Inclusive Education Project

Inclusive Education Project The Inclusive Education Project seeks to "level the playing field" in the area of education for children with special needs through awareness & advocacy.

The school year is in full swing. We want to remind you about your required 30-day transition IEP meeting if your child ...
09/01/2026

The school year is in full swing. We want to remind you about your required 30-day transition IEP meeting if your child has transitioned to a new school or program. If you haven’t been offered this meeting, request it now for a check-in. Even without a transition, you can still be request a meeting to get updates on your child’s progress. Don’t delay! Now is the time! Today’s guest has her finger in the pulse of today’s special education programs, support and funding; and she’s here to help us understand the current situation. Join us!

08/19/2026

AI is not an attorney! Please do not rely on AI to interpret the law - use a licensed attorney instead. Often AI gets it wrong - or it makes bad recommendations. Not only does AI not completely understand the law itself, but it may not understand how the law is interpreted in your area, how the law takes effect in practice.

We spent much of the last school year discussing the changes in education and the uncertainty surrounding the Federal De...
08/18/2026

We spent much of the last school year discussing the changes in education and the uncertainty surrounding the Federal Department of Education. Beyond the policy debates and headlines are real families trying to navigate very real questions about their children’s futures. For families of children with special needs, those questions can feel especially overwhelming: What happens after high school? How do we plan for adulthood? What financial, legal, and practical decisions need to be made - and when? Today, we’re shifting the conversation from what is happening in education right now to what families need to plan for the years ahead. Mary McDirmid joins us to share both her professional expertise and her personal experience as a mother of a child with special needs. Listen in to learn more!

Transition IEP meetings are essential when your child transitions from elementary school to middle school, middle school...
06/10/2026

Transition IEP meetings are essential when your child transitions from elementary school to middle school, middle school to high school, and high school to college/vocational school. If you haven’t had a transition IEP meeting for next school year, you can still get one scheduled as soon as the new school year begins. We are breaking it down in today’s episode. Join us!

Some things that we’ve notice being thrown around at the end of this school year - we wanted to clarify the truth behind...
05/29/2026

Some things that we’ve notice being thrown around at the end of this school year - we wanted to clarify the truth behind some of these common statements made.

Crazy time is here! Schools across the country have a LOT happening in these final days of the school year. For parents,...
05/26/2026

Crazy time is here! Schools across the country have a LOT happening in these final days of the school year. For parents, there is a sense of relief, along with the panic of realizing that summer is about to begin and that they need to plan what their kids will do. Having a structured literacy plan is key, what it doesn’t have to be complex. Don’t be confused by the plethora of reading programs that are advertised as a “must-have” resource. Today’s guest helps us understand what’s most important for parents to know as they help their children hone their reading skills. Join us!

released a “Least Restrictive Environment” FACT SHEET which outlines the legal requirements of LRE as a guide for schoo...
05/21/2026

released a “Least Restrictive Environment” FACT SHEET which outlines the legal requirements of LRE as a guide for school districts and parents to further understand the basics of LRE.

Questions? DM us or comment below!

05/20/2026

What do we mean when we say LRE or Least Restrictive Environment. I often see school districts focus solely on the place without discussing the full dynamics of a program and the demographic - what is LRE for one student will not automatically be LRE for another just because of the place.

05/18/2026

Let’s talk about some of the most common mistakes school districts or schools make with be the IEP Process:

1. Pressuring a parent to consent to something they do not fully understand, have not had time to digest or do not agree with.
2. Relying on subjective options instead of concrete data.
3. Predetermination of eligibility, services or placement. Deciding before an IEP meeting, failing to discuss or analyze with the full IEP team.
4. Offering non-measurable or vague goals, accommodations or services. Not creating SMART goals.
5. Not documenting all support being provided in the IEP.
6. Failing to Assess at FIRST sign of suspicion of a disability, delaying the request or referral with SST or 504 meetings.
7. Failure to fully implement the IEP
8. Failing to assess in all areas of suspected disabilities or need.
9. “We don’t do that here” or “we’ve always done it this way” mentality.
10. Excluding Parents from team discussions or the IEP process.

05/15/2026

Let’s discuss 10 of the most COMMON mistakes parents make while going through the IEP process. PARENTS - do not blame yourself for what you don’t or didn’t know - it is the Districts obligation to ensure you are informed and understand your rights.

Let’s get into it:
1. Signing the IEP immediately due to pressure; allowing the team to pressure to sign day of instead of taking the IEP home to digest, discuss and request changes as necessary
2. Not putting requests in writing - especially assessment or IEP requests. A school is supposed to help you put requests in writing but to make sure it gets done, start with the request in writing.
3. Not insisting on an IEP assessment IMMEDIATELY, allowing a school to delay or wait for an SST or 504 meeting.
4. Relying on emotion only instead of data. Allowing frustrating to dictate the meeting instead of bringing (or requesting) concrete data to support needs.
5. Requesting services without accompanying goals.
6. Failing to get everything in writing. Specific details, accommodations, any support being provided should be written into the IEP (and not just the notes).
7. Accepting vague, non-measurable goals (and accommodations) - SMART goals.
8. Accepting the same goals year after year without modifying services and supports.
9. Focusing on BEST instead of what is APPROPRIATE (legal standard is a Free Appropriate Public Education - FAPE).
10. Waiting for a major problem to arise to act, only communicating or escalating issues when there is a big problem rather than engaging in consistent, proactive monitoring. Not requesting IEP meetings throughout the year and waiting only for the annual.

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12881 Knott Street
Garden Grove, CA
92841

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Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 4:30am - 5pm

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(714) 899-3330

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