Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham

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 c...

What happens when a fiercely intelligent parent is told her child just isn’t “a good fit” for school?

In this raw and powerful episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, sits down with Kentucky-based mom, medical professional, and now advocate, Angie Pannuti. What began as a personal struggle with sleep-deprived nights, guilt-filled days, and a nonverbal toddler has turned into a mission to shift entire school sys...

The system isn’t just broken—it’s breaking teachers.

This week on Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with Linda Glazewski, a bold new voice in the advocacy world. After 30+ years in the classroom, Linda walked away from the job she once loved to start advocating full-time for families and students with disabilities. Why? Because the very system she served was standing in the way of student success.

👉 You’...

We’re wrapping up June with Ask the Advocate—and it’s packed!
Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, answers your most-asked questions about IEPs, 504s, compensatory services, and more. From data myths and goal-setting to speech therapy, para support, and placement issues—this episode is full of clarity, education, and laughter (of course).

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
Now through June 30, download Wealthy & Well-...

What would you do if your child’s school ignored the law—and told teachers not to speak to you?

In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham shares a powerful whistleblower letter from a former general education teacher inside Fort Bend ISD. This teacher came forward to expose what was really happening behind closed doors:

🚫 IEPs not implemented
🚫 Accommodations skipped
🚫 FERPA violations—including sh...

What happens when a seasoned special education teacher realizes the system isn't built to support the very students it's supposed to serve?

In this powerful conversation, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with former educator Alan Driggers, who recently left the classroom after 14 years to become a full-time special education advocate. Alan shares what it's really like behind the scenes in public education: the lack of...

Over 20 questions. One boss. No fluff.
In this high-energy episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham tackles your biggest concerns in a LIVE Q&A format—covering everything from compensatory services and ESY confusion to ABA therapy myths, denied evaluations, and falsified IEP data.

📌 Topics include:

• What to do if your child missed speech or reading minutes
• Whether uncertified SPED staff are legal (spoiler...

In this powerful episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham welcomes Cindy—a former teacher of 27 years, literacy specialist, MTSS leader, and now a full-time special education advocate. What led her to pivot from teaching to advocacy? The answer may sound familiar: burnout, frustration, and an unshakable belief that kids deserve better.

Cindy opens up about the emotional and professional toll of navigating a school ...

What’s the difference between FAPE and LRE—and why does it matter so much in IEP placement decisions?

In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with national expert Dr. Mitchell Yell to unpack two of the most misunderstood elements of the IEP process: Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or advocate, this conversation of...

Tired of being told “we don’t do that” or “your concern isn’t valid”?
This episode of Special Education Boss® is your reminder: you don’t need permission to advocate for your child.

Karen Mayer Cunningham returns with another fire Ask the Advocate Q&A—answering real questions from parents, teachers, and advocates nationwide. Whether you’re being told you can’t request testing, the IEP “isn’t needed,” or services were “missed...

What’s right, what’s wrong, and what you absolutely need to know about your rights in special education.

In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham is back—answering live questions about IEPs, 504s, placement, compensatory services, and so much more. If you’ve ever been told:

• “We don’t offer that here…”
• “We’re removing resource classes…”
• “Your child doesn’t qualify…”
• “We’re amending without a meeting…”

…i...

Most parents—and far too many educators—don’t fully understand what the “Continuum of Special Education Services” actually means. And that’s a problem.

In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham breaks down one of the most misunderstood components of IDEA: the continuum of placements and how it connects to your child’s right to FAPE in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).

From general education with accomm...

Do you know your rights when it comes to getting your child tested for special education?

In this training episode of Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham, we walk step-by-step through the entire process of requesting special education testing—starting with how to recognize suspected areas of need, what to include in your written request, and what evaluations you have the right to request under IDEA.

Whether you’re a p...

n this rapid-fire, real-talk episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham returns for another Ask the Advocate session, answering over 50 real-time questions from parents, educators, and advocates across the country. From first IEP meetings to post-secondary transition plans, from AAC devices to due process complaints—you asked, and Karen delivered.

⚠️ Spoiler alert: This one gets spicy (and hilarious). Don’t miss the ...

WATCH HERE! https://youtu.be/OGw4WtH3KMM

What happens when a certified teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) demands that blind students receive the services they're legally entitled to? In this powerful episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with Angela Tucker, a veteran special educator and ACTVI in Texas, who shares her personal story of standing up—and being shut down.

Angela was hired to serve...

Movement Is Medicine: How Fitness Builds Longevity, Choice, and Confidence for Individuals with Disabilities
Part 2 with Mike Lutey, Special Strong Franchise Owner

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Special Education Boss® Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down again with Mike Lutey, franchise owner of Special Strong Houston, to go even deeper into the life-changing impact of adaptive fitness for individuals with disabilities.

Th...

Part 1 of 2 

This week on Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with Mike Lutey, franchise owner of Special Strong Southeast & Northwest Houston, to talk about the power of adaptive fitness for individuals with disabilities—and how the right workout can change everything.

Mike shares his personal journey, inspired by his sister with Down syndrome and his mom’s advocacy work in Montana, to becoming the very fir...

Welcome back to another power-packed episode of Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham — and welcome to the Month of Mayhem! From bathtub to beach to balcony, wherever you're tuning in, Karen is here with clarity, conviction, and the kind of answers that cut through confusion at the IEP and 504 table.

In this episode, Karen tackles real-time questions from parents, educators, and advocates including:

• What parapr...

In this special episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, CEO and founder of Special Education Academy, sits down with the Founders Future podcast to share the powerful story behind her life's work—advocating for students with disabilities. From her personal journey navigating the special education system as a parent to building one of the most recognizable training and advocacy platforms in the country, Karen offers raw insight, unfil...