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Home / Resources / Parent Center Activities / Parent-Professional Collaborative Activities

Resources

Parent-Professional Collaborative Activities

Examples from PTIs and CPRCs

The Technical Assistance ALLIANCE for Parent Centers National Parent Technical Assistance Center sent a survey to all Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) in the summer of 2008 asking them to provide examples of parent-professional collaborative activities in which they were involved. The list that follows is a summary of all responses that were received. If your Parent Center would like to add an activity to this list, please email alliance@taalliance.org and we will update this document.

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center
338 Main Street
Niantic, CT 06357
860-739-3089
www.cpacinc.org

Enhancing Collaborative Relationships Between Families and Schools

This is a funded multi-year project to develop a model for helping schools and families work together to improve educational outcomes. The model uses a FAST (families and schools together) team approach to identify district specific needs and develop an action plan to address identified concerns. The project has monthly meetings, ongoing activities, professional development, and technical assistance, all supported by project staff. Connecticut’s State Personnel Development Grant (SPDG) independent evaluator is helping to measure the impact of the project on relationships and student achievement. The Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center hopes to learn what structures need to be in place to sustain partnerships and has found that the most effective strategy is building and maintaining strong personal relationships.

GEORGIA

Parent to Parent of Georgia
3805 Presidential Parkway, Ste 207
Atlanta, GA 30340
770-451-5484
http://www.parenttoparentofga.org

Communities of Practice

This is a new project, implemented in 2008/2009. Parent to Parent of Georgia is using a facilitated Communities of Practice (CoP) model to build parent-professional collaboration and leadership at a local and/or regional level. There is one Community of Practice in each of six regions, each with an assigned facilitator and a small budget. Each CoP convenes a Parent to Parent dialogue to identify a focus area, a work plan, and activities for the year. The CoP works for 8 to 9 months to achieve outcomes in their regional action plan. Final results, products, outcomes of each CoP’s action plan, and work will be presented to the community in a community forum.

The PTI will identify broad focus areas relevant to Birth to Five for the CoPs. Focus areas (1.) generally are not controversial, adversarial, or polarizing; (2.) easily engage and secure provider, family, and community support; (3.) are likely to result in positive outcomes for communities, children and families; and (4.) are within the “locus of control” of regional and community-level groups. Products or results might include, but are not limited to:

• training materials for inclusive child care, preschool, or community programs
• transition fairs or meetings
• materials and training for families on transition
• working with local libraries to initiate inclusive story times for young children
• materials for families on promoting early literacy

Participation is by application, and efforts are coordinated with Parent Educators in the early intervention system and the Parent Mentors in the school system.

MASSACHUSETTS

Federation for Children with Special Needs
1135 Tremont Street, Suite 420
Boston, MA 02120-2140
617-236-7210
www.fcsn.org

Advancing Parent/Professional Leadership in Education (A.P.P.L.E. Project)

The A.P.P.L.E. project trains school-system teams of parents and professionals to learn skills to help them become more effective partners. Components of the project include a parent leadership training institute, a research program, and national dissemination of the findings. The program began in 2001 and is currently being funded through a U.S. Department of Education Model Development Project grant.

Project A.P.P.L.E. focuses on positive relationship-building and facilitation to ensure all voices are heard. Teams are recruited with diversity as a goal. The underlying philosophy of the program is that partnerships arise out of: a shared goal for the child; mutual trust; cultural competence; effective communication and problem-solving skills; and a clear vision of high expectations for student achievement and support for student’s aspirations.

NEBRASKA

Federation for Children with Special Needs
3135 North 93rd Street
Omaha, NE 68134
402-346-0525
www.pti-nebraska.org

PTI Nebraska collaborates with the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE), Special Populations to provide training, information, and support to families served by the Nebraska Early Development Network, those who are preparing students for transition from high school, and those whose children are in the Juvenile Justice system. NDE funds PTI Nebraska for two staff to do this work.

This partnership was initiated more than 15 years ago, beginning with one part-time staff person at PTI Nebraska. It has grown over the years and is truly a collaborative effort that meets the needs of both agencies. This partnership is maintained by open and honest communication between agencies with attempts by both to do what is necessary to meet each other’s needs.

This collaboration allows PTI Nebraska to provide better service to more families than would be possible without the partnership. It has been said that the PTI’s service to families makes the work of Nebraska’s educational system easier.

NEW JERSEY

Highlands Parent Center, Association for Special Children and Families
PO Box 494
Hewitt, NJ 07421
973-728-8744
www.ascfamily.org

The Highlands Parent Center collaborated with the:

• (1) local police department to provide two disability awareness trainings to First Responders
• (2) local Head Start to offer a Disabilities Resource Fair
• (3) Family Support Organization (FSO) to sponsor a conference on Behavior and offer a monthly parent support group
• (4) local Public Health Department to train child care providers

With the agencies mentioned above, the Highlands Parent Center established a Community Advisory Council that meets regularly to discuss community needs and possible collaborative solutions. At its meetings, the council shares a light lunch, decides which issues are a priority, and how the agencies can work together to better the situation. While all are involved in each activity, only one or two agencies are primary players in the collaborations. The council members are a great group of caring and diverse individuals who have not previously worked together and in some cases did not know about the work of the other agencies. The council provides an opportunity to share successes and concerns and offers an accepting, non-judgmental, and comfortable atmosphere. Members listen, respect other opinions, and utilize everyone’s input.

The exciting, worthwhile collaborations cement relationships and help members feel like they are part of a caring community. Initially, members had to remember to consult the other partners and to allow them to do their assigned task. Council members learned how to be better team players and to share in successes. It has been very beneficial for all.

NEW MEXICO

Parents Reaching Out
1920 "B" Columbia Drive SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-247-0192
www.parentsreachingout.org

Families as Faculty

Parents Reaching Out met with the New Mexico Public Education Department (NM PED) to develop the Families as Faculty project as part of the state’s State Improvement Grant/State Personnel Development Grant. The NM PED funds this project, which is now 10 years old. This collaboration is based on personal relationships and trust.

OREGON

OrFIRST
830 NE 47th Ave
Portland, OR 97213
503-215-2268
http://www.orfirst.org

My Child’s Life Care Notebook and Organizer

This initiative began when OrFIRST examined medical home notebooks from around the country. OrFIRST’s Family Advisory Board worked with staff to create a notebook to provide helpful information related to children with disabilities. OrFIRST maintained positive collaboration through family and professional focus groups; work parties; test sessions; and need assessments. The Life Care Notebook is also available in a bilingual Spanish/English and a bilingual Russian/English version. This has been a five-year collaboration.

RHODE ISLAND

Rhode Island Parent Information Network
175 Main Street
Pawtucket, RI 02860-4101
401-727-4144
www.ripin.org

Statewide Parent Leadership Network

This six-year collaboration is funded as part of a State Improvement Grant/State Personnel Development Grant grant. Staff from the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and the Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN) bring together, develop, and inform parent leaders around special education issues. RIPIN developed the Special Education Statewide Parent Leadership Network, which meets twice a year to share information and collaborate on activities. Ongoing communication is maintained via a listserv of the approximately 80 parents and professionals from local Special Education Advisory Councils, the State Special Education Advisory Committee, and other parent groups.

Partners in this collaboration have mutual trust and respect for each other’s roles and expertise and are committed to taking part in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of all activities involved.

This has been a wonderful opportunity to build collaborative relationships. One of the outcomes is the joint development, planning, marketing, and professional development of a statewide parent involvement survey which is sent to all parents of Special Education students in Rhode Island. The leadership network provides ongoing input to this process.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Rhode Island Parent Information Network
South Carolina PRO-PARENTS
652 Bush River Road, Suite 203
Columbia, SC 29210
803-772-5688
www.proparents.org

Linking Training for foster families in education and special education laws and rights

This project is funded by the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS), and trains families who receive South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs Services (DDSN). PRO-PARENTS trains on special education rights as well as transition from early intervention to public school. In cooperation with the South Carolina Foster Parents Association, PRO-PARENTS and provides collaborative training with DDSN Boards in local communities.

Partners in Policymaking

This program, administered by and housed at PRO-Parents, is funded through the South Carolina Developmental Disabilities Council to provide training for families receiving services from Department of Health and Environmental Control (Maternal and Child Health Division).

Facilitated IEP’s

This is a joint project with the South Carolina Department of Education, funded through the Department of Education.

Youth Leadership Forum

This joint effort with the South Carolina Department of Education, University Affiliated programs, State Transition Task Force, Vocational Rehabilitation, South Carolina Continuum of Care, and the South Carolina Developmental Disabilities Council provides a three-day event for youth in transition.

PRO-PARENTS continues to support the initiatives of others and provide whatever is needed when requested. These organizations know that they can count on PRO-Parents to collaborate and help them reach families. We have built a reputation in the state of collaboration and cooperation. If an initiative is not funded or does not provide money to the agency, PRO-Parents still finds a way to offer support. PRO-Parents trains IEP facilitators and provides some IEP facilitation. This program is in its third year.

SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota Parent Connection
3701 West 49th Street, Suite 102
Sioux Falls, SD 57106
605-361-3171
www.sdparent.org

The South Dakota Parent Connection Navigator Program

This South Dakota Department of Education, Office of Special Programs Part B funds this program to provide South Dakota families and schools an alternative, low-level, dispute resolution program.

Three years ago, the executive director of the South Dakota Parent Connection had an idea to assist families with difficult IEP issues, which she shared with South Dakota Department of Education staff. The state provided funding to begin the Navigator program, and three years later, it is a well-defined program with fourteen trained Peer Navigator Consultants who have served more than 250 families and schools. The program is in its fourth year with plans to add two additional Peer Navigator Consultants. This year the partnership will sponsor free training to school professionals or parents in three sites across South Dakota on the topic of “Approaching Difficult Conversations.”

Regular communication between the State Special Education, Part B director and the Parent Connection director is part of this process. Parent Connection staff members sit on statewide work groups and assist with the development and review of the State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report. We share data regarding the programs and jointly promote the numerous activities around the state.

Among the diverse backgrounds of the fourteen Peer Navigator Consultants are people who are differently-abled and ethnically diverse. The navigators are assigned to work with families or schools based on the background of the family and consultant. The partnership also works with South Dakota Advocacy Services to address potential legal issues.

TENNESSEE

STEP, Inc.
712 Professional Plaza
Greeneville, TN 37745
423-639-0125
www.tnstep.org

Pre-service training for undergraduate and graduate students

For 13 years, STEP, Inc. has provided pre-service training for undergraduate and graduate students concerning parent perspectives in special education. STEP’s executive director initiated the program through relationships with university staff that were established during her graduate school years. The executive director often recruits other parents to speak with her at university classes; she coaches parents about the opportunity they have to make a positive difference in future teachers’ outlooks if they stay collaborative and upbeat.