194 episodes
Special Education Advocacy with Ashley Barlow Ashley Barlow
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- Education
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4.8 • 39 Ratings
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Welcome to Ashley Barlow Co. 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!
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Future Forward IEP Advocacy
The time to start thinking about the Transition to Adulthood is Yesterday. Womp womp! I'm so sorry! In this episode I'll scare the socks off of you... Just kidding! But we'll talk about things to *think* about NOW, no matter you child's age, which will help you prepare them for adulthood. You'll hear a story about my own dinner table that prompted the idea for this episode, too!
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Before You Write a Goal
In today's episode we talk about six things I think you should have, know, analyze, and ask prior to writing annual IEP goals. The list is short, simple, and definitely not intimidating, but it will undoubtedly make a big difference in your next IEP meeting.
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The Inclusion Workshop
Inclusion is probably the special education topic for which I'm hired as an attorney the most often. It's definitely the topic about which my network calls for help. Several years ago, I started recording myself while talking to advocates and attorneys about inclusion, because as I talked to them I'd sometimes come up with efficient, wise statements that were helpful in advocacy. Eventually I took all of that content and made one of my favorite resources, The Inclusion Workshop. In today's episode I walk you through the parts of the Inclusion Workshop in case that's a resource that may benefit your family or community. As a special bonus, you even get to hear one of Jack's meltdowns!!!
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The IEP Binder
Wouldn't it be amazing if you had someone else to build your IEP Binder? Fill-in-the-blank guides to communicate with your school, the straight and narrow on legal and educational topics, and tutorials on navigating things like inclusion and behavior interventions are coming your way in the ABClub IEP Binder! In today's episode I walk you through some of the resources I have to help you build your binder! Looking to get organized this summer? I got you!
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Using Decodable Readers
My Facebook memories have been making me feel guilty as of late. Now that I'm elbow deep in Science of Reading and Orton Gillinghma, I watch some of the things I used to do with Jack and cringe. In today's episode I talk to you a little about our past in reading and then offer the solution of decodable readers. I hope this helps you make your summer work effective and simply better!!!
Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/MnsAP72LUow -
Employment and Transition with Lisa Hernandez
At this year's COPAA conference I met attorney, Lisa Hernandez, at the coffee bar, and in about 3 sentences, she blew my mind on the topic of employment of people with disabilities. I took her card and invited her on the podcast immediately! If your kid is transition-aged (yes, that's ALL of you in my opinion), you're going to LOVE thinking about employment through this lens. Lisa continued to enlighten me throughout this episode, and I think I'll go back and listen to it again with you all to make sure I totally retain everything she's shared with us! It's just that good!
Transcript: https://share.descript.com/view/M2KFRAHbFbL
Lisa A. Hernandez is Counsel at Smith Eibeler, LLC. Lisa practices plaintiff-side employment law, representing individuals in all aspects of employment law and litigation, including claims of unlawful termination and discrimination, sexual harassment and whistle-blower retaliation. Lisa also leads the firm’s education law practice, helping families and students with disabilities navigate special education disputes, school-based accommodations, and transition planning to prepare students for employment and independent living.
Customer Reviews
IEP Parent HELP!
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!
Saving grace for a frustrated parent
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’m in shock!! Great asset!! (Update)
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 ☺️