Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham

What would you do if your child’s school ignored the law—and told teachers not to speak to you?

In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham shares a powerful whistleblower letter from a former general education teacher inside Fort Bend ISD. This teacher came forward to expose what was really happening behind closed doors:

🚫 IEPs not implemented
🚫 Accommodations skipped
🚫 FERPA violations—including sh...

What happens when a seasoned special education teacher realizes the system isn't built to support the very students it's supposed to serve?

In this powerful conversation, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with former educator Alan Driggers, who recently left the classroom after 14 years to become a full-time special education advocate. Alan shares what it's really like behind the scenes in public education: the lack of...

Over 20 questions. One boss. No fluff.
In this high-energy episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham tackles your biggest concerns in a LIVE Q&A format—covering everything from compensatory services and ESY confusion to ABA therapy myths, denied evaluations, and falsified IEP data.

📌 Topics include:

• What to do if your child missed speech or reading minutes
• Whether uncertified SPED staff are legal (spoiler...

In this powerful episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham welcomes Cindy—a former teacher of 27 years, literacy specialist, MTSS leader, and now a full-time special education advocate. What led her to pivot from teaching to advocacy? The answer may sound familiar: burnout, frustration, and an unshakable belief that kids deserve better.

Cindy opens up about the emotional and professional toll of navigating a school ...

What’s the difference between FAPE and LRE—and why does it matter so much in IEP placement decisions?

In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with national expert Dr. Mitchell Yell to unpack two of the most misunderstood elements of the IEP process: Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or advocate, this conversation of...

Tired of being told “we don’t do that” or “your concern isn’t valid”?
This episode of Special Education Boss® is your reminder: you don’t need permission to advocate for your child.

Karen Mayer Cunningham returns with another fire Ask the Advocate Q&A—answering real questions from parents, teachers, and advocates nationwide. Whether you’re being told you can’t request testing, the IEP “isn’t needed,” or services were “missed...

What’s right, what’s wrong, and what you absolutely need to know about your rights in special education.

In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham is back—answering live questions about IEPs, 504s, placement, compensatory services, and so much more. If you’ve ever been told:

• “We don’t offer that here…”
• “We’re removing resource classes…”
• “Your child doesn’t qualify…”
• “We’re amending without a meeting…”

…i...

Most parents—and far too many educators—don’t fully understand what the “Continuum of Special Education Services” actually means. And that’s a problem.

In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham breaks down one of the most misunderstood components of IDEA: the continuum of placements and how it connects to your child’s right to FAPE in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).

From general education with accomm...

Do you know your rights when it comes to getting your child tested for special education?

In this training episode of Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham, we walk step-by-step through the entire process of requesting special education testing—starting with how to recognize suspected areas of need, what to include in your written request, and what evaluations you have the right to request under IDEA.

Whether you’re a p...

n this rapid-fire, real-talk episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham returns for another Ask the Advocate session, answering over 50 real-time questions from parents, educators, and advocates across the country. From first IEP meetings to post-secondary transition plans, from AAC devices to due process complaints—you asked, and Karen delivered.

⚠️ Spoiler alert: This one gets spicy (and hilarious). Don’t miss the ...

WATCH HERE! https://youtu.be/OGw4WtH3KMM

What happens when a certified teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) demands that blind students receive the services they're legally entitled to? In this powerful episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with Angela Tucker, a veteran special educator and ACTVI in Texas, who shares her personal story of standing up—and being shut down.

Angela was hired to serve...

Movement Is Medicine: How Fitness Builds Longevity, Choice, and Confidence for Individuals with Disabilities
Part 2 with Mike Lutey, Special Strong Franchise Owner

In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Special Education Boss® Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down again with Mike Lutey, franchise owner of Special Strong Houston, to go even deeper into the life-changing impact of adaptive fitness for individuals with disabilities.

Th...

Part 1 of 2 

This week on Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham sits down with Mike Lutey, franchise owner of Special Strong Southeast & Northwest Houston, to talk about the power of adaptive fitness for individuals with disabilities—and how the right workout can change everything.

Mike shares his personal journey, inspired by his sister with Down syndrome and his mom’s advocacy work in Montana, to becoming the very fir...

Welcome back to another power-packed episode of Special Education Boss® with Karen Mayer Cunningham — and welcome to the Month of Mayhem! From bathtub to beach to balcony, wherever you're tuning in, Karen is here with clarity, conviction, and the kind of answers that cut through confusion at the IEP and 504 table.

In this episode, Karen tackles real-time questions from parents, educators, and advocates including:

• What parapr...

In this special episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, CEO and founder of Special Education Academy, sits down with the Founders Future podcast to share the powerful story behind her life's work—advocating for students with disabilities. From her personal journey navigating the special education system as a parent to building one of the most recognizable training and advocacy platforms in the country, Karen offers raw insight, unfil...

This week on Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham is back behind the mic—and not holding back. From surprise IEP changes to last-minute general ed placements, Karen shares exactly what to do when your child’s services suddenly shift, your 504 isn’t enough, or you're navigating retention, testing, accommodations, and more.

💥 Plus, Karen answers:

• What rights do you actually get with a 504?
• Can a substitute really de...

In this heartfelt and unforgettable episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham is joined by Jennifer Swan—a constitutional lawyer, caregiver, and speaker who shares her extraordinary journey raising her daughter Kennedy, who lives with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

More than just a story of survival, this is a message of radical perspective, courage, and joy in the face of lifelong medical challenges. Jennifer shows us how to shift from feeli...

In this episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen dives into a rapid-fire Q&A answering the real questions families and teachers are facing right now—from placement and eligibility to SDI, IEPs, 504 plans, behavior, executive functioning, transition, and more.

If you've ever left an IEP meeting feeling confused, overwhelmed, or ready to throw a chair (Karen’s words, not ours), this episode is for you.

🎯 Here’s what Karen co...

In this powerful episode of Special Education Boss®, Karen Mayer Cunningham is joined by Dr. Mitchell Yell—renowned special education expert, author, and hearing officer—to unpack the heart of what makes an IEP truly effective.

Together, they dive into:

• The definition of Specially Designed Instruction (SDI)
• Why software and canned goals aren't enough
• How to craft measurable, meaningful IEP goals
• The critical difference between ...