Ask the Advocate: Live Special Education Q&A — Your Most Pressing IEP, 504, and Transition Questions Answered

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 part where Karen clears up what to do with homework, reveals why she was almost called a grifter, and drops the truth about who really belongs in a 1:1 para situation.

💬 Listener Favorite Moments:

• “Can I file a complaint if an IEP evaluation took 24 months?” (Yes.)
• “Why do you dislike 1:1 aides in gen ed?” (Karen doesn’t hate them—she wants appropriate placement.)
• “What if the school says they can’t provide the data?” (We wait. No data, no decision.)
• “My advocate talks to me every day about mental health…” (Hmm. Let’s unpack that.)

📌 Resources + Links Mentioned:

🎓 Join The Academy → https://www.skool.com/special-education-academy/about
🎙️ Watch on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SpecialEducationBoss
📧 Get Help from an Advocate → advocate@specialeducationacademy.com
🎟️ 2-Day Advocacy Intensive (Live + In-Person!) → https://advocate.specialeducationacademy.com/in-person-intensive/

*The press conference can be found on our YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/rckw4XBqRp8 

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