Kodey Toney is the director of the Pervasive Parenting Center, an OSEP-funded Community Parent Resource Center in eastern Oklahoma that helps families support their children with disabilities. He is also the aRPy ambassador for Oklahoma. Most importantly he is a father and husband. He and his wife Jennifer have two sons, Konner and Kruz. Kodey has received multiple awards for his advocacy and has helped to train more than 3000 educators on autism behavior in the classroom and disability acceptance. Kodey has a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts from Rogers State University and a Master’s Degree in Education Administration from East Central University. He is also a graduate of the Oklahoma Developmental Disabilities Council’s Partners in Policymaking program and William and Mary’s Institute of Special Education Advocacy.
What do you remember most about your experiences getting engaged in your children’s education?
I remember the feeling of being in that first individualized education program (IEP) meeting, of sitting across from people who did not know my child and fearing that they did not have his best interest in mind. I felt powerless. That feeling prompted me to learn as much as I could about the IEP process and helping my child. In turn, I [...]