Ask the Advocate: Truancy, One-to-One Aides, LRE, and The Epic IEP Book

In this Ask the Advocate episode, Karen Mayer Cunningham, Special Education Boss®, answers rapid-fire questions from parents, teachers, and advocates—and shares how her new book, The Epic IEP, gives you a clear roadmap to write and understand an IEP that actually serves the child. Karen and Cindy dig into real situations from the IEP/504 table, including: • The Epic IEP & Pre-Order Bonuses – How the 7-part framework walks you through an IEP step by step, plus how to pre-order the book and unlock $500 in bonuses and group bundles for schools, agencies, and parent organizations. • LRE, Placement & Services – Moving from early childhood services into life skills, what Least Restrictive Environment really means, and how to know if your child’s needs are being met. • Paras, One-to-One Aides & Staffing – Whether a para can be alone with a student, if a teacher can leave all IEP minutes to a para, and why the phrase “special education para” is misleading. • Behavior, Safety, Truancy & FAPE – When sending students home becomes a denial of FAPE, what to do if your child is hurt, restrained, or you only see part of a video, and how to respond when schools stop communicating. • The Epic IEP Weekly Academy – weekly training on federal law, IEPs, and live Q&A • The Epic IEP 2-Day Intensive – live and on-demand deep-dive training 📘 Pre-order The Epic IEP + bonuses: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1637635125?tag=simonsayscom Submit your receipt for bonuses: https://www.theepiciep.com 🏫 Learn with Karen weekly inside The Academy: https://www.specialeducationacademy.com (https://www.specialeducationacademy.com/) 📩 Host Karen in your state: Email [email protected] Support the show (https://www.buzzsprout.com/2464872/support) ✨ When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody. ✨ 👩‍⚖️ Hosted by Karen Mayer Cunningham, Advocate & Special Education Boss® Each week, Karen shares real stories, legal insights, and no-nonsense strategies to help you navigate special education with clarity and confidence. 👉 Subscribe & never miss an episode — new episodes drop every week! 🎓 Join The Academy: Weekly live trainings + 250+ hours of advocacy tools & expert resources 🔗 Learn more at The Academy (https://www.skool.com/special-education-academy/about) 📬 Have a question? Email us at [email protected] 📱 Follow Karen on: • TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@specialeducationboss) & Instagram: @specialeducationboss • YouTube: Special Education Academy (https://www.youtube.com/c/SpecialEducationAcademy/videos) 🧠 Want to level up your advocacy game? Check out the Advocate's Bookshelf — a curated collection of must-have tools, guides, and legal references every special education advocate should own. From federal code to diagnostic manuals, these are the essentials that help you advocate with clarity and confidence. 📚 Browse now: https://amzn.to/3RiQPLl (As an Amazon Associate, Karen may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — at no extra cost to you.) ...