The IEP Goal Bank has been a tremendous help for the families i work with. It has so many ideas. Sometimes parents need a starring point when working on the IEP, they don't know what help looks like. This has provided so much relief to them. I love her blog/page.
Reply from Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate at A Day in our Shoes + Don't IEP Alone
Thank you so much! I'm glad that the work I put into the free IEP goal bank is worth it--that's the intent.
Karen Marie S.2026.03.09
I’m a former special education teacher and now a small business owner, and I’ve been using Lisa’s courses for a couple of years. They’ve become a reliable way for me to refresh my knowledge and revisit the concepts I need most. The down‑to‑earth approach Lisa brings to this work is such a relief, and many of the workshops include other experienced professionals, which gives me a broad and balanced perspective. Honestly, the more I engage with the materials, the more I appreciate them.
Reply from Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate at A Day in our Shoes + Don't IEP Alone
Thank you so much! Your review is appreciated.
Melissa C2026.02.05
I came across a day in our shoes as a teacher searching for resources and fell in love with the resources Lisa shared. I signed up for emails and purchased the IEP toolkit. As a parent, I have found so many of her emails contain helpful information and tools. My personal favorite this year was holiday gift ideas for adults and teens with ID. Thank you for all you do to support parents and teachers, you're tireless efforts don't go unnoticed!
Reply from Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate at A Day in our Shoes + Don't IEP Alone
Thank you so much, that means a lot! And thanks for all you do as a teacher.
Kristen Brown2025.12.27
A Day in Our Shoes should be a resource provided to all families new to Special Education. I may be across the country from Lisa, but have leaned into her information and advocacy savviness for years as a parent of two sons with autism. As an advocate volunteer for special education in my community, I am always connecting those in need to her resources. Very user friendly, full of support reminding individuals they are not alone in this journey! Now as a Special Education teacher, I love connecting parents to this resource to support them through their child’s journey.
Reply from Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate at A Day in our Shoes + Don't IEP Alone2026.01.12
thank you so much!
Tina2025.11.15
I will be honest - I should have shared a review a long time ago but I’m one of the people who struggle with writing to get to the main point when I really feel more details are needed and the thing that made me decide to write this today was when I saw the one 2 star review on Lisa’s page. I was speechless as I have been a long time follower of Lisa’s, I also have 3 children who need extra help in school. My oldest is now 12 and my journey with special education began when I was enrolling her in the local school. I did not have any knowledge about special education, when I was in school the special ed classes were in one room behind the gym and you didn’t really see the students who went to them, I was one of the parents who assumed that staff in the schools were the professionals when it came to education and if a child needed extra help then they would be the ones to let you know…. I do realize now how naive I was then but it is only because of people like Lisa that I have learned so much and my children do have IEP’s although I am still learning every day and there is not enough time in a day to learn everything that you need to - at least on your own.
That is the main reason I am so grateful for Lisa and her team. I can not explain the difference everything that Lisa has created has helped my children and me. I believe it was first her blog and I could not believe she shares so much for no cost, then the IEP toolkit she shares for free! I can honestly say I am familiar with a good number of advocates now from all across the country, advocates that like me have done COPAA training, Wrights Law training, as well as so many I found from countless Facebook groups… I have not found one other advocate who shares so much valuable information and resources for free. I have even been to trainings where they shared resources from Lisa’s site! Her Facebook group, her podcast which I love so much and I feel she is so real and straightforward with her listeners which I genuinely apgvfpreciate, her site where you can ask questions and get answers from advocates, for no cost again..
I am still confused about the negative comment, in my opinion Lisa really tells it like it is. If she doesn’t actually know something for a fact she seems to be really open to admitting thawt upfront. I’ve never heard her say that she knows everything and she has nothing more to learn - everything I’ve seen is literally the opposite.
Yes I have purchased her course and her new book but I really haven’t even read the book yet -I’m wondering if it would be ok to turn it into an audiobook, it would be easier for me but I am happy to support Lisa any way I possibly can and that will always include Lisa and thank you community.
Reply from Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate at A Day in our Shoes + Don't IEP Alone
Hi, first thank you so much for your kind words. To answer your question about the audiobook, that's not up to me to decide. However, it is available in Kindle version, and I think Kindle works with some screen readers if you have one of those apps.
As far as the negative review, that person did not like something I said on Facebook, or he and I disagreed on that particular point. If you look at all of their Google reviews, they seem to have a history of doing this-- getting annoyed at something, then going to their Google profile and leaving a 1 or 2 star review. That's just part of having an online presence, unfortunately, and why positive reviews like yours are so important.
Thank you again.
Lindsay Griffin2025.11.09
She’s excellent, informative, and conveys information quickly and in ways that are easy to understand.
Reply from Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate at A Day in our Shoes + Don't IEP Alone2025.10.09
Thank you!
Eva Mah2025.08.02
I am a freebie seeker. I got all of Lisa's free stuff. I was doing okay with the IEP process on my own, but I sounded so much more professional once I got a hold of her content.
When Covid shut everything down, I knew I was going to have to step up my game at some point. When our wonderful case manager left the school district, I pulled the trigger and bought the advocacy training. I do not regret it. The training got me through two inexperienced case managers and the transition process to middle school. The advocacy training is worth every penny and then some.
Reply from Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate at A Day in our Shoes + Don't IEP Alone2025.08.02
Thank you so much, and I love seeing you in the training and live chats. Cheers to another school year upon us!
Dave Gaines2025.07.29
Lisa has some understanding of IEPs. Her knowledge of Section 504 and behavior intervention (applied behavior analysis) is pretty poor. Unfortunately, she provides inaccurate advice at times. She also makes personal opinion remarks that are not appropriate in a professional setting. Lisa has some improvement to make.
Reply from Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate at A Day in our Shoes + Don't IEP Alone2025.08.01
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I’m always open to feedback, and I appreciate you sharing your perspective. I’m proud of the work I’ve done over the past 15 years supporting families through the IEP and 504 process, and I continually update my training and resources to reflect current legal and best practice standards.
I’ll be honest—your name doesn’t ring a bell, so I’m not sure where we may have interacted. That makes it hard to respond directly or understand the context of your concerns.
That said, I understand that my approach may not be for everyone. My platform blends professional advocacy with lived experience, and sometimes that includes opinion—particularly when policies and practices affect real children and families. I’m always happy to clarify or correct any specific information if needed.
Wishing you all the best in your advocacy journey. All the reviews you leave are 1-star, so go me! for getting 2 stars, I suppose.
—Lisa
N. Sue Robbins2025.07.19
I have been a follower of a day in our shoes for 3 + years and have been very happy with the information Provided. I use the IEP worksheet, finding them useful. I appreciate your hard work in helping parents navigate this crazy world of IEP. I wish I had known about this years before but I’m still happy to have found it when I did. Thank you. I hope and try to point others towards this site for guidance.
Reply from Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate at A Day in our Shoes + Don't IEP Alone2024.02.09
Thank you! All tools and resources we create are based upon information from parents like you.
Amanda Callies2025.05.21
This has been the BEST resource I have found for information on IEPs. It is easy to understand and very practical advice. One of the things I love about Lisa and her website is a lot of information is available for free. This is not something you see anymore in today's world. By having the info for free it allowed me to see the incredible knowledge base Lisa has for IEPs and the laws surrounding them. She also has links to some state specific information which is great. I have purchased some of the trainings, organization materials, and services Lisa has available. I was willing to do this because I saw she was the real deal when it came to her knowledge base on IEPs. It is because of her knowledge and help that I was able to get one of my sons on an IEP. Knowledge of the laws and our rights were key in getting services for my child. I am so thankful I found Lisa and A Day In Our Shoes website! I would rate her site as a required site for all the parents in the special needs world.
Reply from Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate at A Day in our Shoes + Don't IEP Alone2025.05.21
Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm glad I could help, messages like this make it all worthwhile.
Jennifer Pelham2025.03.24
Lisa Lightner's, A Day in our Shoes + Don't IEP Alone is a fantastic resource for those working with students on a plan, IEP and/or 504. She not only has materials that are for educators, but also for parents to learn and understand how to be the best advocate for their children of all ages. Check out her sites and see for yourself!!
Reply from Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate at A Day in our Shoes + Don't IEP Alone2025.03.24
thank you so much for your kind words!
Heather Bair2025.03.20
THANKS letter to my IEP HERO Lisa Lightner
Dear Lisa,
I listen to your podcast and I can’t thank you enough! Before I began listening to your podcast and using your organization tools and resources the IEP process was sinking me. Your wealth of knowledge and the access to informational links, documentation, topic overviews, organization materials, interviews on your website and via your podcast is what saved me from drowning in this process!
I have to say (since I am using the drowning analogy) that, you don’t just throw a life ring , it’s like someone coming in with the full power of the coast guard using boats, helicopters and a full rescue team.
You said in one of your podcast episodes that something often hear is , “ we can’t afford an advocate “ and in many cases your response to that is, “ you can’t afford not to have one “. I couldn’t agree more and even though everything autism has been a crippling financial challenge for my family, I have hired an advocate to help me navigate the IEP process. You helped me to know that this was the correct choice in my case and I appreciate you for that as well.
Lastly, I also want to thank you for giving me hope that one day I will be able to figure out a way to work in a consistent, full time capacity, hope that I can and will find a way to do that despite my schedule needing to revolve around my son’s needs.
I was initially writing a thank you for the coursework I purchased, but as I began typing I realized I wanted to thank you for much more than that .
With gratitude,
Heather (proud autism Mom)
Reply from Lisa Lightner, Special Education Advocate at A Day in our Shoes + Don't IEP Alone2025.03.20
Thank you so much--your kind words are appreciated.
All of my products are customer-driven, so please let me know if there's a topic you need explanation on, or a course or resource you'd like to see.
Jackie Otto2025.02.02
I am always amazed at the quality and amount of work that has gone into Lisa's business and webpage. I am in year 30 as a SPED Teacher, and I LOVE her stuff. Keep rocking it Lisa! :-)
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