Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham
The Special Education Boss® Podcast is where advocacy meets action. Join Karen Mayer Cunningham each week as she empowers parents and professionals to understand their rights, navigate the system, and show up strong at the IEP table.
Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham
RTI Is NOT a Gatekeeper + Why Schools Can’t Delay Evaluations (Live Q&A Fire)
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Guess who’s back?
Fresh off the inaugural Epic IEP™ World Book Tour — eight stops in five days, professional developments, book signings, and hundreds of powerful conversations — Karen is back answering your biggest special education questions in real time.
And this one is packed.
From RTI misuse and delayed evaluations…
To schools sending kids home for behavior…
To missing related service minutes…
To paraprofessionals not being allowed to see the IEP (yes, that happened)…
We are breaking it down.
✨ In This Episode, Karen Covers:
- Why RTI, MTSS, and tier systems cannot delay a special education evaluation
- The truth about 504 Plans vs IEPs (and yes… follow the money)
- How to request data (and what federal law says about access)
- Why paraprofessionals must have access to the IEP
- How to respond when a district drags its feet
If you’re feeling defeated, overwhelmed, or talked down to at the table — this episode is your reset.
You don’t know what you don’t know — but you need to.
📚 Get The Epic IEP™ | Available wherever books are sold
If the book has helped you, please leave a review. It helps other families find it.
🎓 Join The Academy (First Month Free)
Over 400+ hours of archived trainings and weekly live coaching:
🎟️ Upcoming Trainings
2-Day LIVE Virtual Intensive: March 7–8
2-Day LIVE In-Person Intensive: May 30–31 | Lexington, Kentucky
Limited seating.
We train everyone at the IEP/504 table to navigate and negotiate successful student outcomes.
When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everyone.
— Karen Mayer Cunningham
✨ 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.
👉 Subscribe & never miss an episode — new episodes drop every week!
🎓 Join The Academy: Weekly live trainings + 250+ hours of advocacy tools & expert resources
🔗 Learn more at The Epic IEP™ Academy First month free, after that, cancel anytime.
📱 Follow Karen on:
- TikTok & Instagram: @specialeducationboss
- YouTube: Special Education Academy
🧠 Want to level up your advocacy game?
Check out the Advocate's Bookshelf — a curated collection of must-have tools, guides, and legal references every special education advocate should own. From federal code to diagnostic manuals, these are the essentials that help you advocate with clarity and confidence.
📚 Browse now: https://amzn.to/3RiQPLl
(As an Amazon Associate, Karen may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you.)
Because when...
