The Truth About the End of the School Year in Special Education By the time May hits, everyone is in survival mode. Teachers are wrapping up progress reports. Families are trying to understand next steps. Teams are juggling ESY, transitions, and final meetings. And in the middle of all that, important information gets lost--not because people don't care, but because there's no shared system holding it all together. What Usually Goes Wrong Every year, I see the same patterns:

End-of-year special education planning involves much more than final progress reports. From transition prep and ESY decisions to graduation planning and communication between teams, important details can easily fall through the cracks. In this week's Meaningful Meeting Monday, learn how to close out the school year intentionally--and why a structured planning system can make all the difference.

One small tool, big classroom impact. This free timer helps reduce interruptions, smooth transitions, and make your day run easier.

Learn the origin story of Spesh and how it's creator grew to be the advocate she is today.

Walking into an IEP meeting shouldn’t feel overwhelming. The SPESH Parent Workbook helps you prepare with guided pages, parent-friendly explanations of special education terms, and access to a step-by-step training—so you can show up confident, informed, and ready to advocate for your child.

Every great meeting starts with one simple question: What’s working, and how do we know? Wonderful Wins Wednesday is the perfect reminder that progress is not just about numbers on a page--it's about bringing together teacher insight, parent perspective, and student voice to celebrate growth and make meaningful next steps. The best meetings happen when everyone comes to the table with something valuable to share. Teachers bring data and classroom observations Parents bring re

Strong IEP meetings begin before anyone sits down. These input forms help teachers, parents, and students come prepared with clear, thoughtful information.

IEP meetings are too important to feel rushed or unclear. Here’s what actually makes them meaningful—from preparation to collaboration to student-centered planning.