Partners Resource Network (PRN) is a non-profit agency that operates the statewide network of federally funded Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI's) in Texas.  The PTI Projects are: PATH, PEN, and TEAM. 

The programs and services of PRN are based on the concept of parents helping parents.  Our mission is to empower parents of children and youth with disabilities in their roles as parents, decision makers, and advocates for their children and to promote partnerships among parents and professionals.

Our web site is designed to provide timely information and to link the visitor with other resources in Texas and the nation.  Our goal is to make a positive difference in the lives of infants, toddlers, children and young adults with disabilities and their families who live in the great State of Texas.

Janice S. Meyer
Executive Director

PRN State Office & TEAM Project Office - Will Reopen September 24, 2008

Due to Hurricane Ike and the resulting damages, the Partners Resource Network State and TEAM Project offices were closed from September 12 - 23, 2008. The State and TEAM offices will reopen Wednesday, September 24, 2008. Thank you for your patience during this difficult time.

Calendar of Events: This section of our web site will be updated as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.

Online Courses: All online course registrations submitted September 12 - 23, 2008 will be processed on September 25, 2008. Emails containing course login information will be sent out on Friday, September 26, 2008.

Parent Advocate Quarterly Fall 2008 Newsletter: Due to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, the Fall edition of the Parent Advocate Quarterly will not be published until the end of October 2008.

Bad Kid or Bad IEP? Conference - Postponed Due to Hurricane Gustav

Due to Hurricane Gustav and the unknown path of Hurricane Ike, the PATH Project has decided to reschedule the Bad Kid or Bad IEP? Conference.  As soon as we know a date, we will let you know.

Texas Commissioner’s Rules Concerning Special Education Services

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has developed several Guidance documents to help with the implementation of newly adopted amendments to the Texas Commissioner’s Rules for Special Education Services.  These amendments, effective in the Fall of 2007, were made in response to the IDEA 2004 federal regulations published in August 2006.  The amendments either address State laws or give additional details that TEA felt were needed or that were required by federal law. Full article >>

Advocating for Your Child - Getting Started

Good special education services are intensive and expensive. Resources are limited. If you have a child with special needs, you may wind up battling the school district for the services your child needs. To prevail, you need information, skills, and tools. Read more >>

Conversation, Not Confrontation: One Mom’s Advice on Parent-Teacher Talks

There’s a lot at stake when you and the teacher get together to talk about your child’s learning problems. When communication breaks down, it’s often your child’s learning that suffers most. On the other hand, clear, respectful parent-teacher communication can make a school year better than you’d ever hoped. Full article >>

How to Have a Good Relationship with Your Child's Teacher

The classroom teacher is the single most important person affecting your child's education. The teacher has tremendous influence on your child's happiness at school and is the person that spends one-on-one time your child on a daily basis. It is extremely important for parents and teachers to work together to provide a good school experience for each child. Full article >>

Organizational Problems and the Beginning of the School Year

Get ready for a great year at school. Rick Lavoie tells parents how the family can solve organizational problems at the beginning of the school year. Don't let their backpacks become black holes. Full article >>

Federal Proposed Rules for Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities and Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities:  Preliminary Questions & Considerations from the Center for Law and Education

The Secretary of Education released proposed regulations for 34 CFR part 300 governing the Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities Program and Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities Program on May 13, 2008. The deadline for public comments is July 28, 2008.   The proposed rules that are found in the 73 Federal Register 27690 (May 13, 2008) raise a number of key areas of concern for parents and advocates for children with disabilities and their parents. Continue article >>

NEW - Procedural Safeguards Online Course

Since the first federal law dealing with the education of students with disabilities in public schools was passed, legal rights for parents has been an important part of the law. These legal rights for parents are generally referred to as "procedural safeguards". The current federal law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2004 (IDEA), continues to provide the parents and guardians of children with disabilities with a variety of legal rights to be involved in and make decisions about a student's education. The purpose of this course is to let parents know that they have legal rights and to help them understand what these rights are. Register for the Procedural Safeguards Online Course >>

How is "Educational Need Determined?" Fact Sheet

Frequently parents hear schools or ARD/IEP committees talk about ““educational need”. There is a two part process in determining if a student is to be provided services through special education. Federal regulations require that eligibility for special education services be based on:

1. The presence of a disability, and
2. The student’s need for special education and related services.

The term “educational need” is not in the law or regulations, but is a common way of referring to the second part of the determination process. An evaluation determines if the student has a disability. The ARD committee looks at a variety of information to decide if the student needs special education and related services. To learn more, download PRN's How is "Educational Need" Determined? fact sheet*

Resolution Meetings: A Guide for Parents Fact Sheet

With the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004), Congress recognized the need to provide additional opportunities for early dispute resolution. The resolution process was added as another way schools and parents can work out their differences whenever a parent has filed a request for a due process hearing. To learn more, download PRN's Resolution Meetings: A Guide for Parents fact sheet*