is changing the way children think and learn. Join us now! Dr. Jonathan Strecker is an educator, author, commentator, and public thinker who has a background in neuroscience and psychology. He has spent the past 30 years in education, and he is currently the Head of School at Valley School of Ligonier, a private school in Rector, Pennsylvania. Show Highlights: AI IS a disruptive technology. Will its impact be more positive or negative? An example of AI being used as “fake intelligence” AI can partner with learning as the brain primes itself through struggle. The value of boredom in helping the brain transition into creativity The fascinating aspects of the ADHD mind A statistic: Increasing the connectedness in a group of students brings an 11% boost in intellect. This moment, right now, is as influential as any other in history. Success in reading, writing, and math is a by-product of a “well-defined, intentional whole-child education.” We have to understand the underlying goals in teaching reading, writing, and math, like problem-solving, logical thinking, and communication skills. Resources: Connect with Jonathan Strecker: Website and Emergence book. Contact us on social media or through our website for more information about 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, IEP Website, and Email.

The school year is in full swing for most of the country. We want to remind you about your required 30-day transition IEP meeting if your child has transitioned to a new school or new program. If you haven’t been offered this meeting, request it now for a check-in. Even without a transition, you can still request this meeting to get updates on your child’s progress. Don’t delay! Now is the time! Today’s guest has her finger on the pulse of today’s special education programs, support, and funding, and she’s here to help us understand the current situation. Join us! Jennifer Coco has a background in law and a focused passion for advocating for kids with special needs and disabilities. After starting in the civil rights field, she joined the Southern Poverty Law Center as a special education attorney to tackle systemic challenges in providing equal access and opportunity at the intersection of disability and race. Currently, she serves as the interim executive director of The Center for Learner Equity. This national organization cares deeply about kids with disabilities having equal access to high-quality school choices and opportunity. Show Highlights: THIS moment matters! (“We are at a scary juncture.”) Is the infrastructure in place to follow through with the law? The federal government is not following through on the provisions of the IDEA. Understanding the gap between the provisions and implementation of the IDEA Solutions for charter schools in serving kids with disabilities: resources, access, and system capacity Jennifer’s approach to championing and advocating for charter schools The two biggest problems for charter schools with inclusive education are planning and design. Systemic problems affect us all! Key takeaways from Jennifer: “Don’t abandon hope! We need to hold hands and demand better for our kids.” Get involved! Resources: Connect with Jennifer Coco: Website, Jennifer's LinkedIn, and CFLE LinkedIn. Contact us on social media or through our website for more information about 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, IEP Website, and Email.

We spent much of the last school year discussing the changes in education and the uncertainty surrounding the federal Department of Education. Beyond the policy debates and headlines are real families trying to navigate very real questions about their children’s futures. For families of children with special needs, those questions can feel especially overwhelming: What happens after high school? How do we plan for adulthood? What financial, legal, and practical decisions need to be made—and when? Today, we’re shifting the conversation from what is happening in education right now to what families need to plan for the years ahead. Mary McDirmid joins us to share both her professional expertise and her personal experience as a mother of a child with special needs. Mary McDirmid is a financial planner and the mother of two daughters, the youngest of whom is ten and has special needs. As her own family encountered the complexities of planning for their daughter’s future, Mary recognized how difficult it can be for families to know where to begin—and how much they need someone who understands both the financial and personal sides of special needs planning. That experience led her to focus her work on helping other families navigate these challenges through All Needs Planning, where she provides specialized planning and support for families at every stage of life. Show Highlights: Understanding how a diagnosis changes everything for a family After simply surviving from birth to age 3, a family focuses on IEPs for the school years; next comes graduation, which is a big question mark. (“Now, what?”) Simply staying home all day is NOT the best choice. The one question that alerts you to the groups that are right for your special needs child in the post-education years Finding what benefits are available to pay for services The importance of community and connection for families with the shared experience of a child with a rare disease Mary’s work with families includes finding/applying for benefits and structuring special needs trusts, accounts, and estate planning How to think about naming people who can replace you in the future (Think of a five-year plan. You can reset it later.) Simply creating a special needs trust is not enough. NOW is always the best time for planning. Immediate steps for parents to take now: figure out the years your child has left in school, take inventory of the planning you have in place, and determine what is missing Mary’s easy trick to save digital documents related to your child and their care (Get them a Gmail account!) Resources: Connect with Mary McDirmid: Website and book, Care, Protect, Grow. 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, IEP Website, and Email.