Opportunity Gap: For Families Navigating Special Education

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Is special education different in wealthy schools? Dec 02, 2021

Show notes

Choosing a school is a huge decision for families with kids who learn and think differently. One concern is whether special education is better in high-income schools. Another is how IEPs serve kids in racially diverse or low-income schools.

Hosts Julian Saavedra and Marissa Wallace take on tough questions from Understood users about how IEPs differ between schools based on income. They discuss how race, diversity, and wealth play a role in the special education services that kids get.

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at opportunitygap@understood.org.
Related resources

Learn about school options like neighborhood and charter schools.
Avoid 5 common mistakes that families make when choosing a school.

As kids head back to school, it's a good time to remember: not every student experiences the classroom the same way. Through My Eyes, a free interactive experience from Understood, lets you step into a day in the life of a kid with ADHD, dyslexia, or dyscalculia. See their strengths and challenges in a whole new way. Try it out here.

Understood is a nonprofit where millions of people who are navigating neurodivergence find clear guidance, practical tools, and people who get it. To help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give.

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Simone Biles and why role models are hard to find Nov 18, 2021

Show notes

Simone Biles is the most decorated female gymnast in history. She’s also a Black woman and an advocate for people with ADHD. So why don’t more students of color know her story?
Hosts Julian Saavedra and Marissa Wallace explore what being a role model means and why some stories rise up more than others. They also talk about how shame and stigma prevent more people of color from talking about their challenges. Finally, the hosts share thoughts on how parents and schools can help kids with learning and thinking differences find role models to look up to.

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at opportunitygap@understood.org.
Related resources

Read what Simone Biles tweeted about ADHD.
Check out Tupac Shakur’s poem, “The Rose That Grew From Concrete.”
Watch videos about athletes who learn and think differently, like Olympian Michelle Carter and NFL player Lawrence Guy.
Get tips on finding mentors for kids with learning and thinking differences.

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ADHD as a “white boy problem” Nov 18, 2021

Show notes

What prevents young people of color from recognizing their learning differences and ADHD? According to user researcher Yasmeen Adams, there’s a perception by some that ADHD is a “white boy problem.”
Hosts Julian Saavedra and Marissa Wallace welcome Yasmeen to the show to discuss the results of interviews with dozens of young people of color with ADHD. The hosts ask pointed questions about how experiences differ between Black youth and other people of color. And Yasmeen shares why, as a Black person with ADHD, this research is personally meaningful.

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood.

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at opportunitygap@understood.org.
Related resources

See the trailer for “Vivo,” the Netflix film the hosts talk about in the episode.
Watch a video with poet LeDerick Horne on being Black with a learning disability.
Worried about labeling your child with ADHD? Read this teacher’s message to Black parents.
Read why young Black writer Ryan Douglass couldn’t ask for help as a young child.

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Introducing The Opportunity Gap Nov 11, 2021

Show notes

Listen to The Opportunity Gap, a new podcast for families about kids of color with learning and thinking differences, like dyslexia, ADHD, and more. Host Julian Saavedra is a Black parent and assistant principal in an urban public school, and host Marissa Wallace is a special education teacher with a multiracial child. Listen as Julian and Marissa explore issues of privilege, race, and identity — and talk about ways parents can advocate for their kids.
Understood is a nonprofit and social impact organization dedicated to shaping a world where the 1 in 5 people who learn and think differently can thrive. Learn more about The Opportunity Gap and all our podcasts at u.org/podcasts. Copyright © 2021 Understood for All, Inc. All rights reserved.

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