We were lucky to catch up with Wendy Taylor recently and have shared our conversation below.
Wendy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
You’re not just navigating special education; you’re fighting for your child’s future. And too often, it feels like you’re doing it alone.
I know what it’s like to sit across from professionals who hold the keys to resources and wonder if they truly see the child in front of them. My son’s battle—his resilience—became my greatest teacher. I learned firsthand how a diagnosis can shift your entire world, how paperwork can feel like a second language, and how the right support can change everything—and I had a master’s in Special Education.
But this isn’t just my story. It’s the story of every parent who has ever felt unheard in an IEP meeting, every child who has struggled because the system wasn’t built with them in mind, and every educator who has wanted to do more but didn’t know how. Learning Essentials exists because too many families feel like they’re navigating this journey alone.
Through specialized educational therapy, dyslexia reading intervention, executive function support, and IEP coaching, my team and I work to turn confusion into confidence, barriers into breakthroughs, and overwhelm into action.
Through The Special Ed Strategist podcast, I pull back the curtain on a system that often feels inaccessible, giving parents and professionals the knowledge they need to challenge, question, and advocate for change.
This mission is personal. It’s urgent. And it’s about more than just education—it’s about ensuring that every child has the chance to learn, thrive, and redefine what success looks like.
Because when we empower families, we don’t just change IEPs. We change lives.
Wendy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
For parents, navigating a struggling learner and the IEP or special education process can feel like being dropped into a foreign country without a map or a translator. You’re suddenly expected to become an expert on laws, services, and accommodations—all while advocating for your child against a system that doesn’t make it easy. I know this feeling intimately because I’ve been there.
I’m a mom of three, and I’ve sat on both sides of the IEP table—as a parent, a certified educational therapist, educational diagnostician, and special education expert – with the lens of helping families like yours. I’ve spent over 25 years working within the system, uncovering the gaps, the barriers, and the pathways to break through them.
At Learning Essentials, I help parents solve two of the biggest challenges in special education:
✔ Bridging learning gaps
✔ Getting and navigating an IEP
Bridging Learning Gaps
When a child struggles with reading, writing, or executive function, the gaps don’t just show up on a test score—they show up in their confidence, in their frustration with school, in the moments they start to believe they’re “not smart enough.” The truth is, these gaps are not a reflection of intelligence—they are a reflection of unmet learning needs. Through dyslexia reading intervention, executive function coaching, and strategic writing instruction, my team and I focus on how your child learns best. We provide targeted, research-based strategies to help students not just catch up, but build lasting skills that set them up for success.
Getting and Navigating an IEP
The IEP process is overwhelming—period. Schools often tell parents to “wait and see” or dismiss concerns because a child’s grades are “fine.” But federal law doesn’t define educational impact by grades alone. A child’s challenges in social interactions, communication, organization, and even physical coordination all matter. The law is clear: if a child’s disability affects them in any part of the school day, they are entitled to support.
At Learning Essentials, we partner with parents to:
Identify and bridge learning gaps so their child can thrive, not just get by
Understand their rights and walk into IEP meetings with confidence
Secure evaluations and services that truly reflect their child’s unique needs
Navigate the IEP process step by step—without getting lost in confusing school jargon
Advocate effectively when schools push back
To further support families like yours, I created The Special Ed Strategist Podcast—a place where I pull back the curtain on a system that too often feels like a maze. My goal is to equip parents and professionals with the knowledge they need to challenge, question, and advocate for real change—so that no family feels lost in the process.
The work I do is personal. It’s urgent. And it’s about more than education—it’s about ensuring every child has the support they need to learn, thrive, and redefine what success looks like.
Because when we empower families, we don’t just change IEPs—we change lives.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been simple: being real.
Families don’t come to Learning Essentials just for expertise—they come because they know I get it. I’ve sat in their seat, feeling lost, overwhelmed, and frustrated by how difficult it was to access the right support and bridge learning gaps. As a professional who truly understands, I bring that empathy and experience into every parent interaction. Even with my background in special education, I found the process daunting. That experience shaped everything I do.
I don’t just provide services—I offer a partnership built on trust, warmth, and deep understanding. Families know that when they work with me, they’re not just getting an expert; they’re getting someone who has walked the same path and truly understands what it takes to move forward. And that’s what keeps parents coming back and spreading the word—because at the heart of it all, we’re not just advocating for education. We’re advocating from a place of fear, love, and the unwavering belief that our children deserve more.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Authenticity, deep expertise, and a relentless commitment to families.
Parents don’t just seek out Learning Essentials because I understand special education—they come because I understand them. I’ve sat in their seat, felt the weight of advocating for my child, and experienced firsthand how overwhelming the IEP process can be—even with a background in special education. That personal journey shaped the way I support families today.
What has truly built my reputation is the trust and connection I create with parents. They know I don’t just offer services—I walk beside them, making sure they feel empowered, equipped, and heard. I break down complex systems, bridge learning gaps, and guide families through every step of securing and navigating IEPs, executive function support, dyslexia reading intervention, and more.
I also pull back the curtain on special education through The Special Ed Strategist Podcast, providing parents and professionals with clear, actionable strategies to advocate effectively. By consistently delivering real solutions, professional expertise, and a warm, approachable partnership, I’ve built a reputation that isn’t just about being an expert—but about being the guide families trust when they need it most.
At the heart of it all, my reputation has been built on one thing: showing up for families, just as others
had shown up for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.LearningEssentialsEDU.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/learningessentials/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TutoringLE/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-taylor-educator/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7Ing5jjRy3V-6_BVAw3MIQ
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/show/66IBMMH520R22xtTLZnvQ1
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-special-ed-strategist-learning-disabilities-iep/id1639953041
