Empowering Parents with their IEP
In this powerful episode of Starting with IEP, Flor sits down with Sandy Santeiro, a bilingual IEP coach and veteran parent advocate who has spent nearly a decade helping families navigate special education with clarity and confidence. Sandy brings a rare perspective, having sat on both sides of the IEP table as a parent, school staff member, and professional advocate.
Sandy’s journey into advocacy began with a moment that many parents never forget. When her autistic son was denied services because he was not considered “messed up enough,” she realized how confusing, painful, and dehumanizing the IEP process can feel. That experience became the foundation for her mission today. To empower parents, especially bilingual and immigrant families, to understand their rights and advocate without fear.
4 Essential Tips for Navigating IEPs
1. Understand Your “Why”
Every advocacy journey starts with a moment that changes everything. For Sandy, it was hearing language that minimized her child’s needs and reduced him to eligibility criteria rather than a whole human being.
Understanding why you are advocating gives you strength when meetings feel overwhelming or when pushback arises. Your “why” is your anchor. It keeps you focused on what truly matters. Your child’s growth, dignity, and future.
When parents connect emotionally to their purpose, advocacy becomes less intimidating and more intentional.
2. Advocate for Adequate IEP Meeting Time
One of the most overlooked issues in special education is time. Sandy emphasizes that parents should never feel rushed through an IEP meeting.
If your family requires an interpreter, IEP meetings often take double the time due to translation. Parents have the right to meaningful participation, which means:
- Requesting at least two hours for IEP meetings
- Asking for meetings to be continued if they are not finished
- Refusing to sign documents until all concerns are addressed
Parents are also entitled to:
- An interpreter provided by the school district
- Translated copies of the IEP, procedural safeguards, and progress reports
- Equal participation as full members of the IEP team
If a meeting feels rushed, it is okay to pause. Advocacy is not about speed. It is about accuracy and understanding.
3. Demand SMART IEP Goals
Sandy explains that one of the biggest red flags in an IEP is a vague goal. If you cannot clearly understand what your child is working on, the goal needs to be rewritten.
Strong IEP goals must be SMART:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Realistic
- Time-bound
A goal like “Student will perform grade-level standards” is not meaningful. Parents should ask:
- What exact skill is being targeted?
- What is my child’s current level of performance?
- How will progress be measured?
- What supports will be provided?
IEP goals should be based on data and written in plain language. Parents have the right to request revisions until goals clearly reflect their child’s needs.
4. Individualize Goals by Honoring Strengths and Culture
One of the most inspiring moments in this episode is Sandy’s reminder that engagement fuels progress.
She shares how her son’s writing goals became successful when teachers allowed him to write about his special interest, animals. The expectations remained the same, but the topic was personalized. That small change made a massive difference.
Sandy also highlights the importance of cultural relevance, especially for bilingual families. Whether it is AAC device vocabulary, examples used in instruction, or communication styles, goals should reflect the child’s lived experience.
Meeting a student where they are does not mean keeping them there. It means building forward with intention, respect, and belief.
Guest Spotlight: Sandy Santeiro
Sandy Santeiro is a bilingual IEP coach, parent advocate, and former school professional with nearly ten years of experience supporting families in special education. As the parent of an autistic adult son and a child of immigrants, Sandy brings deep empathy and cultural awareness to her work.
She specializes in supporting Spanish-speaking families, helping parents understand IDEA law, IEP eligibility, goal writing, transition planning, and meaningful participation in school decision-making. Sandy is passionate about ensuring families feel informed, respected, and empowered at every step of the IEP process.
📍 Website: https://sandysanteiro.com
📱 Instagram: @sandysanteiro.iep
Ready to Learn More?
🎧 Listen to the full podcast episode with Sandy Santeiro: Episode 5: Empowering Bilingual Parents with their IEP with Sandy Santeiro
Episode 5: Empowering Bilingual Parents with their IEP with Sandy Santeiro – Starting With IEP
Explore more IEP education, parent advocacy tools, and podcast episodes at
👉 www.flordeamelia.com/podcast
