News You Can Use: Family Engagement and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

1. News You Can Use: Family Engagement and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Melody Musgrove, Director, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Kim Jones, Executive Director, Advocates for Justice in Education Phil Moses, Assistant Director, National Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution (CADRE) Carmen Sanchez, Project Officer, OSEP May 19, 2011

2. Agenda Welcome Logistics Family Engagement and IDEA, Melody Musgrove Parent Training and Information Centers, Kim Jones Tour of idea.ed.gov, Carmen Sanchez Technical Assistance and Dispute Resolution, Phil Moses

3. Family Engagement and IDEA

4. IDEA and Families • Approximately 7 million children receive special education services in the United States • In some states and localities, as many as 12% or more of students receive special education services • Families of children with disabilities are friends and neighbors, and of every race, ethnicity, and socio-economic class

5. Preamble to IDEA 2004 “Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities. “ (IDEA Section 601, Findings)

6. Purpose of IDEA “(c) (5)Almost 30 years of research and experience has demonstrated that the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective by-- (A) having high expectations for such children and ensuring their access to the general education curriculum in the regular classroom, to the maximum extent possible, in order to-- (i) meet developmental goals and, to the maximum extent possible, the challenging expectations that have been established for all children; and (ii) be prepared to lead productive and independent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible; (B) strengthening the role and responsibility of parents and ensuring that families of such children have meaningful opportunities to participate in the education of their children at school and at home” (IDEA Section 601, Findings)

7. Parts B and C of IDEA • Part C serves infants and toddlers, birth up to 3 years of age, • Through interagency coordination • As stated in Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) • Part B serves toddlers, children, and youth , ages 2 to 26 • Through educational agencies • As stated in Individualized Education Program (IEP)

8. Family Engagement at the Child Level Identification and referral Evaluation Eligibility Development of IFSPs and IEPs Settings and placement for service delivery Provision of services Review of IFSPs and IEPs Transition

9. Family Engagement on Advisory Groups State Interagency Coordinating Councils – Section 641 of IDEA State Advisory Panels – Section 612 of IDEA More information at www.stateadvisory panel.org

10. Family Engagement in Part D of IDEA • Part D of IDEA covers the Department’s discretionary spending on special education • IDEA requires the “children with disabilities and their parents receive training and information designed to assist the children in meeting developmental and functional goals and challenging academic achievement goals, and in preparing to lead productive independent adult lives” (IDEA, Title I, Part D, Section 670)

11. Parent Centers: Helping Families, Linking Communities Kim Y. Jones, Esq. Parent Training and Information Center Washington, D.C.

12. Parent Centers: IDEA • IDEA : The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act establishes • that children with disabilities are entitled to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) • the Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRC’s)

13. PTIs and CPRCs • Funded by the Department of Education, under IDEA • Designed to support and engage families and communities • Unified by a common experience • Run by parents and caregivers • Are in every State; each has at least one parent center and some states have several

14. A National Network The Power of Parents at Work... www.parentcenternetwork.org

15. Parent Centers … • Empower Families • Provide a window into to world of the family • Engage Community Providers/Partners in • Supporting our families; • Caring about our issues • Partner in reforming education

16. Empowering Families… • Parent Centers • Educate families • Support families • Engage families

17. The World of the Parent… • Parent Centers • Are staffed by parents and caregivers • Have struggles that are unique to them • Value the support of similarly situated people • Want the best for their children – despite circumstance • Parent to Parent…Peer to Peer…Parents as Partners…Understanding our stories to improve the lives of others

18. Engaging Communities… • Parent Centers • Develop linkages • Improve access to services • Educate providers on the needs of families • Collaborate across disciplines

19. Reforming Education… • Parent Centers • Have a place at the table • Inform policy makers about the consequences of their decisions • Work with school systems to be open to the needs of our families • Aid in the development of policies impacting our families What’s Best for all Children: A Delicate Balance

20. Resources on the Law: A Tour of idea.ed.gov

21. Technical Assistance for Families Phil Moses, Assistant Director, National Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution (CADRE)

22. The National Center on Dispute Resolution in Special Education Parent Resources From CADRE

33. Creating Agreement A joint effort involving national education organizations and coordinated by the IDEA Partnership that has led to a collaborative Creating Agreement Workgroup

34. Near Future Resources from CADRE Research Brief – Encouraging Meaningful Parent/Educator Collaboration: A Review of Recent Literature Dispute Resolution Comparison Chart and Related Resources Assisting Family Members to Prepare for the Range of Dispute Resolution Processes

36. www.tadnet.org www.nectac.org

37. Thank You! • Presentation will be archived • Contact information • Melody Musgrove, melody.musgrove@ed.gov • Kim Jones, kim.jones@aje-dc.org • Phil Moses, pmoses@directionservice.org • Carmen Sanchez, carmen.sanchez@ed.gov • Please evaluate this webinar at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/F739RCK.