Stop Playing the “Draft IEP” Game + Why Paras Can’t Replace Certified SPED Minutes

If your district is only giving parents “part of the draft,” missing services because of staffing, or trying to use paraprofessionals to cover certified special education minutes—this is your back-to-school reality check. I’m Karen Mayer Cunningham, THE SPECIAL EDUCATION BOSS®, and I’m training everyone who sits at the IEP/504 table to navigate and negotiate successful student outcomes. What we cover in this live episode: ✅ “Partial draft” IEPs and why that’s not how efficient IEP meetings work ✅ The accountability truth: not teacher vs. advocate—district responsibility under IDEA ✅ Paraprofessional limits (and what “direct supervision” actually means in practice) ✅ Goal progress monitoring: implementer + method of evaluation (verify both) ✅ BIPs: when behavior needs rise above general ed supports ✅ What happens when districts “don’t have” providers (and how compensatory services fit) ✅ Reading supports I love: Learning Ally + Kurzweil ✅ Quick-fire Q&A: evaluations, due process timelines, interpreters, outplacement, safety, and more Join the EPIC IEP Academy (Mondays) — First Month FREE Special Education Academy → Training → EPIC IEP Academy https://specialeducationacademy.com/training Get The EPIC IEP book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1637635125?tag=simonsayscom Interested in hosting a stop on the EPIC IEP Book Tour (2026)? Email: [email protected] “When we get it right for the child, we get it right for everybody.” — Karen Mayer Cunningham #SpecialEducationBoss #KarenMayerCunningham #IEPHelp #504Plan #SpecialEducation #IEPAdvocate #ParentAdvocate #IDEA2004 #FAPE #CompensatoryServices #Paraprofessional #StateComplaint #BehaviorSupport #KnowYourRights #AskTheAdvocate #EpicIEP