S2 E5: Making Good Trouble in Texas: Kaitlin Cruise’s Advocacy, from School Board Meetings to the State Capitol—and Back to the IEP Table

In this episode, Colleen Ashford talks with Kaitlin Cruise, former special education teacher and current special education advocate and tutor in DFW, Texas. They dive into the uncomfortable realities of scheduling special education services, co-teaching as a new grad and losing your lunch hour. With vulnerability and honesty, Kaitlin shares the final event that led to her leaving the classroom and how she pivoted into running a homeschool co-op and then tutoring. Cruise Capabilities now fills a gap for students who need 1:1 instruction, and offers IEP advocacy; and Kaitlin’s new career has allowed her time and energy to advocate for public education from outside the system. She and Colleen talk about the impact of vouchers and the driving forces behind them, lament the horrors the United States has decided to fund instead of IDEA and emphasizing the importance of participating in democracy and caring about policy at the local and federal levels. Key Takeaways:Honest reflections on how economic disparities were reflected in special education caseloads across the district she taught inHow her business, Cruise Capabilities was borne out of burnout, grief and pandemic needs and has evolved into a business that sustainably supports students both inside and outside of school through both tutoring and advocacy at IEP meetingsHow the Texas Education System “tracks” students who receive special education based on communication abilities and behavioral support needsThe nitty-gritty nuance of “school choice” and private-school vouchers and our concerns for segregation of disabled students and lack of transparency and accountability School board meetings- why she attends and why we should tooWhy hope is the only option when the goal is collective liberation. *Kaitlin mentions Colleen talking about futurism and collective liberation at the end of the episode and Colleen would like to make sure to credit those authors and thought leaders she learned about those concepts from including but not limited to: Audre Lorde, Kimberlé Crenshaw and bell hooks.If you work in the Dallas Fort-Worth Area you can work with Kaitlin as a tutor or advocate!Find her at https://www.cruisecapabilities.com/On instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cruise_capabilities/On Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@cruise.capabilities You can find Colleen on instagram @theadvocate.slp and at www.theadvocateslp.com The Guide to Becoming an Advocate on the Inside: https://theadvocateslp.myflodesk.com/theadvocacyguide