Episode

The IEP Says They’re Fine — But Real Life Is Telling a Different Story

Podcast
This Is Not What I Was Expecting
Published
Feb 12, 2026
Duration seconds
1709
Processing state
not_requested
Canonical source
https://notwhatiwasexpecting.paparentandfamilyalliance.org/episodes/the-iep-says-theyre-fine-but-real-life-is-telling-a-different-story-IvnYKgU_
Audio
https://cdn.simplecast.com/audio/41cdeba8-a001-48c1-8144-4104a0fae841/episodes/cbb90461-f701-498a-b7ad-3c2dc84f15a1/audio/7f6cceca-8be0-47d3-b2cd-2a66232fd9ed/default_tc.mp3?aid=rss_feed&feed=PvLG29MH
JSON
/v1/public/podcasts/this-is-not-what-i-was-expecting-5955665/episodes/the-iep-says-they-re-fine-but-real-life-is-telling-a-different-story
Markdown
/podcast/this-is-not-what-i-was-expecting-5955665/the-iep-says-they-re-fine-but-real-life-is-telling-a-different-story.md

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Summary

This week we’re talking about what happens when the IEP says everything is going well — but real life tells a different story. Grades are passing. Goals are met. On paper, things look fine. And yet many parents still feel uneasy, especially as their kids get closer to transition age. We talk honestly about the disconnect between school success and real-world readiness, and the shock that can come when you realize the system is focused on this school year while parents are thinking about adulthood. This conversation is about trusting your gut, rethinking what advocacy is really for, and naming the fears parents carry when they’re trying to prepare their kids for life beyond school. If you’ve ever felt like you’re the only one still worried when everyone else says things are fine — you’re not.