Rising Through the Unknown: Advocacy, Trust, and the Families Schools Don’t Always See--with...

Описание: 📝 Episodic Synopsis
What does it really mean to rise when the special education system feels overwhelming, opaque, and emotionally exhausting?
In this episode of Classroom Narratives: Healing and Education, Dr. Joey Weisler is joined by Mark Ingrassia, longtime special education advocate, former teacher, parent-coach, and founder of Special Ed Rising: No Parent Left Behind. Together, they explore what families are facing behind the scenes—burnout, fear, withheld information, and the constant pressure to advocate without clear guidance.
Mark shares both professional insight and lived experience, offering a compassionate look at why parents need trusted allies, why educators need better support and training, and how true collaboration between schools and families can change outcomes for students. This conversation moves beyond policy and paperwork to center humanity, presence, and the quiet, daily work of rising—together.
This episode is for parents, teachers, school leaders, and caregivers who believe that advocacy is not about conflict, but about connection.
📌 Show Notes / Key Takeaways
Parents carry more than paperwork Families navigating special education are managing daily emotional labor, fear for the future, burnout, and uncertainty—often unseen by schools.The school–home connection is everything Progress happens when parents are treated as partners and experts on their own children, not as adversaries.The IEP is a living, legal roadmap Mark emphasizes the importance of early, consistent advocacy—starting as early as age 14—to ensure families are prepared for post–high school transitions.Advocacy doesn’t have to mean confrontation Advocates can be parents, retired educators, professionals, or community members who help families understand their rights and the process.Information gaps harm trust When schools withhold or fail to fully communicate information, families are left reacting instead of participating proactively.Mainstreaming without training hurts everyone New and general education teachers are often placed in high-need classrooms without adequate preparation, leading to burnout and inequitable outcomes.Teacher retention is tied to feeling valued Recognition, mentorship, collaboration, and simple affirmation (“you did a good job”) matter deeply—and are often missing.Rising is not performative Rising means getting out of bed, meeting the moment imperfectly, pausing before reacting, and choosing compassion over fear.Knowledge empowers families Each piece of understanding helps parents rise—reducing isolation and restoring agency.Community is the antidote to exhaustion No parent, teacher, or student is meant to navigate this system alone.

🔗 Links to Include in Show Notes
🌐 Special Ed Rising – Home Page https://specialedrising.com/home-page/🎧 Special Ed Rising Podcast https://special-ed-rising.captivate.fm/

Chapters:
0:00:00 - Introduction to Mark Ingrassia
0:01:50 - What families are overwhelmed with in SPED
0:03:52 - Understanding the school from the inside out
0:07:58 - Helping students best obtain outcomes
0:10:52 - Advice for teaching mainstreamed students
0:17:47 - Bridging gaps between new & veteran teachers
0:20:50 - Honest version of "rising" in schools
0:25:00 - Mark’s SPECIAL ED RISING platform