Special Education Strategist: Expert Advice for IEPs, 504 Plans, Dyslexia, Parent Advocacy, Learning Disabilities, Executive Function, Dysgraphia, ADHD, Autism, Neurodivergent

Special Education Strategist: Expert Advice for IEPs, 504 Plans, Dyslexia, Parent Advocacy, Learning Disabilities, Executive Function, Dysgraphia, ADHD, Autism, Neurodivergent

Overwhelmed, lost, dismissed in IEP/504 systems — seeking help, clarity, and support? You're not alone! Hosted by Wendy Taylor, M.Ed., ET/P, a certified educational therapist, IEP coach, and parent advocate with over 20 years of experience helping families navigate special education. Wendy is the founder of Learning Essentials and a trusted voice in decoding IEPs, literacy challenges, and executive function needs. Whether you're a parent, teacher, or professional, Wendy brings compassionate expertise, real-life strategies, and empowering guidance to help you support the child you care about.

Episodes

145: Medical Insights That Transform Learning & Behavior

September 23, 2025 • 58 mins
Feeling overwhelmed by constant IEP meetings, doctor visits, and behavior struggles? Join Wendy Taylor as she interviews developmental-behavioral pediatrician Dr. Amir Miodovnik—an expert who trained at Boston Children’s and Kennedy Krieger—on how medical factors like sleep, anxiety, and ADHD shape learning and behavior. Discover how to transform your observations into action: translate clinical insights into school strategies...
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144: Different Thinkers: Turning a Diagnosis into Empowerment

September 16, 2025 • 50 mins
In this episode of The Special Ed Strategist, host Wendy Taylor sits down with pediatric neuropsychologists Dr. Yael Rothman and Dr. Katia Fredriksen—co-authors of the Different Thinkers children’s book series—to explore how families can help children understand diagnoses with compassion and clarity. With a strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming lens, they offer practical ways to shift conversations from “what’s wrong” to “...
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143: Building Independence One Microstep at a Time

September 9, 2025 • 63 mins
In this episode of The Special Ed Strategist, Wendy Taylor sits down with Kristin Lombardi, MA, BCBA, founder of Zeal Behavior Analysis, and Dr. Christine Drew, BCBA-D, Assistant Professor at Auburn University, to discuss their groundbreaking book, Spectrum of Independence: How to Teach Your Neurodiverse Child Daily Life Skills.

Kristin and Christine share practical, science-backed strategies for helping neurodiverse ...
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142: How Will the General Education Teacher Know What’s in My Child’s IEP?

August 12, 2025 • 8 mins
In this solo episode of The Special Ed Strategist, Wendy Taylor, M.Ed., ET/P, unpacks a question many parents whisper with concern: How will the general education teacher know—and follow—my child’s IEP?

Discover what the law requires, what often happens in practice, and proactive ways you can bridge the gap between the IEP document and daily classroom implementation.

3 Key Takeaways
  • Ask the right...
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141: Listener Favorite: Complex Kids: Navigating Autism, ADHD & Anxiety with Dr. Dan Shapiro

August 5, 2025 • 53 mins
Understanding your child's unique behaviors can feel overwhelming—but clarity is possible. In this empowering, listener-favorite episode from our archives, host Wendy Taylor welcomes Dr. Dan Shapiro, renowned developmental-behavioral pediatrician, author, and founder of the Parent Child Journey. Dr. Shapiro demystifies the complexities of autism, ADHD, and anxiety by explaining how these conditions interact and providing pract...
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140: Is Pull-Out Support Helping or Hurting? Navigating Special Ed Services with Clarity

July 29, 2025 • 9 mins
Join Wendy Taylor, M.Ed., ET/P and special education strategist, alongside guest Jackie Beach—early childhood expert and founder of Rally Family Support—as they unpack the real impact of pull-out vs. push-in services. Are students gaining what they need or missing what matters most?

This episode is part of our 12-week, parent-focused summer series answering real IEP questions with real strategies.

3 Key Takea...
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139: Listener Favorite: Girls with Autism: Why We’re Missing the Signs with Dr. Donna Henderson

July 15, 2025 • 63 mins
This listener favorite is especially important because it sheds light on how often autistic girls are misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or simply missed—keeping them from the support they truly need to thrive. Dr. Donna Henderson, a clinical neuropsychologist and expert in autism in women and girls, joins Wendy to break down the subtle signs, the cost of delayed diagnosis, and how families and clinicians can better support these br...
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138: What Makes a Goal Realistic? How to Know If Your Child’s IEP Goals Are Too Easy (or Too Much)

July 8, 2025 • 16 mins
What does a realistic IEP goal actually look like? In this episode of our Summer Question Series, host Wendy Taylor is joined by Jackie Beach, M.Ed., founder of Rally Family Support, to unpack the “just right” goal—ambitious yet achievable. Learn how to collaborate with your school team, trust your gut, and use data (from home and school) to shape meaningful goals that support the whole child. Because goals only matter if they...
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137: What Do IEP Services Actually Look Like?

June 24, 2025 • 14 mins
Ever stare at your child’s IEP and wonder, “What actually happens during those service minutes?” You’re not alone—and we’re breaking it down. In this kickoff to our 12-week summer series, host Wendy Taylor and co-host Jackie Beach dive into what related services like speech, OT, and behavioral support really look like in the school day. You’ll learn the difference between push-in, pull-out, and consult models—and why asking “...
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136: Dyslexia Advocacy & Assessment: How Parents Can Partner with Schools to Identify and Support Struggling Readers

June 17, 2025 • 59 mins
In this episode of The Special Ed Strategist, Wendy Taylor is joined by Jenny Ponzuric, a Licensed Educational Psychologist and certified school neuropsychologist with over two decades of experience in psychoeducational assessment. Together, they walk listeners through how to recognize early signs of dyslexia, how to advocate for meaningful school-based evaluations, and what effective intervention actually looks like—beyond ju...
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135: Neurodiversity-Affirming IEPs: Moving Beyond Compliance with Breea Rosas

June 3, 2025 • 54 mins
What does it really mean to be neurodiversity-affirming? Breea Rosas, licensed educational psychologist and founder of the Neurodiversity Affirming School Psychologist Group, joins Wendy Taylor to unpack how schools, families, and IEP teams can shift from a deficit-based lens to an affirming, strength-centered approach. From actionable language swaps to rethinking token boards and goal-writing, this episode is a must-listen fo...
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134: Rethinking Behavior: Play, Regulation & Neurodiversity

May 27, 2025 • 65 mins
Is it misbehavior—or a regulation challenge? In this powerful episode, Wendy Taylor sits down with Polina Shkadron, trauma-certified speech language pathologist and founder of Play to Learn Consulting. Together we explore how play, trust, and brain-based support strategies can transform how we support neurodivergent learners. With over 15 years of experience in Autism, ADHD, and ARFID, Polina shares the science and soul behind...
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133: How to Write a Parent Input Statement That Drives Services

May 20, 2025 • 13 mins
Your voice isn’t just welcome at the IEP table—it’s legally required. In this episode of The Special Ed Strategist, host Wendy Taylor, M.Ed., ET/P, breaks down how to write a powerful Parent Input Statement that reflects what you’re seeing at home and in the community. You’ll learn how to collect meaningful data, prioritize your concerns, and communicate them effectively to shape your child’s IEP. Whether you’re new to the pro...
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132: Early Intervention, Empowered Parents: Real Talk with Jackie Beach, M.Ed.

May 13, 2025 • 60 mins
What should you really be looking for in early childhood development—and what do you do when it feels overwhelming? Wendy sits down with Jackie Beach, founder of Rally Family Support and early childhood expert, for a candid, empowering conversation about noticing red flags, collecting meaningful data, and making the leap from early intervention to IEPs. Jackie blends wisdom and warmth as she reminds parents: you can trust your...
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131: When College Feels Like Too Much (or Not Enough): Finding the Right Fit

May 6, 2025 • 55 mins
Is your teen overwhelmed by the idea of college? Or maybe you’ve realized that mainstream college—or even high-support programs like CLE—just don’t feel like the right fit. In this powerful conversation, Wendy Taylor sits down with Anne-Marie Stripling, an expert in college transition for students with learning and anxiety challenges, to explore how to build just-right support for young adults.

With two decades of exp...
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130: Go Gray with Me: The Story Behind My Mission

May 1, 2025 • 13 mins
This solo episode is raw, real, and rooted in love. Host Wendy Taylor, M.Ed., ET/P, shares her family’s deeply personal journey—how her son’s brain tumor diagnosis flipped her world and transformed her as a special educator and advocate. You’ll learn why she created the $19 course Cracking the Code to Special Education Eligibility—and how it can help you move from fear to clarity.

3 Key Takeaways:
  • The emot...
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129: Out-of-Sync No More: Playful Tools for Sensory Success with Carol Kranowitz (Part 2)

April 15, 2025 • 67 mins
Feeling overwhelmed by your child’s sensory needs? In Part 2 of our conversation, sensory integration expert Carol Kranowitz returns to share practical, joyful strategies to help your child feel more confident and connected. From Ziploc paint bags to backyard crash pads, this episode is filled with simple tools to bring calm, play, and purpose into your day. Missed Part 1? Be sure to go back and catch it first!

About ...
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128: Sensory Processing & The Out-of-Sync Child: A Conversation with Carol Stock Kranowitz (Part 1)

April 8, 2025 • 55 mins
What really makes a child "out of sync"? Wendy Taylor welcomes Carol Stock Kranowitz, renowned author of The Out-of-Sync Child, for an inspiring and practical conversation about sensory processing differences. With her signature warmth and wisdom, Carol explains how to identify sensory challenges, how they show up in everyday behavior, and what you can do to help. This episode is packed with aha-moments and activities that bri...
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127: Accommodations vs. Modifications—What Every Parent Needs to Know

April 1, 2025 • 10 mins
Confused about the difference between accommodations and modifications? You’re not alone. In this solo episode, Wendy Taylor, certified Educational Therapist and IEP Coach, breaks down what these terms really mean, how they show up in IEPs and 504s, and why getting them right can make or break your child’s educational journey. Tune in to learn which questions to ask in meetings and how to advocate like a pro—without the jargon...
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126: Understanding and Managing Resistance: Supporting Students Who Push Back?

March 25, 2025 • 56 mins
Why do some students push back against authority, struggle with compliance, or resist help? In this episode, Britt Rathbone, LCSW-C, BCD, CGP, a nationally recognized adolescent therapist, breaks down why students resist and how parents, educators, and therapists can respond effectively. From Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) to executive function challenges, anxiety, and sensory sensitivities, we explore practical strategie...
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