Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham

Do you know your rights? In this Ask the Advocate Q&A, Karen tackles the most common—and confusing—special education questions parents face, from eligibility and evaluations to services, placement, and what to do when the school says “no.”

In this episode:

• OHI vs. SLD — what they mean, how they’re determined, and why it’s not “either/or.”
• ADHD — 504 accommodations vs. when an IEP is warranted (instruction + goals).
• Refusals to ...

Feeling lost in the maze of special education? In this Ask the Advocate episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham answers rapid-fire questions about IEP signatures, extended school year (ESY), RTI, para support, compensatory time, evaluations, and more. Get clear, direct, and empowering guidance every parent and advocate needs.

Inside this episode:
✅ Why there’s no such thing as implied consent in an IEP
✅ What schools must provide wh...

What is Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) — and why is it the foundation of special education?

In this brand-new series, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, breaks down one of the most misunderstood (and misused) concepts in IDEA: special education is specially designed instruction.

In Part 1, we cover:
✅ Why SDI is different from accommodations or modifications
✅ How to ask teachers the right questions to...

It’s one of our most popular formats—rapid-fire Q&A straight from TikTok Live! In this episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, answers your biggest special education questions with her signature mix of clarity, humor, and straight talk.

We cover everything from:
✅ Do you need a meeting to add accommodations to an IEP?
✅ Can dyslexia teachers serve without special ed certification?
✅ What to do w...

In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham unpacks one of the most overlooked yet powerful safeguards in special education: Prior Written Notice (PWN).

Most parents don’t realize that a PWN is not optional—it’s federally required. And it’s the school’s responsibility to complete it whenever they propose or refuse changes to your child’s identification, evaluation, placement, or services.

Here’s what Karen cove...

It’s a Marvelous, Amazing Monday with Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, back with another Ask the Advocate episode!

This week’s Q&A is packed with real parent and teacher questions covering IEP services, paraprofessionals, afterschool programs, behavioral supports, and yes—school shenanigans.

Here’s what Karen answers:

✅ What evaluations parents can request when schools say “everything is fine”
✅ Do paraprof...

This week’s Ask the Advocate is packed with real questions from parents, teachers, and advocates across the country—and straight answers you won’t hear anywhere else.

From Denton ISD removing a child’s Dexcom, to confusion around aides, accommodations, and placement, Karen dives into the hard truths with humor, clarity, and strategy. You’ll hear powerful discussions on:

✅ Why “sitting in a class” isn’t the same as meaningful benefit ...

he U.S. Supreme Court has spoken—A.J.T. vs. Osseo Area Schools is now a landmark decision shaping the future of special education rights.

In this powerful episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with Dr. Mitchell Yell, one of the nation’s leading voices on special education law, to break down what this case really means for parents, advocates, and schools.

You’ll learn:

• 📚 The history and background of...

What exactly is an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE), and when should you request one? In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham breaks down the facts about IEEs under IDEA and why they matter for parents, advocates, and educators.

We’ll cover:

• The legal foundation of IEEs (IDEA §300.502)
• What an IEE is — and what it is NOT
• When to request an IEE (and when not to)
• How schools grant, deny, or push to d...

This week on Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham tackles tough parent and teacher questions that expose what really happens inside IEP and 504 meetings. From falsified service logs to shortened school days, denials of services, and lack of staff training—Karen breaks down exactly what you can do, what the law says, and how to respond with confidence.

In this episode, Karen covers:

• What to do if your school falsifies s...

In this Special Education Boss® episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham tackles your top special education questions—cutting through the confusion with clear, direct answers on IEPs, 504s, data collection, medical needs, and more.

🔥 Highlights include:

• College & Resource Classes: Does being in a resource setting impact college admissions—and how to make up missing credits.
• Behavior Goals That Work: Why “weekly data collection” is cri...

In this powerful IEP & 504 Q&A episode of Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham, we tackle YOUR real-world special education questions—straight from the comments—about eligibility, accommodations, modifications, evaluations, placement, behavior, related services, and more.

Karen breaks down complicated situations into clear, actionable strategies so parents, advocates, and educators can navigate and negotiate a...

Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, kicks off a new series on Parents’ Procedural Rights under IDEA. In this episode, she explains what procedural safeguards really are, why the Child Find mandate is the foundation of special education, and how to protect your rights at the IEP/504 table.

You’ll learn:

• When schools must provide you a Notice of Procedural Safeguards and what makes it current
• Why it must be in your ...

It’s August, it’s hot, and it’s time to talk about starting the school year strong! In this special Ask the Advocate Q&A, Karen Mayer Cunningham — the Special Education Boss® — answers real questions from parents, educators, and advocates on everything from calling IEP meetings to checking teacher credentials.

You’ll hear how to:

• Identify real reasons to call an IEP meeting (and avoid wasting time)
• Make sure accommodations sta...

What’s the real difference between a 504 Plan and an IEP? According to Karen Mayer Cunningham, the answer is simple: everything.

In this powerful episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen unpacks the critical distinctions between a Section 504 Plan and an Individualized Education Program (IEP)—and why settling for a 504 when your child needs an IEP can set them up for failure instead of success.

You’ll learn:

• Why a 504 is not an e...

It's August 2025, and we’re back to school and back to the IEP and 504 tables! In this episode of Ask the Advocate, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, takes questions live and delivers rapid-fire answers, real-talk strategies, and expert insight to get your year started right.

Whether you're prepping for a first IEP meeting, navigating an out-of-place placement, wondering about compensatory services, or t...

Evaluations are the foundation of every IEP, and most parents, advocates, and even school staff don’t realize how many sections are involved, what’s legally required, or how much can go wrong when pieces are skipped.

In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham walks you through the full scope of educational evaluations, breaking down each required component and the common mistakes families face.

You’ll learn:

Welcome back to Special Education Boss®! In this power-packed training episode from Day 1 of “How to Advocate for Anyone,” Karen Mayer Cunningham unpacks one of the most misunderstood areas in special education: the difference between medical diagnosis and educational need, and why it matters at the IEP table.

Key takeaways: 

• Differentiate between medical, therapeutic, and educational models
• Navigate eligibility categories, comorb...

What happens when a parent of two children with autism faces divorce during IEP transition years? In this episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, the Special Education Boss®, sits down with Mary Ann Hughes, Certified Special Needs Divorce Coach and founder of Special Family Transitions. From navigating divorce while parenting children with disabilities to building lifelong support plans, Mary Ann shares practical tools, real-life insights...