This document discusses the importance of parent advocacy, especially for children with disabilities. It provides an overview of: - The history of the parent advocacy movement and its role in establishing laws like IDEA that guarantee education rights. - Research showing the benefits of family engagement in children's education and development. - Specific advocacy skills parents can use to support their own children's needs and influence systems like schools and state agencies. - Opportunities for parents to get involved through groups at the local, school and state level to advocate for issues important to families.

1. INFORMING, EDUCATING, EMPOWERING FAMILIES
617-236-7210 | www.fcsn.org | info@fcsn.org
The Power of Parent Advocacy
Leslie M. Leslie
Project Director/MassPAC
lleslie@fcsn.org

2. Advocacy is a Superpower!
http://onevoice.pta.org/my-parent-my-advocate-my-hero/
Advocacy is
the act of
speaking on
behalf of or
in support of
a cause or
a person.

3. Today’s learning objectives …
• Learn about Parent Advocacy in the Disability Rights
Movement
• Understand the role of Family Engagement
• Advocate for your child and your community
• Find where you can advocate for state systems change
• Join an Advisory or Decision-Making Group

4. Parent Advocates at the Forefront
Parent organizations and disability advocates saw the
opportunity to join with the Civil Rights Movement to
demand equal treatment, equal access and equal
opportunity for people with disabilities.
Parent advocates were at the forefront, demanding that
their children be taken out of institutions and asylums,
and placed into schools where their children could have
the opportunity to learn and engage in society.
1960s

5. Celebrating Parent Advocacy!
1972-2022
Passed in 1972, the first non-
categorical law guaranteeing all
children the right to a free
appropriate public education was
codified at M.G.L c. 766.
Chapter 766 later served as the
model for the first federal special
education legislation – the
Education for All Handicapped Act
which became Individuals with
Disability Education Act or IDEA.

6. The idea of a Parent Center …
Martha Ziegler, one of the founders of FCSN, and other parent leaders
realized that making the promise of the law a reality in the lives of real
children would require that parents be informed and empowered.
Martha understood that that
an ongoing reliable
organization was necessary
to educate and train parents
about their rights under the
new law(s).

7. What the Research says …
“When schools,
families, and community
groups work together to
support learning,
children tend to do
better in school, stay in
school longer, and like
school more.”
https://sedl.org/connections/resources
/evidence.pdf

8. Family Voice is Important
“the systematic inclusion of
families in activities and
programs that promote
children’s development,
learning, and wellness, including
in the planning, development,
and evaluation of such activities,
programs, and systems.”
Moving from an “involvement”
model to an “engagement”
model.
https://www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/family
-engagement-framework.pdf

9. What can a family do?
• Recognize the signs of struggle
• Talk to your child
• Identify the root of the problem
• Learn about typical child
development/milestones
• Share your concerns – with your
Doctor and School
• Advocacy for your own child lays a
foundation for all children
Under federal law, public schools must look for, find,
and evaluate kids who need special education.
This is called Child Find, and it covers all kids
from birth through age 21.
Advocacy for Your Child

10. You are your Child’s Best Advocate
Understand your child’s learning
and thinking differences
Start with your child’s strengths
Focus on your child’s needs
Ask questions to fully understand
Sign Consent to Evaluate for Special Education
No one knows more about your child than you do

11. Parents as Equal Members
of the IEP Team
One of IDEA's foundational principles is
the right of parents to participate in
educational decision making regarding
their child with a disability.
On the IEP Team, every member has an
equal opportunity to contribute. IDEA
specifically allows a parent to submit
concerns to the IEP Team.
Parents have specific rights in the IEP process:
Consent to evaluate
Right to participate in meetings
Consent for services/placement
Consent for reevaluations
Prior Written Notice
Due Process/Procedural Safeguards

12. Parents Have Many Skills!
Please use the Chat to share one
skill parents can use to effectively
advocate for their child or for others
in their community.
Use the Chat feature below

13. Advocacy for Children in your
School and Community
Change the
Culture –
Join your SEPAC
In Massachusetts, every school district
must establish a district-level, parent-
driven group that provides input to the
local school district on system-level
challenges in special education and
related services.

14. Local School District
Advisory Board Options
✓ SEPAC
✓ ELPAC
✓ District Task Force
✓ Principal’s Group
✓ PTA/PTO
✓ School Committee
✓ School Site Councils
✓ School Wellness
Advisory Committee
✓ Hiring Committees

15. Educational Advocacy at
the State Level
DESE ADVISORY BOARDS:
✓ Adult Basic Education
✓ Arts Education
✓ Braille Literacy Advisory Council
✓ Digital Learning Advisory Council
✓ Educational Personnel
✓ English Learner/Bilingual Education Advisory
Council
✓ Gifted and Talented Education
✓ Parent and Community Education and
Involvement Advisory Council (PCEI)
✓ Racial Imbalance
✓ School and District Accountability and
Assistance
✓ Special Education Advisory Panel
✓ Student Advisory Council
✓ Vocational Technical Education Advisory
Council
“ …draw on the
perspectives and experience
of a wide variety of
constituents in order to
strengthen public
education.”

16. Advocacy in Health and
other Fields
LOCAL
✓ Board of Health
✓ Town Disability Commission
✓ Recreation Department
✓ Youth and Family Services
✓ Ecumenical Groups
STATE
✓ Regional Public Health
Advisory Committees
✓ State Agencies
✓ Non-profit organizations

17. Become a Change Agent!
Get involved. Join your:
SEPAC, ELPAC, PTA/PTO, school-based advisory boards
town/community advisory boards or state-level councils
Serving on Groups That Make Decisions: A Guide for Families is
intended to be a useful tool for anyone who is currently
serving, or wants to serve, on a decision-making group.
Follow the research:
Improving Public Education: Parents as Change Agents
January 2020 – Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
https://r50gh2ss1ic2mww8s3uvjvq1-wpengine.netdna-
ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Research-Synthesis-
Report-.pdf

18. Learning Opportunities at FCSN
Get involved - learn how at the Federation:
Become an SESP
Attend a PTI workshop
Become a Parent Mentor
Take our Parent Consultant Training (PCTI)
Apply to the Barbara Popper Health Advocacy Institute
Attend APPLE with your District/SEPAC
Join the Networking Series
Participate in SEPAC Summer School
Intern in the Information Center
and more!
www.fcsn.org

19. INFORMING, EDUCATING, EMPOWERING FAMILIES
617-236-7210 | www.fcsn.org | info@fcsn.org
Questions?
Please reach out and start a conversation.
Leslie M. Leslie
lleslie@fcsn.org