A Special Education Teacher, Administrator and Lawyer walk into a bar....all you ever wanted to know about special education

Can you believe we've uploaded 100 episodes?! We're ending Season 4 celebrating our 100th episode and choosing our favs from each season. Please go back and listen to those if you started mid-way through our show. Here is a list of the top 20 downloads if you want listener favorites. We've already planning for season 5- be back soon! Thank you listening- Robin/Abby/Angela S1 Ep. 1. With Friends Like These: Intro Pod S3 Ep. 6 The 1,2,3s of IEPs (meetings, that is!) S2 Ep. 26 Final Episode of Season 2! AKA Robin's Had It! S3 Ep. 25 Season 3 is a wrap! S2 Ep .11 What's so special about specialized instruction? S3 Ep. 8 Please stop saying that! S1 Trailer S4 Ep. 13 20 Questions S1 Ep. 10 What is the "Least Restrictive Environment" and Why Do We Keep Talking About It? S2 Ep. 22 Administration Consideration S3 Ep. 12 Inclusive Fitness: Interview w/Greg Austin S3 Ep. 22 We've Got Mail 2nd Edition S2 Ep. 7 Interview with Laura Gillis (parent side attorney) S2 Ep. 4 Discipline Deep Dive... Part 1 S2 Ep. 2: Behavior IS Communication - Interview with Kristin Pas, BCBA S3 Ep. 5 There's something SPECIAL going on..... S4 Ep. 3 Top 10 Common Logical Fallacies S3 Ep. 1 What happens if there are no teachers? S3 Ep. 13 What do you do when things don't go the way one would expect? Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

James Lange is a CPA/Attorney and the author of 10 best selling financial books that help IRA and retirement plan owners get the most of what they've got. The Wall Street Journal has endorsed Jim's tax and estate planning strategies 36 times! Jim's daughter, Erica, has a disability. Jim's expertise with Roth IRA conversions and the impact of the SECURE Act on IRAs, disability planning, and legacy planning was critical in developing a long-term plan to secure his daughter's financial future and improve his family's quality of life. Using his family's journey as the base, Jim authored a new book, Retire Secure for Parents of a Child with a Disability, with two experts in the disability field. Jim and his co-authors believe the book is the best comprehensive financial resource for parents of a child with a disability. You can get your free book at https://DisabledChildPlanning.com/Podcast We are also hosting a 3-day virtual summit titled Financial and Life Planning Summit…for Parents of a Child with a Disability from June 18 to June 20. Tatyana McFadden, one of the top paralympic athletes in the world will be our celebrity speaker. The three co-authors and a host of other experts will be offering educational talks over the three-day period. Participants can choose which of the sessions they would like to attend. Many will also be followed with Q&A sessions. And best of all, everyone can enjoy the talks from the comfort of their own living room. To receive updates on our June 18 th – 20 th Financial and Life Planning Summit, go to https://DisabledChildPlanning.com/June Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Listen in on the debate about the uses and misuses of IQ testing for students with disabilities and students of color. Robin, Angela and Abby dissect a recent article from the Hechinger report which can be found HERE titled: How flawed IQ tests prevent kids from getting help in school School psychologists are relying less on testing — but the change is too slow for some" by Sarah Carr and published on March 28, 2024. Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Many of you have seen the ad #Assume I Can (and Maybe I Will) created by the organization CoorDown. Robin, Abby and Angela talk about the power of this campaign on the social inclusion movement. Check out some of the previous campaigns created by this organization (Esp. The Hiring Chain). Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

In this (almost) solo episode, Abby analyzes a new article that was published on March 6, 2024: America’s Most Popular Autism Therapy May Not Work — and May Seriously Harm Patients’ Mental Health A Perspective From Today's ABA- Dr. Hanley BCBA Ethics code Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Join Robin, Abby and Angela as they review the TV show Love On the Spectrum (Season 2 - Netflix) Tait's Take (youtube) The Color of Autism Foundation (mentioned on Tait's Take) Important because people of color tend to be diagnosed later in life due to stigma, biased testing protocols, medical racism etc.) Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Listen in on the discussion with Elizabeth C. Hamblet the author of 7 Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities. 7 Steps is a well regarded book in its third edition that provides important common sense advice for adult students and their family supporters as they navigate through the college application and admission process. Once they are at college, the fun really begins and Ms. Hamblet provides important legal and regulatory information to support adult students with disabilities as they navigate the college landscape. Anyone who wants a discount on her book can get 20% off if they order directly from the publisher. The code and link, plus other purchase options are at bit.lyECHbook Also, Elizabeth created a 20% discount for our listeners for her on-demand webinars. They can enter SpEdPodcast at checkout for her overview webinar or her webinar focused on academic accommodations that are and aren’t commonly approved: https://bit.ly/ECHNZ1 Resources from the book: The Importance of Transparency in College Preparation for Students with Disabilities: https://bit.ly/LDblog154x How to Find College Disability Documentation Requirements - https://bit.ly/LDblog109x Myths About Disability Documentation for College Accommodations - https://bit.ly/LDblog150x College Disability Accommodations Request Preparation Form (to see how much students know) - https://bit.ly/LDAF2x Here's how to reach out to Ms. Hamblet if you want to access her expertise on this important topic: Instagram - ld_advisory (https://www.instagram.com/ld_advisory/) Twitter (X) - @echamblet Facebook - Elizabeth C. Hamblet, LD Advisory (https://www.facebook.com/LDadvisory/) LinkedIn - Elizabeth C Hamblet https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-c-hamblet Threads – ld_advisory Bluesky - @echamblet.bsky.social Youtube - https://bit.ly/LDadvisoryCTPlaylist Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Listen in as Angela, Robin and Abby discuss a recent request from several members of the Brockton School Committee for the Governor of Massachusetts to send the National Guard to Brockton High School. As you can imagine this has attracted a LOT of attention. Here are some articles related to the request and how the Governor responded: Here is an article about the original request from the Business Insider Here is a link to the actual letter from the Brockton School Committee Here is a summary of the Governor's Response (she declined) And finally, Angela was right AGAIN! - the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)'s response is here. Here is a great resource about the Spectrum of Attention Moves from the Skillful Teacher by Jon Saphier that is a classic reference in the field of management. And finally here is the graphic of the five pronged test of if you management philosophy is "effective" according to the work of Leiber. Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

You asked for it......this episode is alllllllllll Angela! Join us as we break down Endrew v. Douglas and what it means for FAPE. Endrew v Douglas The USDOE considers Endrew to be such an important case they have devoted significant resources to unpacking the decision - you can find the whole discussion here: USDOE summary of the case. If you are interested in a brief summary, here is what USDOE has to say today: "On March 22, 2017 the U.S. Supreme Court (sometimes referred to as Court) issued a unanimous opinion in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District Re-1, 137 S. Ct. 988. In that case, the Court interpreted the scope of the free appropriate public education (FAPE) requirements in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Court overturned the Tenth Circuit’s decision that Endrew, a child with autism, was only entitled to an educational program that was calculated to provide “merely more than de minimis” educational benefit. In rejecting the Tenth Circuit’s reasoning, the Supreme Court determined that, “[t]o meet its substantive obligation under the IDEA, a school must offer an IEP [individualized education program] that is reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances.” The Court additionally emphasized the requirement that “every child should have the chance to meet challenging objectives.” The Endrew F. decision is important because it informs our efforts to improve academic outcomes for children with disabilities. To this end, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) is providing parents and other stakeholders information on the issues addressed in Endrew F. and the impact of the Court’s decision on the implementation of the IDEA. Because the decision in Endrew F. clarified the scope of the IDEA’s FAPE requirements, the Department’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) is interested in receiving comments from families, teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders to assist us in identifying implementation questions and best practices. If you are interested in commenting on this document or have additional questions, please send them to OSERS by email at EndrewF@ed.gov." Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Listen in as Angela, Robin and Abby sort through the similarities and differences between PTO and School Sponsored activities. Learn more about what needs to be accommodated and what does not based on the ADA and special education compliance requirements. Here is a sample letter to notify your PTO of their responsibilities under the ADA. Here is a link to the American Diabetes Association ADA Q and A which applies to other students as well. In 2013 the Office of Civil Rights issued a Dear Colleague letter that is linked here specific to participation in afterschool activities. It is linked here. Here is a link to a Q and A related to child care centers and the ADA. Check out this website for an organization that consults to PTOs for ADA compliance. Happy Listening! Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

The Science of Reading Progresses: Communicating Advances Beyond the Simple View of Reading Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

The decision to move to a "functional curriculum" is fraught - for teachers, specialists, administrators and especially, for parents. During this episode, Robin, Abby and Angela consider ways to help teams discuss moving from an academic track to a functional academic track. Pros and Cons abound and communication can make or break a Team's trust in the process and have a major impact on Student programming. Listen in while Angela, Robin and Abby unpack the dynamics and discussion points Teams should consider when considering the move to a functional curriculum. Check out this resource from the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community to get a sense of the universe of curriculum choices available. Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Welcome to the back end of season 4! Join Abby, Angela and Robin as they review how to handle the most common IEP rejections. The editing program was a little wonky this week- sorry! Also Angela's ending was too good to edit :) Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

It's time for our mid-season break! But first, who loves those fun Facebook polls? We do- so get to know us a little better. Be back in 2024! Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Tune in this week to hear Robin, Angela and Abby respond to a listener question about how to work with professional advocates. The discussion ranges from the logistics and details of how to incorporate an advocate into the dialogue to the emotions and feelings that advocacy can raise in school staff. Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

During this episode, Robin and Angela talk about how to manage severe food allergies in school. MA DESE guidance FAACT- 504 guidance Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Join Robin, Abby and Angela as they discuss emergency removals and the latest discipline stats from the Discipline and Behavior Blog Series from the OSEP website. Discipline and Behavior -Blog Series Discipline Dear Colleague Letter (2022) 5 Action Steps To Reduce exclusionary discipline Resources (keep digging through the links!) Valerie C Williams Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

The recent events in Israel left This week's episode is a reminder to listen to S2 Episodes 18 and 19 for tips on how to speak with students about difficult events. Talking to students about crises Planning ahead for emergencies Greater Good: How to talk with your child about the war in Gaza and Israel Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

**sorry for the weird ending- editing got a little funky this week** In this episode Robin, Angela and Abby answer a listener question involving if services are tied to a specific disability, when is it a good idea to terminate speech services for a student with autism and how related services are provided in an online school setting. MA technical guidance: 8/25/06 Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast

Join Abby, Robin and Angela as they discuss the Massachusetts high stakes competency exam required for a high school diploma (MCAS exam) with Laura Gillis , parent side special education attorney. There is a movement by parents and the MA Teacher's Union to end it as a diploma requirement while at the same time, DESE is proposing to raise the bar for proficiency. Here are some articles to read more about it: MTA/MassLive article Advocates ask leaders to end MCAS Leaders vote to raise the MCAS proficiency score Please tell us how you found us by completing this survey Email us at ASTALPodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram @astalpodcast