In this episode of Special Ed Rising: No Parent Left Behind, we dive into what parents need to know about special education heading into 2026. From federal proposals like the Empowering Families in Special Education Act to state-level updates in New Jersey and Connecticut, staying informed has never been more important.

We also explore an unexpected lesson from Marcel the Shell with Shoes On—a tiny, one-eyed shell whose story teaches us about uniqueness, dignity, interdependence, and the importance of seeing potential over difference.

Whether you’re navigating IEP meetings, advocating for accommodations, or just trying to make sense of a system that wasn’t built for your child, this episode is a reminder that access, advocacy, and informed action are the keys to inclusion.

Key Takeaways:

1. IDEA rights remain intact, but implementation depends on proactive, informed parents.
2. Transparency is increasing in some states, but families must still monitor progress and ask questions.
3. Difference is not deficit—uniqueness opens doors, Marcel-style.
4. Advocacy isn’t optional; it’s essential.

Resources Mentioned:

1. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – U.S. Department of Education
2. Empowering Families in Special Education Act (proposed) – U.S. Congress
3. New Jersey Department of Education – IEP transparency
4. Connecticut State Department of Education – Parent guides
5. Wrightslaw – Special education law & advocacy
6. COPAA – Family-centered advocacy
7. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021), dir. Dean Fleischer Camp

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Episode 157: The Law Didn’t Change—The Burden on Parents Did: Advocacy, Access, and a One-Eyed Shell

Hi there, and welcome to SER: No Parent Left Behind! I’m your host, Mark Ingrassia. With nearly four decades in special education—as a teacher, tutor, and advocate—I’m dedicated to helping families navigate the ups and downs of raising exceptional children. I’m so glad you’ve joined me!

Today, we’re going to talk about what’s changing, what isn’t, and why staying informed matters more than ever. And along the way, I want to share an unexpected lesson about advocacy and inclusion—from a one-eyed shell wearing shoes.

This podcast is a space for inclusion, supporting individuals with disabilities across education, access, and health. If you’re enjoying the show, please rate, review, subscribe, and share—it helps others find us and furthers the mission.

To support the podcast or explore my parent coaching, visit specialedrising.com for resources, tips, and tools. Check out the Special Ed Rising YouTube channel for interviews and more.

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Adam Pletter, clinical psychologist who’s spent over 20 years working with families, knows how urgent it is to get tech right for kids — and Apple needs to hear it from all of us.

Join the call for a Safer Starter iPhone and tell Apple in 60 seconds why this is a public-health moment we can’t ignore. Go to iparent101.com and complete the 60 second form and add your voice!

First, at the federal level, there’s a bipartisan bill being discussed called the Empowering Families in Special Education Act. If it passes, schools would be required to formally notify parents of their right to bring an advocate, expert, or support person to an IEP meeting. That’s not law yet—but the fact that it’s on the table tells us something important: there’s growing recognition that parents need clearer access to support, not less.

Second, we’re seeing real movement at the state level. Some states are pushing for more transparency around IEP meetings. New Jersey, for example, now requires schools to provide parents with written summaries of student progress before the annual IEP meeting, including notice of which team members won’t be present and their written input. That matters—because informed parents make stronger decisions.

We’re also seeing states like Connecticut expand family guides and procedural resources, requiring them to be updated regularly so parents can actually understand timelines, evaluations, and what to do when schools miss deadlines. That’s a step in the right direction.

At the same time, many districts are quietly adjusting local procedures—things like how Independent Educational Evaluations are requested, how notice is given, and who must attend meetings. These details can affect your rights and your timelines, and they’re not always communicated clearly unless you ask.

Now here’s the key part—and this is where parents need to stay alert.

What hasn’t changed is the foundation: the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. IDEA still guarantees your right to participate, consent, access records, and receive procedural safeguards. Those rights are intact. But how they’re implemented increasingly depends on how informed and proactive you are.

Parents continue to hold core legal rights under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) — including the right to participate meaningfully in IEP meetings, receive procedural safeguards, give informed consent, and review educational records before decisions are made. These rights are designed to ensure transparency and parental involvement in their child’s special education program. OSPI+1

At the state level, some places are expanding these rights further. For example, New Jersey has passed a law requiring schools to provide more detailed written information about a child’s IEP and team member participation before annual IEP meetings so parents can prepare more effectively. NJSPL+1

These updates reflect a broader trend toward increasing advance notice and transparency around IEP meetings and documentation — but the fundamental legal framework remains grounded in IDEA. Parents should continue to review their procedural safeguards annually and assert their rights if information is not timely provided. OSPI

Yes, there’s more transparency in some places—but there’s also more responsibility being shifted onto families. Don’t assume the school will flag problems for you. Ask for data. Read notices carefully. Check your state’s guidance. And if something feels off, trust that instinct and act.

No parent should be left behind—but staying informed is how you stay protected.

In 2026, the IEP process continues to be legally protected under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Parents retain core rights, including meaningful participation in IEP meetings, access to records, procedural safeguards, and informed consent. These protections have not changed. What has changed is how much schools rely on parents to actively monitor progress and initiate action.

At the elementary level, outcomes are strongest when parents speak up early. Schools increasingly expect families to notice stalled progress, request data, and call meetings rather than waiting for annual reviews. Early advocacy remains one of the most powerful predictors of effective services.

As students move into middle and high school, supports are more likely to be reduced unless parents stay consistently involved. Families should expect more paperwork, fewer automatic services, and greater emphasis on independence and transition planning. When parents disengage, services often shrink—sometimes without meaningful discussion of impact.

At the state level, some systems are responding by increasing transparency. For example, states like New Jersey now require schools to provide more detailed written information ahead of IEP meetings so parents can prepare and participate more effectively. These changes reflect a broader trend toward advance notice and documentation—but they do not replace the need for parent vigilance.

You know, sometimes the most powerful lessons about disability and inclusion don’t come from policy briefs or court rulings.

Sometimes… they come from a movie about a one-eyed shell wearing shoes.

I was introduced to Marcel the Shell with Shoes On by someone deeply precious to me—

someone who understands, in a way only a parent-advocate truly can,

the necessity of both advocacy… and inner fortitude.

That understanding is hard-earned.

It’s not something you learn from books.

It comes from lived experience.

And it’s something she carries into the world every single day—

using it to try and make things better for others.

Her sensitivity to our unique qualities as human beings allowed her to recognize the absolute beauty of this film.

She saw Marcel not as something fragile or small—

but as something truthful.

A reflection of strength, dignity, and depth—

the very things that so often go unnoticed

in those the world underestimates.

For me, watching this film brought up two things.

The first was the difference between how we talk about difference… and how we understand uniqueness.

When we label someone as “different,” it often carries a weight to it—whether we mean it to or not. We see a physical or neurological difference, and almost instantly, we form a reaction. Sometimes it’s innocent. Sometimes it’s not. But it’s still a judgment.

That person is different, so I must treat them differently.

And before we even realize it, we’ve created a separation.

They become a type of person—often one we quietly assume has less to offer.

But when we shift the lens and see one another as unique, something changes.

Uniqueness opens the door instead of closing it. It invites curiosity. It allows us to come together—not despite our differences, but because each of us brings something only we can bring. A perspective. A way of thinking. A way of experiencing the world that might teach us something, move us, or simply help us see things in a new way..

The second thing I realized is tied closely to that.

As I watched this movie—about a one-eyed shell who speaks, thinks, and feels—his “difference” didn’t register. Or maybe it did initially, only to melt away as I experienced him move and speak through his world.

Marcel wasn’t someone I was analyzing.

He was someone I wanted to spend time with.

He let me see the world through his one eye and his mind, and I accepted him fully—even though he looks nothing like me and can’t do some of the things I can do.

He was just this beautifully profound, innocent, and real life force.

And it made me think—

what if we approached one another that way?

With openness.

With acceptance.

With a genuine willingness to meet each other as we are. Our unique selves.

Imagine the world we could create if we did.

In terms of special education advocacy, this film is basically a masterclass, whether the creators intended it or not.

Marcel is tiny. He’s physically limited. The world is not built for him.

And yet—he is thoughtful, capable, emotionally rich, and deeply aware of his surroundings.

Sound familiar?

Because that’s how many of our kids move through school systems every single day.

Difference Is Not Deficit

Marcel isn’t struggling because there’s something wrong with him.

He’s struggling because the environment was never designed with him in mind.

And this is the first thing parents need to hear loud and clear:

Your child is not failing the system.

The system is failing your child.

In special education, we spend far too much time asking how to make children fit into rigid structures—rather than asking how to make those structures accessible.

IDEA was never meant to be about fixing kids.

It was meant to provide access.

Accommodations Are Not Advantages

Marcel uses tools. He uses help. He problem-solves creatively.

No one accuses him of “cheating.”

But parents hear that accusation all the time:

“Isn’t that giving your child an unfair advantage?”

No.

Accommodations do not give an advantage.

They give access.

Extended time, visual supports, modified instruction, object-based communication—these are not extras. They are the shoes Marcel needs just to move through the world.

Interdependence Is Not Failure

One of the most important messages in this film is that Marcel doesn’t thrive through independence—he thrives through connection.

And yet, schools are obsessed with independence.

Independence at all costs.

Independence before readiness.

Independence instead of support.

The truth of the matter is that: Interdependence is not weakness.

It’s human.

Our kids do not need to prove they can do everything alone to deserve inclusion.

Presume Competence—Always

People constantly underestimate Marcel because of his size and appearance.

Until he speaks.

Until they actually listen.

This is exactly what happens to students with limited speech, processing differences, or physical disabilities.

They are talked about.

Decided for.

Measured by what they can’t do.

Instead of being presumed competent.

Let me say this clearly for parents preparing for IEP meetings:

Your child understands more than they can show.

And the burden is on the system to figure out how to listen.

Visibility Without Exploitation

Marcel becomes famous—and suddenly, decisions are being made about him instead of with him.

That should make every parent uncomfortable.

Because families are often pressured to over-share diagnoses, trauma, and private struggles just to get services their child is legally entitled to.

Awareness should never come at the cost of dignity.

Advocacy should never require your child to perform their disability.

The Big Takeaway

Marcel does not need to become bigger.

The world needs to become more accessible.

And that—right there—is the heart of disability advocacy.

It’s the heart of special education.

And it’s why parents must stay informed, vocal, and unapologetic.

Because inclusion doesn’t happen by accident.

It happens because parents demand it.

If you’ve ever felt like your child is navigating a system that wasn’t built for them—

you’re not imagining it.

And you’re not alone.