Advocating Against a Broken System: Interview with Special Education Boss® Karen Mayer Cunningham

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Have you ever felt like the system that’s supposed to support kids with disabilities is… actually another fight you didn’t sign up for?

In this conversation, I’m sitting down with Karen Mayer Cunningham — globally known as the Special Education Boss®, founder of Special Education Academy, and now author of The Epic IEP — to talk about how her greatest pain turned into a mission that’s serving families, educators, and advocates across the country.

We walk through her journey from a young mom in survival mode, navigating a broken system for her son, to becoming a justice-driven advocate, trainer, and now an international voice for kids with disabilities and the people who sit at their IEP tables.

If you’re a parent, educator, therapist, advocate, or simply someone who cares about kids getting what they need, this episode will make you feel seen, fired up, and a little more hopeful.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Karen’s son’s diagnosis in the 90s pulled her into advocacy — and why she calls herself a “hostage author”
• The reality of a federally funded but deeply broken special education system
• The moment she realized the fight wasn’t just for her son, but for parents and teachers everywhere
• How the pandemic pivot (hello, ethernet cable and bedroom lives at 9 PM) turned a local mission into a global one
• The origin and growth of Special Education Academy and training advocates across states and agencies
• Why she believes we need to equip everyone at the IEP table — parents, educators, service providers, and beyond
• The heart behind her new book, The Epic IEP — a book of hope, possibility, and renewed energy for serving kids with disabilities
• What she wishes someone had told her as a young mom in those early meetings
• Her message to every person at the table:

• “Whoever you are in that child’s life, you’re exactly equipped to who you need to be.”

Pre-order Karen’s book, The Epic IEP

📘 Pre-order on Amazon:
The Epic IEP by Karen Mayer Cunningham
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1637635125?tag=simonsayscom

Then head to TheEpicIEP.com to submit your receipt and unlock pre-order bonuses (Karen mentions over $500 in value on the show).

Connect with Karen Mayer Cunningham

• Learn more + inquire about speaking, professional development, or trainings: Special Education Academy (https://specialeducationacademy.com/training)
• Follow and support Karen’s work as the Special Education Boss® (@specialeducationboss) 

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