Ask the Advocate: Mid-Year Wake-Up Call + Your Top IEP Questions Answered

We’re back with a no-holds-barred Ask the Advocate episode—and this one is fire. Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, is answering your most-asked questions with the clarity, humor, and wisdom you’ve come to expect.

Spoiler: It’s July. That means we’re in the second half of the year—and there’s still time to get in the game and fight for your child’s rights.

In this episode:

• How long schools have to evaluate your child (and what “school days” really mean)
• Whether a school can ignore a private evaluation
• Why behavior issues and good grades don’t cancel each other out
• The real job of a paraprofessional
• What to do when an aide is helping other students instead of yours
• The truth about MDRs, ESY, speech-only IEPs, and testing timelines
• Why “buckle down and listen” isn’t a valid intervention—and what to do instead
• The difference between a diagnosis and eligibility
• When and how to file a state complaint

Plus:
✅ Download our APP in your APP store, search ... Special Education Academy app
✅ A 50% OFF code for the 2-Day Intensive On-Demand (use code JULY at checkout!)
✅ Details on our in-person Florida training (July 19–20) and the Group Mastermind starting July 27

🎯 This episode is packed with practical strategies and powerful reminders that you are the expert on your child—and we’ve got your back.

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✨ 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.

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🧠 Want to level up your advocacy game?
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