Ask the Advocate: Paras, Placements, Phones & IEP Problems—Answered

What do you do when the IEP isn’t followed? When a para is left unsupervised? When your child is denied services due to a “lack of staff”? Or when a cell phone ban interferes with their support plan?

In this rapid-fire Q&A episode of Ask the Advocate, Special Education Boss® Karen Mayer Cunningham tackles your most pressing questions about special education—straight from the front lines. No fluff. No legal jargon. Just real answers to real problems.

Topics we cover in this episode:

✅ Are all paras qualified to serve students with disabilities?
✅ Can you be hired without certification? (Short answer: Yes. Long answer: You better listen.)
✅ Can a child be denied VO-Tech or transition services?
✅ What if the principal ignores IEP violations?
✅ When should compensatory services be offered—and what if they’re never delivered?
✅ Can a parent request a one-to-one aide?
✅ What’s legal when it comes to substitutes in inclusion classrooms?
✅ How do students access their phones if there’s a safety plan or doctor’s note?
✅ What’s the deal with Level 1, 2, or 3 autism labels in schools?
✅ Can a school make a placement decision without a meeting?

💡 BONUS: Karen shares what federal law actually says about paraprofessionals and IEP implementation—plus how to get her most requested resource:
Working with Paraprofessionals: A Resource for Educators of Students with Disabilities. Request it: advocate@specialeducationacademy.com

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Find it in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Just search Special Education Academy and look for the lightbulb with the grad cap!

🎓  TRAININGS:
✔️ 2-Day Intensive (On-Demand) — 50% off with code JULY
✔️ Mastermind Cohort — Starts July 27, 2025
✔️ Weekly Training in The Academy — Every Monday @ 8 PM CST

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“When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everyone.”
— Karen Mayer Cunningham