Department Awards $3.5 Million to 15 Special Education Parent Centers; One Million Dollars to Ten Community Parent Resource Centers

The U.S. Department of Education today announced the award of more than $3.5 million in grants to operate 15 special education Parent Training and Information (PTI) Centers in 11 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and Guam. The Department also awarded $1 million to provide funding for ten Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs).

With the new grants, the Department now funds 106 information centers for parents of students with disabilities. Every state has at least one parent information center, which assist parents as they work to ensure their children receive a free, appropriate public education as guaranteed by federal law. In addition, Community Parent Resource Centers provide services to underserved parents of children with disabilities in targeted communities throughout the country.

"Research shows that all students, especially those with disabilities, are more successful when parents are part of the educational decision-making process," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "These centers help families who have children with disabilities access services and negotiate the complex framework of special education rules and regulations."

Parent information centers provide parents with the training and information they need to work with special education professionals in meeting the early intervention and special needs of children with disabilities. Many parent information centers work closely with state and local school systems to engage parents in working collaboratively to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. The network also includes CPRCs, which receive five-year grants to assist underserved populations such as Latino parents in Philadelphia and Native American parents in New Mexico.

For a list of Education Department-funded special education parent information and training centers, visit http://www.taalliance.org/ptidirectory/index.asp

The following is a list of the grants the Department announced and the states or audiences they will serve, including the contact information for the local project directors and the amount of each award:

Parent Training and Information Centers:

• DC – Advocates for Justice and Education, Kim Jones, kim.jones@aje-dc.org $182,061.
• HI – Learning Disabilities Association of Hawaii, Michael Moore, Moore@ldahawaii.org $204,444.
• ID – Idaho Parents Unlimited, Inc., Evelyn Mason, evelyn@ipulidaho.org $203,592
• LA – Families Helping Families of New Orleans, Cindy Arcenaux, carceneaux@projectprompt.com $328,626.
• MS – Mississippi Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities, Pam Dollar, mspti@mscoalition.com $$266,988.
• NH – New Hampshire Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities, Michelle Lewis, mlewis@parentinformationcenter.org $203,415.
• NC – Exceptional Children's Assistance Center, Mary LaCorte, mlacorte@ecacmail.org $538,997.
• OK – Oklahoma Parents' Center, Sharon House, info@oklahomaparentscenter.org $249,215.
• PA, Region 1 – Parent Education Network, Kay Lipsitz, KLipsitz@parentednet.org $393,285.
• PA, Region 2 – Parent Education and Advocacy Leadership, Elisabeth Healey, lhealey@pealcenter.org $262,172.
• RI – Rhode Island Parent Information Network, Sue Donovan, donovan@ripin.org $204,196.
• TN – Support and Training for Exceptional Parents, Karen Harrison, karen.harrison@tnstep.org $357,103.
• VI – Inter Island Parent Coalition for Change, Belinda West O'Neal, vifind@islands.vi $129,515.
• WV – West Virginia Parent Training and Information Center, Pat Haberbosch, wvpti@aol.com $205,413.
• GU – Guam's Positive Parents Together, Ann Marie Cruz, amdcruz@teleguam.net $25,000.

Community Parent Resource Centers, each funded at $100,000:

• PW – Palau Parents Empowered, Francesca Morei-Misech, moreimisech@gmail.com
• MI – SPEAKS Education, Dorie France, advocatedorie@live.com
• PA – Mentor Parent Program, Kim Rhodes, kstr57@windstream.net
• CA – Fiesta Educativa, Inc., Irene Martinez, imartinez@fiestaeducativa.org
• NM – Education for Parents of Indian Children with Special Needs, Jeanette Trancosa, jeanettet@epicsproject.org
• TX – Children's Disabilities Information Coalition, Patricia Naranjo, info@cdicelpaso.org
• LA – Agenda for Children/Pyramid Parent Training, D.J. Markey, PyramidCPRC@aol.com
• FL – Parent to Parent of Miami, Inc., Isabel Garcia, igarcia@ptopmiami.org
• PA – Philadelphia HUNE, Luz Hernandez, lah2200@aol.com
• MA – Urban Pride, Charlotte Spinkston, c.spinkston@gmail.com