Opportunity Gap: For Families Navigating Special Education

Some kids clam up about school, especially when facing challenges like bullying or tricky subjects. Discover how open-ended questions can encourage them to share their feelings. Learn the importance of vulnerability and sharing your own struggles to build trust. Explore effective strategies to engage your child in conversations, respecting their readiness to talk. With the right approach, you can transform school discussions into meaningful and supportive dialogues.

The school-to-prison pipeline has been hidden in the shadows of our educational systems for way too long. It’s a series of policies that have targeted kids of color, pulling them out of schools and into the legal system. And now, more than ever, it requires our fight to end.Listen as Malhar Shah, an education attorney at the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund explains:  The school-to-prison pipelineHow it impacts school discipline and special education lawsAnd the role teachers and parents can play in dismantling itVisit the episode page for a transcript and links to helpful resources.  We’d love to hear from you. Write to us at opportunitygap@understood.org.  Related resourcesDisability Rights Education and Defense FundFind the Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) in your state or territoryFind the Protection and Advocacy agency (P&A) in your state or territoryHelping Traumatized Children Learn Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dr. Andrew Kahn shares expert advice on handling tantrums and meltdowns in children who learn and think differently. He discusses the importance of practicing strategies ahead of time, teaching calming techniques, and connecting with upset individuals through effective communication. Learn about various calming techniques like meditation and deep breathing, along with insights from behavioral psychology on handling outbursts. The podcast emphasizes the significance of trying new parenting methods and being open to experimentation.

Learn how to navigate sharing your child's learning differences with family during the holidays, including tips on communication, setting boundaries, and using plain language to foster understanding and support.

DeJunne’ Clark Jackson, an expert on parent-teacher conferences, discusses how to make the most of these meetings. She provides tips on preparing yourself and your kids, as well as advice on helping your child talk about school. The podcast also explores the importance of building relationships, reviewing IEP and 504 plans, involving your child in the process, and continuing the conversation after the conference.

Some teachers, despite their best efforts, bring their own biases into the classroom. And their beliefs impact how they interact with students and their families in a major way.  Racial bias in education is a common experience — and it shouldn’t be. In this episode, we address a pressing issue with guest Afrika Afeni Mills, MEd. Listen as Afrika explains:How racial bias can influence relationships between parents and the schoolThe importance of teachers and schools promoting equity in educationSteps students and parents can take to address racial bias effectivelyVisit the episode page for a transcript and links to helpful resources.  We’d love to hear from you. Write to us at opportunitygap@understood.org.  Related resourcesAfrika’s TED-Ed Talk: 4 ways to have healthy conversations about raceUnderstood’s article: How to make sure families of color are heard by the schoolAfrika’s book: Open Windows, Open Minds: Developing Antiracist, Pro-Human Students Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The signs of dyslexia are often overlooked. And there’s so much parents of kids of color can do to advocate for the right support for this learning difference. Our guest is Dyslexia Mom Boss host Lauren McClenney-Rosenstein, EdD. Listen as Dr. Lauren explains:Her own personal experience with learning and thinking differencesWhat parents need to know about Orton-GillinghamWays parents and schools can work together to help kids of color thriveVisit the episode page for a transcript and links to helpful resources.  We’d love to hear from you. Write to us at opportunitygap@understood.org.  Related resourcesDr. Lauren’s podcast, Dyslexia Mom BossDyslexia basicsWhat is Orton–Gillingham? Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bonus episode! Introducing Understood’s newest podcast: What Now? A Parent’s Guide. Tune in for a peek at Season 1, which is all about tantrums and meltdowns. We’re sharing Episode 6, “Identifying your child’s behavior triggers.”  Listen to host Dr. Andrew Kahn as he explains how to find your child’s behavior triggers to prevent tantrums and meltdowns.  Get a transcript of this show and check out more episodes from What Now? A Parent’s Guide at u.org/podcasts.  We’d love to hear from you. Write to us at opportunitygap@understood.org.    Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Learning disabilities are real challenges caused by differences in the brain and can impact people at school, work, and in everyday life. This podcast explores the diagnosis process, the differences between an IEP and a 504 plan, and ways to tell if a child is struggling with a learning disability. It also highlights the importance of open-ended questions, evaluating children for learning disabilities, and understanding legal rights to ensure equal opportunities.

We recorded this episode in Spanish, in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Los padres suelen tener muchas preguntas referentes a la educación especial. En el proceso de entender y aprender de qué se trata, se topan con términos y una jerga con los que no están familiarizados. Ante esto, cualquiera se podría sentir abrumado. Pero las dificultades pueden ser aún mayores para muchas familias hispanas.El acceso a la información es limitado o difícil de encontrar para algunas familias hispanas. También las barreras lingüísticas y las diferencias culturales juegan un papel muy importante. Estos factores pueden hacer que los padres se sientan inseguros sobre cuál es la mejor manera de ayudar a sus hijos.En este episodio respondemos preguntas sobre la educación especial. Explicamos qué son las discapacidades del aprendizaje y cómo pueden afectar la vida diaria. Examinanos en detalle los apoyos que brindan las escuelas para ayudar a los niños a progresar en el aula. Escuche a la educadora Claudia Rinaldi (PhD) explicar:Las diferencias entre el IEP y el plan 504Cómo saber si un niño tiene una diferencia de aprendizaje o problemas para aprender un nuevo idiomaLos derechos legales que tienen las familias al solicitar una evaluaciónVisite la página del episodio para obtener la transcripción y enlaces a recursos útiles. Nos encantaría saber de usted. Escríbanos a opportunitygap@understood.org.Recursos relacionadosCómo solicitar una evaluación gratuita en la escuelaPreguntas de las familias hispanas sobre la educación especialNuestra comunidad en español en Facebook--When it comes to special education, parents often have many questions. While learning the ins and outs, they come across terms and jargon that they’re not familiar with. This can leave any parent feeling overwhelmed. But for many Hispanic families, it can feel like an even bigger challenge.  For some Hispanic families, access to this information is limited. Or even hard to find. For others, language barriers and cultural differences play a huge role. These factors can make parents feel unsure about how to best support their child’s needs.In this episode, we answer questions about special education. We break down what learning disabilities are and how they can impact daily life. We take a closer look at supports schools provide to help kids make progress in the classroom. Listen as Dr. Claudia Rinaldi, an educator, explains:The difference between IEP and 504 plansWays to figure out if a child has a learning difference or trouble learning a new languageLegal rights families have when requesting an evaluationWe recorded this episode in Spanish, in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.  Visit the episode page for a transcript and links to helpful resources.  We’d love to hear from you. Write to us at opportunitygap@understood.org.   Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.