Local parent groups

2 Responses to “Local parent groups”

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• Liz Ditz

  4 May 2008 at 2:06 pm

  I think Massachusetts is a special case–with state law supporting Special Education Parents’ Advisory Committees:

  603 CMR 28.07 (4) Parent Involvement

  (4) Parent advisory participation. Each school district shall create a district wide parent advisory council offering membership to all parents of eligible students and other interested parties. The parent advisory council duties shall include but not be limited to: advising the district on matters that pertain to the education and safety of students with disabilities; meeting regularly with school officials to participate in the planning, development, and evaluation of the school district’s special education programs. The parent advisory council shall establish by-laws regarding officers and operational procedures, and, in the course of its duties, the parent advisory council shall receive assistance from the district without charge, upon reasonable notice, and subject to the availability of staff and resources. The district shall conduct, in cooperation with the parent advisory council, at least one workshop annually within the school district on the rights of students and their parents and guardians under state and federal special education laws. (See MGL c71B, 1C and 3)

  ConcordSpedPac

  ConcordSpedPac maintains a list of on-line SpEd PACs in MA

  http://www.concordspedpac.org/Pacs-in-Mass.html
• Liz Ditz

  4 May 2008 at 2:16 pm

  There are also Special Education Parent-Teachers’ Associations (SEPTAs). The state-wide Connecticut PTA has a good page on SEPTAs — http://www.ctpta.org/membership/septa/npta_pos_stmt_speced.htm

  The Redwood City (CA) SEPTA, SEPTAR, has a unique fundraising effort, Can I Sit With You?