Make the School System Work for Your Child with Disabilities
Schoolutions: Curious Educators. Evidence-Based Strategies. Classrooms Where Every Child Thrives.
02/02/26
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Featured In
Part One of my S5E23 @schoolutionspodcast conversation, literacy specialist and parent Stacey Shubitz shares her dual perspective on navigating special education. If you've ever felt lost in IEP meetings or unsure how to advocate for your child, this episode is your roadmap.
Stacey, author of Make the School System Work for Your Child With Disabilities, reveals why leading with your child's strengths—not deficits—changes everything. She breaks down the difference between IEPs and 504 plans, shares the exact phrases to use when schools push back on accommodations, and explains why evaluations are actually keys to unlocking easier learning paths for your child.
Whether you're a teacher wanting to better support families, a parent feeling overwhelmed by the system, or an administrator seeking to improve parent communication and family partnerships, you'll walk away with practical strategies you can use tomorrow.
Key Topics Covered:
- Special education vs. general education: understanding the difference
- IEPs vs. 504 plans explained clearly
- Leading with strengths in the evaluation process
- Effective teaching strategies for inclusive classrooms
- Parent involvement and home-school connection best practices
- Professional development for supporting students with disabilities
- Culturally responsive teaching and equity in education
- Student engagement and classroom belonging for all learners
- Teacher support and instructional coaching insights
- Self-care for caregivers navigating the special education system
Get in touch with Stacey:
🔗 Get Stacey's book: PROMO CODE EMJAN1533 for 15% off ***promotion expires February 21, 2026
Some Episode Mentions:
➡️Emily Ladau
➡️Own Voices Movement
Chapters
0:00 Introduction: Navigating Special Education with Confidence
1:00 Meet Stacey Shubitz: Educator and Parent Perspective
3:00 The Book That Changes Everything
4:00 Learning from Own Voices in Disability
6:00 Two Hats: Educator and Parent
7:00 Special Education vs. General Education Explained
9:00 IEPs vs. 504 Plans: The Difference That Matters
10:00 Reframing Evaluations: Unlocking Your Child's Brain
12:00 Leading with Strengths, Not Deficits
14:00 Navigating Communication Breakdowns
16:00 Your Go-To Resource Guide
17:00 Lightning Round: IEP Meeting Essentials
17:15 When to Request IEP Revisions
17:45 The One Document to Keep on Your Phone
18:15 Phrases for Advocating for Accommodations
18:45 Biggest Myth About Special Education
19:15 Self-Care for Parents: The Power of Meditation
20:00 Coming Up in Part 2: Life Beyond School
🎧 New episodes every Monday & Friday with bite-sized Wednesday reel bonus content.
📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Previous Episode
This February, join @schoolutionspodcast as it highlights educators and researchers advancing child support.
🎯 What You'll Learn:
• How to navigate IEPs, 504s, and disability services with confidence
• The shocking research behind foundational writing skills that transforms student success
• A neurodivergent educator's journey supporting thriving students in inclusive classrooms
• The alarming trend: NYC pediatricians diagnosing kindergartners with play-deprivation-induced anxiety and depression
• A bold 6-point proposal to save early childhood education in public schools
Featured Experts:
💫Stacey Shubitz bridges the home-school connection for families navigating special education.
💫Melanie Meehan and Maggie Beattie Roberts share critical research on instructional strategies for foundational writing skills.
💫Dr. Courtney Bishop reveals her path as a neurodivergent mom and educator championing equity in education.
💫Dr. Beverly Falk and Dr. Nancy Cardwell from City College expose an education crisis and present their solution to NYC leadership.
Whether you're focused on classroom belonging, student motivation, culturally responsive teaching, or education transformation, these conversations offer effective teaching strategies for the whole child. Perfect for teachers, education coaches, school administrators, parents, homeschoolers, teacher mentors, instructional leaders, and school counselors committed to inspired teaching and empowered educators.
🔔 Subscribe for education strategies that prioritize pro-kid mindset, inclusive teaching, and student participation! https://www.youtube.com/@schoolutionspodcast/
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Introduction: February's Education Revolution
0:15 Stacey Shubitz: Bridging Home & School for IEPs and 504s
0:30 Melanie Meehan & Maggie Beattie Roberts: Foundational Writing Research
0:45 Dr. Courtney Bishop: Neurodivergent Mom & Educator's Journey
1:00 Dr. Beverly Falk & Dr. Nancy Cardwell: NYC's Play Deprivation Crisis
1:30 The 6-Point Proposal to Save Early Childhood Education
1:50 Join the Conversations This February
CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE:
👍 Like if you're ready for education transformation
💬 Comment: Which guest are you most excited to hear?
🔔 Subscribe for weekly teaching tips and instructional strategies
📱 Share Wednesday reels with your teaching team
Join me in creating thriving students through classroom belonging, student engagement, and inspired teaching. Let's make 2026 a year of teacher impact and school change!
#EducationPodcast #SpecialEducation #IEP #StudentEngagement #InclusiveTeaching #EquityInEducation #TeacherCoaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #SchoolLeadership #ParentInvolvement #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #WholeChild #EarlyChildhoodEducation #PlayBasedLearning #NeurodivergentStudents #TeachingStrategies #EducationReform #TeacherSupport #InstructionalCoaching #FamilyPartnerships #ProKidMindset #EmpoweredEducators #InspiredTeaching #EducationTransformation #ThrivingStudents #ClassroomBelonging #StudentSuccess #SchoolCulture #InstructionalLeadership #HomeSchoolConnection
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
Next Episode
Discover a powerful perspective shift on educational evaluations that eliminates stigma and empowers families. In this transformative reel clip, Stacey Shubitz shares how one parent reframed the evaluation process as "finding the key to unlock the brain" – a beautiful metaphor that changes everything about how we approach student struggles and student success.
If your child is experiencing low engagement, classroom behavior challenges, or attention in class difficulties, this video offers hope and clarity. Educational evaluations aren't about labels – they're about understanding the whole child and creating pathways to thriving students through culturally responsive teaching, inclusive classrooms, and effective teaching strategies.
Perfect for teachers, education coaches, school administrators, parents, homeschoolers, teacher mentors, instructional leaders, and school counselors seeking to build a pro-kid mindset and strengthen the home-school connection.
What You'll Learn:
• How to eliminate evaluation stigma for families and students
• A powerful way to explain evaluations that empowers children
• Why seeking help through evaluation supports student engagement and student motivation
• Building equity in education through understanding and support
• Strengthening parent communication and family partnerships
• Creating inclusive teaching environments that celebrate every learner
This approach supports classroom belonging, student participation, and education transformation by shifting from shame to solution-focused support. Whether you're involved in instructional coaching, teacher support, professional development, or parent involvement, this message reinforces that evaluations create easier pathways for learning and living.
For: New teachers, mentor teachers, instructional leaders, school leadership teams, and caregivers seeking innovative teaching strategies and caregiver support.
Building school culture that prioritizes the whole child, teacher impact, and inspired teaching starts with changing the conversation around support and evaluation.
🚀📚 Watch Part One (https://youtu.be/VP81-Crxvwc) & Part Two (https://youtu.be/xen2OnJjiRM) of our @schoolutionspodcast S5E23 interview.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction: A Parent's Powerful Perspective
0:15 - The "Key to Unlock the Brain" Metaphor
0:35 - Breaking Down the Evaluation Stigma
0:50 - Evaluation as Help, Not a Label
1:10 - Making School and Home Easier for Children
1:25 - Final Thoughts: Empowering Families Through Understanding
📧 Connect: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com
🎵 Music: Benjamin Wahl
Don't forget to 🔔SUBSCRIBE for more teaching tips, and 💬SHARE with fellow educators! https://www.youtube.com/@schoolutionspodcast/
#EducationalEvaluation #StudentSuccess #ProKidMindset #InclusiveEducation #ParentSupport #TeacherSupport #WholeChild #EquityInEducation #ThrivingStudents #SchoolCulture #InstructionalCoaching #FamilyPartnerships #CulturallyResponsiveTeaching #EmpoweredEducators #EducationTransformation #TeacherImpact #StudentEngagement #InclusiveClassrooms #AntiBiasTeaching #professionaldevelopment #schoolutions #schoolutionsteachingstrategies #schoolutionspodcast #forevergettingbetter
When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.
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