U.S. Department of Education Awards $14 Million to Special Education Parent Technical Assistance Centers is the headline of a US DOE press release.

Here’s an excerpt:

The U.S. Department of Education announced today more than $14 million in five-year grants to operate eight special education parent technical assistance centers that work to assist families of children with disability. The eight centers set to receive funding include one Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR); six Regional Parent Technical Assistance Centers (RPTACs); and one Native American Parent Technical Assistance Center (NAPTAC).

The centers will use the funding to improve the information they provide parents on laws, policies, and evidence-based education practices affecting children with disabilities. The centers will also use the funding to explore how data can be used to inform instruction; how to interpret results from evaluations and assessments; and ways to effectively engage in school reform activities, including how to interpret and use the data that informs those activities.

“Parents will always be their children’s first and most important teachers, and can have tremendous impact on their kids’ readiness to learn at every stage of the education pipeline,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “These grants will help special education parent technical assistance centers enhance the important services they provide to families across the country.”

I’m not familiar with these centers, and don’t know how useful or responsive they are to parent needs (I’d love to hear comments about them).

But I figure I’ll add this info to The Best Resources To Help Engage Parents Of Children With Special Needs.