PODCAST · education
The Collaborative IEP
by Ashley Barlow
Welcome to The Collaborative IEP podcast! This business has been in my heart for so many years, and I so excited to share it with you. In these podcasts we’ll discuss all things special education – from eligibility to implementation of the IEP. We’ll talk about basic concepts and dive deeper into specific topics. We’ll talk about self-care for caregivers and professionals that support children on IEPs. We’ll discuss best practices, behavior, therapies, and more!
Episodes
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Caring for the Caregiver to Promote Co-Regulation: How We Treat Ourselves Helps Our Disabled Children
How do you handle your own stress as a caregiver, especially when your body seems to be working against you? In this episode of The Collaborative IEP Podcast, I'm talking about caring for the caregiver and why it matters for co-regulation with our children. Parents of kids with disabilities carry...
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More IEP Minutes or More Inclusion? How a Well-Written IEP Leads to Better Decisions
Trying to get more minutes of specially designed instruction into your child's IEP? Or fewer, so there's more room in the general education classroom? In this episode of The Collaborative IEP Podcast, I explain why the real question is never actually about minutes at all, and how building the IEP...
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IEP Meeting Communication: How the Wrong Words Can Derail Collaboration and Decision-Making
What is the one thing that can turn a productive IEP meeting into a standstill in a matter of seconds? In this episode of The Collaborative IEP Podcast, I talk about how easily a meeting can get derailed, not because anyone was unkind, but because someone tried to summarize a hard topic quickly…
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IEP Wording Matters: How to Fix Language That Labels, Blames, or Creates the Wrong Impression
What do you do if you don't like the language in your child's IEP? In this episode of The Collaborative IEP Podcast, I answer a question that came in from a Down syndrome association and applies to almost every family I work with: what to do when the wording in an IEP or evaluation feels off,...
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How to Get More IEP Services: Strategies for Increasing Special Education Minutes and Supports
How do you actually get more minutes in your child's IEP? In this episode of The Collaborative IEP Podcast, I'm answering one of the questions I hear most, whether that means more special education minutes, more time with a related service provider, or more of a specific intervention. It's a...
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Is Your IEP Working?
Is my IEP good, and is the school doing everything it should be doing? In this episode of The Collaborative IEP Podcast, I take on a question I hear all the time, one I gathered from parents at the Down Syndrome Affiliates in Action Conference: is this IEP good, and is the school doing everything...
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The People Who Make a School a Community: A Back-to-School Celebration of Teachers and Belonging
This episode publishes on the first day of school in my district, and I am starting the year with a thank you to teachers. In this episode of The Collaborative IEP Podcast, I highlight the people who make a school a community. I tell you about my fifth grade science teacher, who was also my...
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Don't Make the School Guess: Communicating Your Family's Priorities to the IEP Team
We're back, friends, and we're back right on time for back to school season. In this episode, I'm sharing my tried and true method for getting your child's team ready for the new school year, and it starts with something you already have in your house: one of those barely used notebooks that came...
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Private Therapist at School: Can Your Child’s Outside Provider Support an IEP or 504 Plan?
Can a private therapist come into your child’s school to support their IEP or 504 plan? In this episode of The Collaborative IEP Podcast, we continue the conversation around navigating complex IEP situations by answering one of the most common questions parents and advocates ask: whether an…
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Stress, Advocacy, and Real Life: A Story Every IEP Parent and Educator Needs to Hear
In this episode, I share a personal reflection on stress, caregiving, and advocacy, along with what I’ve learned about recognizing when pressure and intimidation are affecting your ability to advocate clearly. In this episode, I discuss: How stress affects our bodies, decision-making, and…
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IEP Meeting Intimidation: What to Do When the School Brings Extra Staff to Special Education Meetings
Have you ever walked into an IEP meeting and felt like the room was stacked against you? In this episode of The Collaborative IEP Podcast, I talk about something many parents and advocates experience but don’t always know how to name: the stress and intimidation that can happen when schools bring...
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Educating Your IEP Team: What to Do When Your IEP Team Lacks Training in Special Education Law and Practice
Have you ever brought up something at an IEP meeting — and the team simply didn’t know what you were talking about? Sometimes the issue isn’t disagreement. It’s a lack of knowledge. In this episode of The Collaborative IEP Podcast, we explore what to do when your IEP team lacks training or...
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Cherry-Picked in the IEP Meeting: How Schools Misuse Data, Test Scores, and Accommodation Compliance to Deny Support
Do you ever leave an IEP meeting thinking, “That one test score does not tell the whole story”? In this episode of The Collaborative IEP Podcast, we tackle what happens when schools rely on a single data point — a MAP score, an iReady number, one behavior report, or one teacher comment — to…
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How to Handle Feeling Misunderstood at an IEP Meeting: A Simple Special Education Advocacy Strategy for Parents to Improve Communication and Collaboration
A Simple Special Education Advocacy Strategy for Parents Do you ever leave an IEP meeting feeling frustrated, unheard, or completely misunderstood? If you’re a parent navigating special education, you are not alone. In this episode of The Collaborative IEP Podcast, we break down a simple…
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Bad Vibes, Tight Jaws, and Side-Eye: When the IEP Room Feels Hostile Before Anyone Talks
Have you ever walked into an IEP meeting and immediately felt it? The tension. The forced smiles. The “we’re fine” energy that is very much not fine. In this episode, we talk about what to do when the room feels hostile before the first agenda item is even mentioned — when people look...
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You Don’t Have to Do This Alone: When to Hire an Advocate or Attorney
Advocating for your child can feel isolating, exhausting, and deeply personal. Even when you understand the system, there are moments when the stress, emotion, and stakes make it nearly impossible to do it alone. In this episode, I share a candid look at what it really feels like to hit that…
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At Impasse with Your School?
We’ve all hit that moment in an IEP meeting where the conversation just… stops. No agreement. No movement. Just two sides locked in place. That’s impasse — and when it happens at school, walking away isn’t really an option. In this episode, I go back to the foundations of advocacy and negotiation...
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School People Bullying You?
Okay, "bullying" may be a strong term, but we've all been there. Advocating for your child can feel overwhelming—especially when you’re being told “this is just how it is.” In this episode, in which I again take us back to the roots of The Collaborative IEP, we refocus on the advocacy and...
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One Tried and True Super Successful Strategy for Mediations
Advocating for your child can feel overwhelming—even when you know a lot. In this episode, I come back to the roots of The Collaborative IEP and refocus on the advocacy side of special education. I revisit the three skills I believe are essential to advocating successfully for your child:...
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3 Skills Every Parent Advocate Needed
Advocating for your child can feel overwhelming—even when you know a lot. In this episode, I go back to the roots of The Collaborative IEP to break down the three essential skills every parent advocate needs to navigate special education with more confidence and less burnout. Along the way, I…
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When Life Gets Heavy: Stress, Seasons, and Finding Your Way Back to Yourself with Kara Riska
If you’ve ever looked around at your life and thought, “Why does everything feel so hard and why am I handling it better than I expected?” — this conversation is going to feel like a long exhale. Today, I’m joined by my friend Kara Riska, host of The Special Needs Mom Podcast and a seasoned coach...
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Quick Wins to Support Executive Functioning at Home and School
If you’ve ever looked at your child and thought, “How can someone so smart fall apart over a planner, a backpack, or one tiny assignment?” — this episode is going to feel like a deep breath. Today I’m talking about something I’m seeing everywhere right now: executive functioning struggles that...
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Advocacy from the Inside with Colleen Ashford, The Advocate SLP
If you’ve ever sat in an IEP meeting thinking, “How on earth are multilingual families supposed to navigate this?” — this episode is going to feel like a deep breath and a flashlight. I’m joined by Colleen, a speech-language pathologist turned advocate who spends her days doing two things most...
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ADHD Success Triangle with Megan Penrod from Developing Readers Academy
If you’ve ever wondered whether your child’s struggles with reading are actually connected to ADHD, learning differences, confidence, or all of the above, this episode is going to feel like a giant exhale. I’m joined by Megan Penrod, founder of Developing Readers Academy, who brings a fresh,...
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Leveling the Playing Field: Inclusion Through Modifications
Have you ever wanted to talk to me on the phone while I'm driving? Didn't think so... but this week you get the opportunity anyway!!! Sit in traffic and talk inclusion with me! I've had several friends, clients, and educators raise this question over the last couple of weeks: How much…
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Navigating Stress and Burn Out with Dr. Angelyn Franks
If you’ve ever found yourself juggling all the things—family, advocacy, work, and maybe a touch of “why am I like this?”—this episode is for you. I’m joined by Dr. Angelyn Franks, a speech-language pathologist turned mindfulness researcher, to talk about what burnout really looks like and how we...
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Education on Pause: Shutdown, Staffing, and Special Education
What happens when the people who protect our students’ rights are suddenly… gone? In this episode, I’m breaking down what’s happening inside the U.S. Department of Education—why hundreds of staff in special education and civil rights offices were laid off, what the courts are saying about it, and...
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The Power of a Nickname: Everyday Ways We Create Belonging
What if something as simple as a nickname could change everything about how someone feels included? In this episode, I'm getting personal about belonging—what it means, how we create it, and why it matters so deeply for our kids (especially those with disabilities navigating school and community...
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When School Choice Meets IDEA: The Stakes for Students with Disabilities
"School choice" sounds empowering — but for kids with IEPs and 504s, it often means fewer protections, fewer services, and fewer options. This week on the podcast, I’m breaking down what school choice really is, how it’s being pushed at the federal and state levels, and what it means for children...
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Unlocking ADHD and ODD: Practical Solutions with Dr. Rachel Schwartz
What really works when a child has ADHD and/or ODD? In this insightful (and delightfully real) conversation, I sit down with Dr. Rachel Schwartz—a special educator, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and PhD in cognitive and physical disabilities—to unpack practical, research-backed strategies for...
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Decoding OG: Some of UFLI's Tools
We're wrapping up our look at the University of Florida Literacy Institute (ULFI)'s reading interventions by checking out some of the tools they have in their online toolbox. These include a Blending Board, A Word Work Mat, the Decodable Readers, and their training videos. I will pull them all up...
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Decoding OG - The UFLI Lesson Planner
In this episode we're still pulling the curtain back a little more on Orton Gillingham and UFLI's Lesson Planner. We're looking at each step of the 2-day lesson plan and talking bout what instruction looks like. That leads to some really important questions you can ask to ensure that your child…
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Decoding OG: Avoiding Pitfalls by Learning the Nitty Gritty
“My child is in a reading intervention… but is it really OG?” If you’ve ever asked this question, you’re not alone — and this week’s episode will help you find the answer. I've had so many schools say they're doing OG when they're really doing anything BUT ... buuuttttt it's hard for the lay...
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Common Back to School Pitfalls
New school year, new routines… and sometimes new frustrations. In this week’s episode, I’m breaking down the most common pitfalls at the beginning of the school year for IEP teams—and what you can do about them. From vague “good day/bad day” reports, to scheduling mix-ups, to delays in services,...
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All About Me Books as Legal Protection and Advocacy Tools
If you’ve ever made an All About Me book for your child (and if you’ve ever listened to this podcast!), you know how helpful it can be. It’s a simple way to introduce your child to teachers and staff, share their strengths, and explain their needs in a clear, approachable way. But here’s the part...
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Life Lately: Back to School Chaos, Health Hiccups, and Moving to College
We’re back, baby!!!! Let’s catch up! In this episode of the Collaborative IEP podcast, I open up about the recent chaos in my life—from back-to-school stresses to personal health issues and preparing to move Griffin into college. You’ll learn why peeling wallpaper, wet hair, and general household...
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Legal Supports for Behavior in IEPs
Our focus this summer is to bring you quick, content-rich episodes on special education and advocacy, inspired by our latest product, the IEP Guru Academy. This week, we delve into 'Behavior and Belonging,' part of the inclusion series. We'll explore the legal supports for behavior in the IEP,...
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Section 1419 (and a little advocacy lesson)
In this episode, I wrap up our journey through Part B of IDEA, give you a quick look at Section 1419 (preschool grants), and share a personal advocacy lesson about the power of “using all the words” at the IEP table. I also invite you to help shape future episodes and highlight resources like the...
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A Trip Through IDEA: Section 1417, 1418
Today's episode is all about the essentials of IDEA Sections 1417 and 1418. We'll dig into the responsibilities of the Secretary of Education, key prohibitions on federal mandates, confidentiality rules, and more. I'll also break down data reporting requirements and how they impact our...
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A Trip Through IDEA: Section 1416
Today we dive into section 1416 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). We'll cover the essentials of federal and state monitoring, state performance plans, and how these processes ensure the educational success of students with disabilities. I'll also share some personal...
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[Episode 236] A Trip Through IDEA: Section 1415, Part 3
Today, I emphasize the importance of acknowledging our 'perfectly imperfect' lives, especially during the busy IEP season. I share exciting news about my summer consulting offerings at a discount, explaining how this helps me manage the seasonal nature of my work and prepare for the fall intake.…
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Mast Cells and Your Kids with Dr. Joy
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Joy, a board-certified pediatrician specializing in integrative care for neurodiverse children. We delve into the topic of mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) and histamine intolerance, exploring how an awareness of these conditions can profoundly impact…
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A Trip Through IDEA: Section 1415, Part 2
On this episode of the Collaborative IEP podcast, we continue on our deep dive into the intricacies of IDEA Section 1415, focusing on procedural safeguards. We'll explore essential details on notification requirements, prior written notices, due process complaints, mediation processes, and...
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A Trip Through IDEA: Section 1415, Part 1
In this episode of the Collaborative IEP Podcast, I’m diving into Section 1415 of the IDEA—the part of the law that lays out procedural safeguards. These protections are game-changers for families, offering critical rights that help level the playing field in special education. I’m sharing why I...
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A Trip Through IDEA: Section 1414, Part 5
In this episode of the Collaborative IEP podcast, we finally finish Section 1414, specifically focusing on subsection D, which covers the development of the IEP. We’ll discuss the four essential considerations for the IEP team, including the strengths of the child, parental concerns, evaluation...
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A Trip Though IDEA: Section 1414, Part 4
Welcome back to the Collaborative IEP podcast! I'm thrilled to be back after my spring break. In this episode, we continue our exploration of Section 1414 of IDEA, focusing on evaluations, eligibility determinations, individualized education programs, and educational placements. We delve into the...
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A Trip Through IDEA: Section 1414, Part 3
In this episode of the Collaborative IEP Podcast, I'm Ashley Barlow, your host. We continue our exploration of the IDEA, specifically focusing on Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Starting with IDEA Part B, Section 1414, we dive into the essential components of IEPs, including present...
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A Trip Through IDEA: Section 1414, Part 2
In this episode I’ll continue to break down Section 1414, Part B of the IDEA, focusing on the determination of eligibility. The discussion will emphasize the meaningful participation of parents in the eligibility process and the importance of obtaining and reviewing all necessary documentation.…
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Texas vs. Becerra/Kennedy: Understanding Policy Threats to Section 504
In this special episode of The Collaborative IEP Podcast, I’m diving into a big case you might’ve heard about—Texas vs. Becerra (now Kennedy)—and what it could mean for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Section 504, which has been around since 1973, is a law that protects people with...
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A Trip Through IDEA: Section 1414, Part 1
In this episode of the Collaborative IEP Podcast, I dive deep into the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), focusing specifically on evaluations and the IEP document itself. I'm walking you through sections 1414 A, B, and C—breaking down the purpose of different assessment tools…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to The Collaborative IEP podcast! This business has been in my heart for so many years, and I so excited to share it with you. In these podcasts we’ll discuss all things special education – from eligibility to implementation of the IEP. We’ll talk about basic concepts and dive deeper into specific topics. We’ll talk about self-care for caregivers and professionals that support children on IEPs. We’ll discuss best practices, behavior, therapies, and more!
HOSTED BY
Ashley Barlow
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Collaborative IEP have?
The Collaborative IEP currently has 276 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Collaborative IEP about?
Welcome to The Collaborative IEP podcast! This business has been in my heart for so many years, and I so excited to share it with you. In these podcasts we’ll discuss all things special education – from eligibility to implementation of the IEP. We’ll talk about basic concepts and dive deeper into...
How often does The Collaborative IEP release new episodes?
The Collaborative IEP publishes regularly with 276 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Collaborative IEP?
You can listen to The Collaborative IEP on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Collaborative IEP?
The Collaborative IEP is created and hosted by Ashley Barlow.
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