1. 2010 OSEP Leadership Mega Conference Collaboration to Achieve Success from Cradle to Career Parent Center Roles in Impacting Policy from Cradle to Career Sharon Coppedge-House, Oklahoma Parents Center (PTIC) Bev McCarty, Parent Training & Resource Center (CPRC), SC Mary Eaddy, PRO-Parents (PTIC), SC Jan Serak, WI FACETS (Region 4 Parent TA Center & PTIC), WI Stephanie Petska, Director of Special Education, WI Strand 1- Parents Presentation # S1-214

2. OK: OK Parents Center (PTIC) Collaboration Part B Building Relationships… Creating Successful Change… Commitment to Sharing Resources Oklahoma State Department of Education – Funded Efforts $104,305 Statewide/Regional Conferences Special Project Coordinator Bullying Prevention Awareness Week Proclamation from Governor Henry Community Partner Parent Handbook Parental Involvement Workshop Parent Advising/ Referrals – IEP Consultation

3. Oklahoma Special Education Resolution Center, Advisory Council Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) IDEA Part B Advisory Council, Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) State Performance Plan Stakeholder Group (OSDE) Response to Intervention (RtI) Stakeholder Group (OSDE) Therapeutic Foster Care Task Force/Advisory Council (OSDE) ABLE-Tech Advisory Council, Oklahoma State University Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council  Chairman of the Education and Transition Committee  Committee to develop and approve a transition handbook Oklahoma Transition Council Oklahoma Family Network (OFN) – Joining Forces STARS Commitment to Sharing Ideas

4. OK: Partners Misty Kimbrough - Assistant State Superintendent, Oklahoma State Department of Education: The Oklahoma Parents Center exhibits both leadership within our state as experienced collaborators & serves to strengthen connections to a broader network, including educating parents about effective practices that improve the results for children and youth with disabilities. You strive to work with families so that they can effectively work with their schools in the least adversarial manner possible. Oklahoma school districts respect your efforts to provide information & training to parents that are non-adversarial, so that schools & parents can effectively work together. As we continue our work, we look forward to increased collaborations with you to improve training & informational opportunities to parents of children with disabilities. JoAnne Pool Blades – Director, Special Education Resolution Center: We are very fortunate to have a PTI which is so willing to work with all our stakeholders to try and make special education a successful endeavor in our state.

5. OK: Partners Kim Osmani – Transition Coordinator, Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services: I have collaborated with the Center since 2004 and have seen the Center expand their staff, services, areas of expertise, and partners. They offer a unique service to parents that other entities have not quite been able to fulfill. Through their regional special education institutes and statewide conference, the Oklahoma Parents Center aims to reach as many stakeholders as possible with the content they cover. They also strive to get coverage in areas of the state that are weak in resources. Milissa Gofourth – Chair, Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council: The Oklahoma Parents Center fills a gap in services that other agencies are not able to complete. There is a great need for parents & family members to have access to as much information as possible to assist them in navigating the complicated systems of care.

6. OK: Partners Kim Osmani – Transition Coordinator, Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services: I have collaborated with the Center since 2004 and have seen the Center expand their staff, services, areas of expertise, and partners. They offer a unique service to parents that other entities have not quite been able to fulfill. Through their regional special education institutes and statewide conference, the Oklahoma Parents Center aims to reach as many stakeholders as possible with the content they cover. They also strive to get coverage in areas of the state that are weak in resources. Milissa Gofourth – Chair, Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council: The Oklahoma Parents Center fills a gap in services that other agencies are not able to complete. There is a great need for parents & family members to have access to as much information as possible to assist them in navigating the complicated systems of care.

7. OK: Partners Mark Sharp, Associate State Director, Early Intervention, Special Education Services, Oklahoma State Department of Education The Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma Parent Center enjoy a collaborative partnership that strengthens both programs to provide better services to the families we serve. This strong relationship is seen in our work together through advisory boards, personnel development, family training opportunities, policy development and our efforts to provide resources for children and young adults with disabilities and their families. We look forward to continuing our partnership.

8. SC: Parent Training & Resource Center (CPRC) State Collaboration – Part B Commitment to Sharing Resources Staff Expertise Project REST Project SAGE Speakers Training Stipends OSEP Sponsored Projects Discretionary Commitment to Sharing Ideas State Advisory Council Restraint & Seclusion Anti-bullying Parent’s Manual Conference Planning

9. SC: Parent Training & Resource Center (CPRC) Local Collaboration – Part B Commitment to Sharing Resources Staff Expertise Research to Practice Lending Libraries Sponsored Training Satellite Sites Parent’s Manual Commitment to Sharing Ideas Local Advisory Councils Grant Collaborations Alliance Conference Regular & Direct Communication with Directors Referrals

10. SC: Parent Training & Resource Center “We have thousands of stories of successful partnerships with our district. Each one is special. I guess my favorite is one that has led to an outcome that will have a lasting effect on many children. We have a young man with autism Who many in our District wanted to place out of school. This was not the desire of the special education staff. Our partners sustained me as Director as we worked on an appropriate program. After much help from our parent center and the child's parents, we are designing a new program for 18-21 year olds in our District to meet not only this student's needs, but many others. Thanks to our great partners we will begin a new journey to better meet the needs of this population. The collaboration with our community parent resource center provides Support for our District personnel as we advocate for our students with disabilities. Our partners remind us constantly of the importance of parental involvement and decision making in the IEP process… I cannot imagine life without our friends and partners (at the PTRC) as we work together to meet the vast needs of our students with disabilities.” Susan S. Thomas, Ph.D. Director, Programs for Children with Disabilities Berkeley County (SC) Local Collaborations Lead to Program Change

11. SC: Parent Training & Resource Center (CPRC) Collaboration – Part C Benefits of Collaboration Increased awareness of Parent Centers among 0-3 Improved FSP Early Identification Better equipped parents Recommendations for Board Seats

12. SC County Directors’ Comments “CCSD has found the collaboration with PTRC to be a highly successful partnership. The PTRC staff is highly professional and knowledgeable about both best practice and compliance issues. The major benefit is that they assist district level staff in educating parents and give us valuable feedback regarding our services. One successful collaboration was when the district partnered with a PTRC staff member to assist a parent of a high school student who was placed by the district in a residential treatment facility (RTF) in a city 2 hours away. The parent had legitimate concerns and through the joint partnership the district was able to get these concerns addressed by the other LEA supervising the RTF. The end result was that the student began receiving better and more appropriate services.” Irene Meier, Ph.D. Director, Office of Exceptional Children Charleston County School District (SC) “We have always felt that the relationship between the Family Resource Center (Parent Training and Resource Center) and our parents and schools has been an asset to all involved.” Monica K. Butler, Ed.S. Director, Programs for Exceptional Children, Dorchester District #4, Dorchester County (SC)

13. SC: PRO-Parents (PTIC) Collaboration Part B Commitment to Sharing Resources Staff Expertise (OEC Staff) PTI Board of Directors Staff training Webinars PIP Speakers

14. SC: PRO-Parents (PTIC) Collaboration Part B Commitment to Sharing Ideas (PTI Staff Expertise) State Advisory Council & Committees Facilitated IEP Pilot & continuation PBIS Steering Committee Superintendent’s Exploratory Committee Alternative Assessment Committee(s) Eligibility Criteria Revision Task Force & Committees RTI Workgroup and Parent Information Committee SPED Grant Application Workgroup & Grantee Title One Parent Conference Planning Committee & Presenters English as a Second Language workgroup Head Start Training & Head Start Grant Review Committee

15. SC: PRO-Parents (PTIC) Collaboration Part B Commitment to Sharing Information with Families & Public PTI Assistance to OEC Policy Changes and Up-dates Family members for committees, task force and work groups Assistance to Families Child Find Line manned by PTI and Child Find Information Distribution

16. SC: PRO-Parents (PTIC) Collaboration Part C ICC recommended for seat Lead Agency Change Workgroup Past collaboration: Child Find and Child Find Line ICC Seat Reciprocal Training

17. SC – State Director “The South Carolina Department of Education has enjoyed a long, collaborative relationship with PRO-Parents of South Carolina. We include representatives from PRO-Parents on our Advisory Council, various task forces, and other initiatives. Our current facilitated IEP process started with PRO-Parents. We feel fortunate to have the opportunity to work together for the benefit of children in our State.” Marlene Metts, Director OEC, S. C. Department of Education

18. WI – State Director “In 1998 …I believed we could & must do more to foster positive relationships & create an infrastructure that would permit school staff & parents to forge good solutions.” --Stephanie Petska – WDPI recognizes importance of statewide parent involvement activities & supports w/IDEA discretionary $$ – $230,000 WI FACETS, $765,000 WI Statewide Parent/Educator Initiative “We believe parents are a critical element in changing educational systems.” ---Petska – Partnership with/input from WI FACETS documented in 6 statewide systems-change grants – WI FACETS rep. on State Sup’s Special Education Advisory Council & State Performance Plan Stakeholder Group 2009-2010 contacts: 79,960 individuals (36,031 parents; 2,770 students; 40,123 educators) & 11,002 agencies; 361 of 446 districts received WSPEI services; + Parents in Partnership & YiPPE trainings “The work our states ultimately are judged for is the work we all do.” ---Petska

19. WI: WI FACETS (PTIC & R4 PTAC) – Part B Funded efforts: – WI Special Education Mediation System $ – State Personnel Development Grant $130,000 – Milwaukee Child Find Contract $75,000 – Special Education in Plain Language Additional collaborations: – WI Statewide Parent Educator Initiative – SPP/APR Stakeholder Council – State Advisory Panel Policy efforts: – State rules/regs: 115, Leg. efforts – OSEP Verification Visit Surveys – Assist with Indicator 8 Surveys – Other…. Quality Education Coalition, etc.

20. WI: WI FACETS (PTIC & R4 PTAC) – Part C Funded efforts: – $0 (ARRA “Preparing Mentors” funding??) Collaboration: – ECO Family survey – OSEP Verification Visit survey – Preschool Options training – Staff/B3 provider training – WI FACETS Volunteer Parent Leaders on ICC – Dedicated B3/EC Staff (5 hrs PTIC; 5 hrs SPDG) – B-3 Regional staff on WI FACETS Board Other activities: – Led Autism Coalition -Children’s Medicaid Waiver for in-home early intervention for autism

21. Resources OSEP State Advisory Panel website: www.stateadvisorypanel.org Wisconsin Parent Leadership Hub: www.wispdg.org/pl.html Why Parent Centers? Why Technical Assistance? Parent Centers Helping Families Outcome Data 2008-2009 www.taalliance.org/publications/books.asp Basics for Parents: Parent Training & Information Centers www.nichcy.org/InformationResources/Documents/NICHCY%20PUBS/bp3.pdf