NextSteps Educational Consulting

Join us tomorrow! Don’t miss it 😊

“Your child is making progress.” 💙

That's exactly what every parent wants to hear.

But at an IEP meeting, don't stop there.
Ask:

“Can you show me the data?”

Progress can be seen in goal data, work samples, assessments, progress reports, and information from teachers and providers.

And then ask the next important question:
Is the progress enough?

A child can be making some progress and still need changes to goals, services, supports, or instruction.

So instead of only asking:
“Is my child making progress?”

Try:
“How much progress has my child made—and how do we know?”

📌 Save this question for your next IEP meeting.

💙 And share it with a parent who may need it.

Your child is struggling in school. Do you have to wait for the school to suggest help? No. 💙

One of the things I hear from parents is, “I knew something wasn’t working, but I didn’t know what I was supposed to ask for.”

You don’t have to have all the answers before starting the conversation.

If you’re concerned about your child’s academics, behavior, communication, attention, independence, or social-emotional needs, put your concerns in writing and ask what support is currently being provided.

Ask about interventions. Ask how progress is being monitored. Ask to see the data. And if you suspect your child may need special education services, ask about the evaluation process.

You don’t need to walk into the school knowing exactly what your child needs.

You can start with:

“I’m concerned about my child’s progress, and I’d like to discuss what interventions and next steps are appropriate.”

Sometimes advocacy starts with simply saying:

Something isn’t working. Can we talk about it?

📌 Save this post—and share it with a parent who may not know where to start.

Miami families—this is one event I’d put on your calendar. 💙

On October 3, I’ll be joining community leaders and professionals at the Key Biscayne Inclusion & Disability Symposium: Growing Together.

I’ll be part of the Thriving in School: Inclusive Education & School Supports panel, talking about an issue I work on with families every day:

Is your child’s IEP providing the right support?

We’ll talk about preparing for school meetings, understanding services and accommodations, communicating concerns, and advocating for individualized support.

And this symposium goes far beyond IEPs—families will find sessions and resources covering different stages of the disability journey, from early childhood through adulthood.

📅 Saturday, October 3
📍 Key Biscayne Community Center
🎤 My breakout session: 11:45 AM–12:45 PM

Swipe for details and registration. ➡️

I’d love to see some familiar faces there! 💙

Before I look at an IEP, I ask the parent one question:

“What are you most worried about?”

Before I focus on the goals, services, accommodations or data, I want to hear from the parent.

What are YOU seeing?

Is your child frustrated? Falling behind? Struggling to communicate? Coming home exhausted? Having behaviors you don't understand? Not becoming more independent?

Those concerns matter.

An IEP isn't just a collection of goals and services. It should reflect the needs of the actual child behind all that paperwork.

Parents often notice the disconnect before anyone else does.

💙 Your concerns belong in the conversation.

What is the ONE thing you're most concerned about with your child's school year right now?

Have an IEP meeting coming up? Don't wait until the night before to prepare. 💙

One of the biggest differences I see between parents who leave an IEP meeting feeling overwhelmed and parents who leave feeling clear about what happened is preparation.

Before the meeting:

✔️ Identify your top 3 concerns
✔️ Review the current IEP
✔️ Gather relevant data and documents
✔️ Write down your questions
✔️ Think ahead about what you are requesting—and possible alternatives

You don't need to walk into the meeting knowing every answer.

But you should walk in knowing what you want the team to address.

📌 Save this post for your next IEP meeting—and send it to a parent who has a meeting coming up.

Last night we talked about IEPs—and these are 5 things I hope every parent remembers. 💙

Thank you to Eunie’s Buddies and all the families who joined me for From Overwhelmed to Empowered: A Parent’s IEP Playbook.

We covered a lot, but effective advocacy doesn't start with knowing every acronym or memorizing special education law.

It starts with knowing your child, understanding the plan, asking specific questions, looking at the data, and using your voice.

You don't need to know everything. You need to know what to ask. 💙

📌 Save this for your next IEP meeting.

Tomorrow night! 💙

I’m excited to join Eunie’s Buddies for their Caregiver Compass webinar to talk about something I see every day in my work with families:

How do you go from feeling overwhelmed by the IEP process to becoming an informed, confident advocate for your child?

We’ll talk about understanding the most important parts of the IEP, asking better questions, recognizing whether the plan truly reflects your child’s needs, and advocating while working collaboratively with the school team.

Parents don’t need to know everything. They need to know what to ask.

📅 September 15
⏰ 6:30–7:30 PM
💻 Online via Zoom

Please register to attend. Don't miss it!

I hope you’ll join us! 💙

NextSteps will be at the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Special Needs Fair 2026 this Saturday, Table 4!

It’s a great opportunity for families to connect with disability organizations, explore community resources, and learn more about supports available throughout Broward County.

I’ll be there talking with families about IEPs, 504 Plans, transition planning, educational advocacy and navigating special education.

📅 Saturday, September 12
⏰ 10 AM–1 PM
📍 Charles F. Dodge City Center
Pembroke Pines

If you follow me here, come find the NextSteps table and introduce yourself—I’d love to meet you in person! 💙

Broward families—I’m coming your way! 💙

NextSteps will be at the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Special Needs Fair 2026 this Saturday!

It’s a great opportunity for families to connect with disability organizations, explore community resources, and learn more about supports available throughout Broward County.

I’ll be there talking with families about IEPs, 504 Plans, transition planning, educational advocacy and navigating special education.

📅 Saturday, September 12
⏰ 10 AM–1 PM
📍 Charles F. Dodge City Center
Pembroke Pines

If you follow me here, come find the NextSteps table and introduce yourself—I’d love to meet you in person! 💙