The Undivided Blog

What does “making progress” actually mean? You’ve seen the progress reports, but do you really know what they’re telling you? Behind every “goal met” (or not met) is data that can reveal a lot about whether your child is actually making meaningful progress. The catch? It’s only as good as how it’s collected, and most …

Inclusion — it’s the million-dollar word in any IEP meeting. Whether you’re thinking about the research-backed benefits or simply want your child to have a more typical school experience in a gen ed classroom, it’s what so many of us are aiming for. But here’s the truth: real, meaningful inclusion doesn't just happen by chance. ...

Whether your child is attending camp and needs a 1:1 aide or they’re staying home while you’re working, Regional Center provides services that can help with your child’s summer programming. From social classes and swim lessons to specialized supervision and respite, we have you covered! Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or anywhere you ...

If you could invent a tool to make school easier for your child, what would it do? Read text out loud? Turn spoken ideas into written paragraphs? Maybe even use algorithms and machine learning to understand your child’s learning patterns, strengths, and challenges, and adjust the content to meet them where they are? Or it’s ...

What does FAPE really mean for your child? And how does the least restrictive environment (LRE) affect where and how they learn? In this Undivided conversation, Dr. Sarah Pelangka, BCBA-D, special education advocate and owner of KnowIEPs, breaks down key concepts every parent should understand about IEPs. She explains your child’s right to a free, appropriate ...

If you’re raising a child with a disability, chances are you’ve spent a lot of time trying to make sense of your child’s behaviors and big emotions — whether it’s an emotional outburst, hitting, avoiding tasks, shutdowns, head banging, wandering off, refusing to go to school, or constant calls from school about “non-compliance” and “discipline." ...

Undivided Parent and Navigator duo Isabelle and Kelly talk about how they worked together to advocate for inclusion with supports, language immersion, and retention. Isabelle shares how her advocacy affected her daughter’s kindergarten experience. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts!

"SMART" IEP goals are great… but there’s a better IEP in town, and it’s got a lot to say. With IEP season in full swing, we’re setting our sights on what actually makes an IEP great: it’s strength-based and has goals that are standards-aligned, generative, pivotal, inclusive, and truly meaningful for your child. That’s a ...

What counts as a “related service” in an IEP — and how do you know if your child is getting the right support? In this episode, Dr. Sarah Pelangka, special education advocate and owner of KnowIEPs, breaks down services like speech therapy, OT, 1:1 aides, AAC, counseling, and more. She explains how these supports are determined ...

General education classroom, special education classroom, homeschool, non-public school, private school, residential placement, independent study — there are a lot of placement options, and figuring out what’s right for your child can feel overwhelming (and often super emotional), especially if you and the IEP team don’t see eye to eye. If you’re weighing options, asking ...