Special Education Strategist: Expert Advice for IEPs, 504 Plans, Dyslexia, Parent Advocacy, Learning Disabilities, Executive Function, Dysgraphia, ADHD, Autism, Neurodivergent
Overwhelmed, lost, dismissed in IEP/504 systems — seeking help, clarity, and support? You're not alone!
Hosted by Wendy Taylor, M.Ed., ET/P, a certified educational therapist, IEP coach, and parent advocate with over 20 years of experience helping families navigate special education. Wendy is the founder of Learning Essentials and a trusted voice in decoding IEPs, literacy challenges, and executive function needs. Whether you're a parent, teacher, or professional, Wendy brings compassionate expertise, real-life strategies, and empowering guidance to help you support the child you care about.
Hosted by Wendy Taylor, M.Ed., ET/P, a certified educational therapist, IEP coach, and parent advocate with over 20 years of experience helping families navigate special education. Wendy is the founder of Learning Essentials and a trusted voice in decoding IEPs, literacy challenges, and executive function needs. Whether you're a parent, teacher, or professional, Wendy brings compassionate expertise, real-life strategies, and empowering guidance to help you support the child you care about.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 39 minutes
- Episodes
- 144
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
143: Building Independence One Microstep at a Time
In this episode of The Special Ed Strategist, Wendy Taylor sits down with Kristin Lombardi, MA, BCBA, founder of Zeal Behavior Analysis, and Dr. Christine Drew, BCBA-D, Assistant Professor at Auburn …
01:03:52 |
Tue 09 Sep 2025
142: How Will the General Education Teacher Know What’s in My Child’s IEP?
In this solo episode of The Special Ed Strategist, Wendy Taylor, M.Ed., ET/P, unpacks a question many parents whisper with concern: How will the general education teacher know—and follow—my child’s I…
00:08:50 |
Tue 12 Aug 2025
141: Listener Favorite: Complex Kids: Navigating Autism, ADHD & Anxiety with Dr. Dan Shapiro
Understanding your child's unique behaviors can feel overwhelming—but clarity is possible. In this empowering, listener-favorite episode from our archives, host Wendy Taylor welcomes Dr. Dan Shapiro,…
00:53:24 |
Tue 05 Aug 2025
140: Is Pull-Out Support Helping or Hurting? Navigating Special Ed Services with Clarity
Join Wendy Taylor, M.Ed., ET/P and special education strategist, alongside guest Jackie Beach—early childhood expert and founder of Rally Family Support—as they unpack the real impact of pull-out vs.…
00:09:02 |
Tue 29 Jul 2025
139: Listener Favorite: Girls with Autism: Why We’re Missing the Signs with Dr. Donna Henderson
This listener favorite is especially important because it sheds light on how often autistic girls are misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or simply missed—keeping them from the support they truly need to th…
01:03:09 |
Tue 15 Jul 2025
138: What Makes a Goal Realistic? How to Know If Your Child’s IEP Goals Are Too Easy (or Too Much)
What does a realistic IEP goal actually look like? In this episode of our Summer Question Series, host Wendy Taylor is joined by Jackie Beach, M.Ed., founder of Rally Family Support, to unpack the “j…
00:16:30 |
Tue 08 Jul 2025
137: What Do IEP Services Actually Look Like?
Ever stare at your child’s IEP and wonder, “What actually happens during those service minutes?” You’re not alone—and we’re breaking it down. In this kickoff to our 12-week summer series, host Wendy…
00:14:38 |
Tue 24 Jun 2025
136: Dyslexia Advocacy & Assessment: How Parents Can Partner with Schools to Identify and Support Struggling Readers
In this episode of The Special Ed Strategist, Wendy Taylor is joined by Jenny Ponzuric, a Licensed Educational Psychologist and certified school neuropsychologist with over two decades of experience …
00:59:39 |
Tue 17 Jun 2025
135: Neurodiversity-Affirming IEPs: Moving Beyond Compliance with Breea Rosas
What does it really mean to be neurodiversity-affirming? Breea Rosas, licensed educational psychologist and founder of the Neurodiversity Affirming School Psychologist Group, joins Wendy Taylor to un…
00:54:53 |
Tue 03 Jun 2025
134: Rethinking Behavior: Play, Regulation & Neurodiversity
Is it misbehavior—or a regulation challenge? In this powerful episode, Wendy Taylor sits down with Polina Shkadron, trauma-certified speech language pathologist and founder of Play to Learn Consultin…
01:05:23 |
Tue 27 May 2025
133: How to Write a Parent Input Statement That Drives Services
Your voice isn’t just welcome at the IEP table—it’s legally required. In this episode of The Special Ed Strategist, host Wendy Taylor, M.Ed., ET/P, breaks down how to write a powerful Parent Input St…
00:13:50 |
Tue 20 May 2025
132: Early Intervention, Empowered Parents: Real Talk with Jackie Beach, M.Ed.
What should you really be looking for in early childhood development—and what do you do when it feels overwhelming? Wendy sits down with Jackie Beach, founder of Rally Family Support and early childh…
01:00:55 |
Tue 13 May 2025
131: When College Feels Like Too Much (or Not Enough): Finding the Right Fit
Is your teen overwhelmed by the idea of college? Or maybe you’ve realized that mainstream college—or even high-support programs like CLE—just don’t feel like the right fit. In this powerful conversat…
00:55:33 |
Tue 06 May 2025
130: Go Gray with Me: The Story Behind My Mission
This solo episode is raw, real, and rooted in love. Host Wendy Taylor, M.Ed., ET/P, shares her family’s deeply personal journey—how her son’s brain tumor diagnosis flipped her world and transformed h…
00:13:41 |
Thu 01 May 2025
129: Out-of-Sync No More: Playful Tools for Sensory Success with Carol Kranowitz (Part 2)
Feeling overwhelmed by your child’s sensory needs? In Part 2 of our conversation, sensory integration expert Carol Kranowitz returns to share practical, joyful strategies to help your child feel more…
01:07:39 |
Tue 15 Apr 2025
128: Sensory Processing & The Out-of-Sync Child: A Conversation with Carol Stock Kranowitz (Part 1)
What really makes a child "out of sync"? Wendy Taylor welcomes Carol Stock Kranowitz, renowned author of The Out-of-Sync Child, for an inspiring and practical conversation about sensory processing di…
00:55:19 |
Tue 08 Apr 2025
127: Accommodations vs. Modifications—What Every Parent Needs to Know
Confused about the difference between accommodations and modifications? You’re not alone. In this solo episode, Wendy Taylor, certified Educational Therapist and IEP Coach, breaks down what these ter…
00:10:04 |
Tue 01 Apr 2025
126: Understanding and Managing Resistance: Supporting Students Who Push Back?
Why do some students push back against authority, struggle with compliance, or resist help? In this episode, Britt Rathbone, LCSW-C, BCD, CGP, a nationally recognized adolescent therapist, breaks dow…
00:56:49 |
Tue 25 Mar 2025
125: IEP Service Hours: How Much Support Does Your Child Really Need?
Parents often wonder: Is my child getting enough support? In this episode of The Special Ed Strategist Podcast, Wendy Taylor, M.Ed., ET/P, tackles the big question of IEP service hours—how they’re de…
00:09:15 |
Tue 18 Mar 2025
124: Mental Resilience & Performance Anxiety: Helping Young Athletes Thrive
Episode Summary:
What’s the difference between pre-game jitters and full-blown performance anxiety? How can parents, coaches, and schools better support young athletes in high-pressure environments?…
What’s the difference between pre-game jitters and full-blown performance anxiety? How can parents, coaches, and schools better support young athletes in high-pressure environments?…
00:48:54 |
Tue 11 Mar 2025
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