[Introduction]
"The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, last amended in 2004 (IDEA 2004), encourages parents and educators to work collaboratively, emphasizing that as a team they are uniquely suited to make decisions that help improve the educational experiences and outcomes of children with disabilities. The Advancing Parent-Professional Leadership in Education (APPLE) Project was funded to develop the leadership skills of parents individually and within their communities. The project took place in Massachusetts, where school districts are required to have a special education parent advisory council (SEPAC).
As part of the overall evaluation of the APPLE project, we asked 39 parents who participated in the leadership training about ways to create a better SEPAC and improve its capacity to effectively collaborate with educators. The 39 parents represented 21 SEPACs in Massachusetts. This brief presents effective strategies and recommendations to support parent leaders and advocates in special education, whether they are part of a SEPAC or another similar group."
[Recommendations for Parent Leaders and Advocates in Special Education]
"The following recommendations are derived from comments of APPLE parent leaders and the experience of Federation staff.
- Have clear goals and objectives for parent involvement. Establishing clear goals and objectives for parent involvement is important for parent organizations so that new members understand what is expected and what they can offer, from mere attendance at meetings to taking on more active roles. This broader approach will help parent organizations to welcome, support and accommodate parents who have different needs.
- Connect parents to and help them utilize existing resources. There is a wide network of parent leadership and advocacy resources both in the state (e.g., MASSPAC) and nationally (e.g., the ALLIANCE) that can help provide training, information and support to parents of children with special needs (see Additional Resources, below). Because no one parent organization can meet all the needs of a family, helping parents identify and connect with relevant resources quickly and efficiently is important. Keeping parents up-to-date on new resources is also critical.
Provide ways for parents to identify and value their own leadership styles. While some parents are natural born public speakers, others are better at “behind the scenes” organizing and nurturing new members. Very often leadership experiences gained through jobs and hobbies can be effectively applied. Using the talents of many parents with different backgrounds will help a parent organization be stronger. Seeking out leadership-styles training might be worthwhile so parents can work together harmoniously and avoid conflict.
- Be clear that all parents’ voices and perspectives are needed and valued. Having one group of parents—either from one social group, or representing only one type of disability, or not representing the ethnic and racial make up of the community—will limit the ability of a parent organization to get all families involved in the conversation about special education programs. Thus, parent organizations should find out who their community is and actively reach out and engage community members in their efforts."