Don't IEP Alone.

About Don't IEP Alone.

Inspired by her own son with disabilities, Lisa Lightner is an award-winning blogger and advocate. She has previously worked for her county's Arc and has served on the Boards of Directors for several disability organizations. Currently, she is her county's chairperson for the Right to Education Task Force, a federally decreed group set up in 1971 to ensure that all children in Pennsylvania had the opportunity to an education. When not attending IEP meetings with families or lobbying in Harrisburg and DC for disability rights, she can be found on the web at her IEP advice blog, A Day in our Shoes. She is known for her practical, realistic and implementable advice for parents. Warning: I've been told I have a Philly accent. I don't hear it. Also, I curse. It's something I'm working on as far as personal development. So please don't be put off. I'm trying. 📣Order my book on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Your-IEP-Playbook-Confident-Advocacy/dp/1394294468/), Books-A-Million (https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Your-IEP-Playbook/Lisa-Lightner/9781394294466) Bookshop.org (https://bookshop.org/p/books/your-iep-playbook-a-parent-s-guide-to-confident-advocacy/7e69feec76e48003?ean=9781394294466&next=t) Barnes & Noble (https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/your-iep-playbook-lisa-lightner/1147083558?ean=9781394294466)!

Publisher

Lisa Lightner

Category

education · education · kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Feb 2019

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

8 of 213 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   7 Oct 2026

   Why I Don’t Ask for FBAs Anymore.

   Special Education Advocate Lisa Lightner explains why she now questions the IEP itself before requesting FBAs for challenging student behaviors.

2. 

   30 Sept 2026

   Who Decides When an IEP Support Is Needed?

   Special Education Advocate Lisa Lightner explains how to determine when an IEP support is necessary for your child.

3. 

   23 Sept 2026

   Placement Should Follow the IEP, Not Define It

   Special Education Advocate Lisa Lightner explains how IEP placement decisions should align with student needs, not dictate them, in this interview.

Inside a recent episode

Least Restrictive Environment Isn’t Always General Education

Published 16 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] Least restrictive environment is a spectrum, just like any other spectrum. And Gen Ed, all Gen Ed classroom, all day, every day, is at one end of the spectrum. And then at the other end of the spectrum, or continuum, whatever you want to call it, at the other end of the continuum, is hospital and homebound hospital and homebound are considered the most restrictive environment because not only are you around you know being around only disabled peers yes that's restrictive but being around no peers at all disabled or non-disabled is the most restrictive placement and then of course in the middle there is pull out services, self-contained classrooms, private schools that only instruct disabled students, and so on. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

78,412

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.4 / 5

72 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 75 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

83

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

92

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about Don't IEP Alone.