Happy Monday, Advocates! In this Ask the Advocate episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham—The Special Education Boss®—tackles another round of rapid-fire questions from parents, teachers, and advocates across the country. From recess rights to PCS plans, and from tardy notes to 1:1 aides, Karen brings clarity, humor, and real strategies you can use in the IEP/504 process today.

✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why we don’t advocate by diagnosis (CP, autism, ADHD, etc.), but by the characteristics of the disability.
• Can schools take away recess as punishment?
• Supporting students in alternative placements for mental health.
• Do schools need a doctor’s note for every tardy/absence if there’s already a medical order?
• What is a PCS (Personal Care Supplement) and how it fits in the IEP.
• How long should it take for a district to respond to an evaluation request (hint: not three months!).
• Who writes speech/language vs. communication goals—teachers or SLPs?
• The OSEP January 2011 letter: why MTSS/RTI cannot delay testing.
• Why a 1:1 aide = a service under an IEP, not a 504.
• Who can serve as a 1:1—does it have to be a special education teacher?
• What to do if related services are being delivered virtually.
• Why EC buses must be door-to-door, not just to the stop sign.
• Can paras test students? What levels matter?
• Who actually writes the IEP—and do you need to be a certified SPED teacher?
• What to do when staff shortages mean IEP services aren’t being provided.
• Vocational rehab services: what’s good, what’s missing.
• The importance of data-driven placement decisions.
• And a reminder—advocacy means being a chainsaw, not just a squeaky wheel.

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✨ 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.

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