The Collaborative IEP

Feeling overwhelmed & uninformed? Ashley’s Podcast is a MUST. Why? She’s a Special Education attorney!..who covers an abundance of topics. Plus she’s a mom who is so empathetic & honest! So if you want parental tools to use so you have meaningful participation—as IDEA law intended—Listen to Ashley!

I found Ashley during a time when we were exhausted from the amount of “fighting” we had to do with our child’s school to have her seen as a child and not a disability. Ashley has a way of explaining things to where you feel like you are sitting down and having a conversation with her. Ashley has done an amazing job at picking and interviewing her guests to get the most knowledge out of them for her listeners benefit. I find myself going back and re-listening to older episodes to take some notes on something we are dealing with or to look up something she mentions. I cannot recommend this podcast enough, I tell everyone about it!

I can’t believe it I just had to stop to review this podcast and I was going to start by saying how I rarely leave reviews….. then I saw I had already left one 🙈 I could not believe today when I was listening because I literally have every amazing parenting book that exists!! I recently also started listening to audiobooks especially since I found out you can get free from your library!!! But between the parenting courses I take, the parenting webinars I attend, and the amount of facebook groups I’m in yoi might think I have enough information - but I love the great parenting books so I definitely love the recommendations!!! I am going to see if there is a Facebook group, page, or instagram page so I can reach out with my opinion but I would be happy to help with any of those also!! I can’t believe this show doesn’t have more reviews, especially 5 star reviews!! I have been a special Ed mom now for going on 5 years, I am now a mom of three and this year will be the first year with all 3 in the same elementary school. I have two with IEP’s, my oldest is going into 4th grade and I didn’t get her IEP until the end of kindergarten (huge mistake) even though I had a diagnosis before kindergarten. I didn’t know any of the laws, or my rights, I had no idea the district should have been doing their assessments when i contacted them with the diagnosis. When I think of where I was now and where I am now - my youngest is 4 and I already got him an IEP and he is starting the district preschool this year. All I have done during these years is educate myself, from taking IEP advocacy courses like Wrightslaw to a number of other ones, reading books on special education and advocacy, watching videos on YouTube, joining countless Facebook groups, and listening to amazing podcasts like Ashley’s!! I just started listening but I’m binge listening and I have already learned a lot of valuable information. Like Ashley I too have a habit of writing/speaking a lot (in case you couldn’t tell) but I also helped form a SEPAC (special education parents advisory council) for our district and region. I know a lot of parents start out like me assuming that schools, districts and educators just do what is needed for each child, because that is their job…. Unfortunately that usually isn’t how it works. Sometimes teachers are even deterred from speaking up for children who need more. I’ll end now but I’ll share one piece of advice for other families. Document EVERYTHING!! If it’s not in writing it didn’t happen (that includes emails….) Even if you have a phone call document it with a follow up email going over what was discussed, etc. Definitely 5 stars!! Please keep making podcasts!! Maybe an added Facebook group ☺️

Love each and every episode Ashley posts! Her bright outlook and positivity when speaking frankly about the law interweaves so well with practical and often humorous personal tales. Each week, I look forward to hearing Ashley’s engaging and thoughtful topics. She speaks from the heart. ❤️❤️❤️