20 U.S.C. § 1471 — Parent training and information centers

Page 1015 TITLE 20—EDUCATION § 1471 this title) such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 2005 through 2010. (b) Reservation From amounts appropriated under subsection (a) for fiscal year 2005, the Secretary shall re- serve $1,000,000 to carry out the study authorized in section 1464(c) of this title. From amounts ap- propriated under subsection (a) for a succeeding fiscal year, the Secretary may reserve an addi- tional amount to carry out such study if the Secretary determines the additional amount is necessary. (Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, § 667, as added Pub. L. 108–446, title I, § 101, Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2787.) PART C—SUPPORTS TO IMPROVE RESULTS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES § 1470. Purposes The purposes of this part are to ensure that— (1) children with disabilities and their par- ents receive training and information designed to assist the children in meeting develop- mental and functional goals and challenging academic achievement goals, and in preparing to lead productive independent adult lives; (2) children with disabilities and their par- ents receive training and information on their rights, responsibilities, and protections under this chapter, in order to develop the skills nec- essary to cooperatively and effectively partici- pate in planning and decision making relating to early intervention, educational, and transi- tional services; (3) parents, teachers, administrators, early intervention personnel, related services per- sonnel, and transition personnel receive co- ordinated and accessible technical assistance and information to assist such personnel in improving early intervention, educational, and transitional services and results for chil- dren with disabilities and their families; and (4) appropriate technology and media are re- searched, developed, and demonstrated, to im- prove and implement early intervention, edu- cational, and transitional services and results for children with disabilities and their fami- lies. (Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, § 670, as added Pub. L. 108–446, title I, § 101, Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2788.) § 1471. Parent training and information centers (a) Program authorized (1) In general The Secretary may award grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agree- ments with, parent organizations to support parent training and information centers to carry out activities under this section. (2) Definition of parent organization In this section, the term ‘‘parent organiza- tion’’ means a private nonprofit organization (other than an institution of higher education) that— (A) has a board of directors— (i) the majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities ages birth through 26; (ii) that includes— (I) individuals working in the fields of special education, related services, and early intervention; and (II) individuals with disabilities; and (iii) the parent and professional members of which are broadly representative of the population to be served, including low-in- come parents and parents of limited English proficient children; and (B) has as its mission serving families of children with disabilities who— (i) are ages birth through 26; and (ii) have the full range of disabilities de- scribed in section 1401(3) of this title. (b) Required activities Each parent training and information center that receives assistance under this section shall— (1) provide training and information that meets the needs of parents of children with disabilities living in the area served by the center, particularly underserved parents and parents of children who may be inappropri- ately identified, to enable their children with disabilities to— (A) meet developmental and functional goals, and challenging academic achieve- ment goals that have been established for all children; and (B) be prepared to lead productive inde- pendent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible; (2) serve the parents of infants, toddlers, and children with the full range of disabilities de- scribed in section 1401(3) of this title; (3) ensure that the training and information provided meets the needs of low-income par- ents and parents of limited English proficient children; (4) assist parents to— (A) better understand the nature of their children’s disabilities and their educational, developmental, and transitional needs; (B) communicate effectively and work col- laboratively with personnel responsible for providing special education, early interven- tion services, transition services, and re- lated services; (C) participate in decisionmaking proc- esses and the development of individualized education programs under subchapter II and individualized family service plans under subchapter III; (D) obtain appropriate information about the range, type, and quality of— (i) options, programs, services, tech- nologies, practices and interventions based on scientifically based research, to the ex- tent practicable; and (ii) resources available to assist children with disabilities and their families in school and at home; (E) understand the provisions of this chap- ter for the education of, and the provision of early intervention services to, children with disabilities; (F) participate in activities at the school level that benefit their children; and Page 1016 TITLE 20—EDUCATION § 1472 (G) participate in school reform activities; (5) in States where the State elects to con- tract with the parent training and information center, contract with State educational agen- cies to provide, consistent with subparagraphs (B) and (D) of section 1415(e)(2) of this title, in- dividuals who meet with parents to explain the mediation process to the parents; (6) assist parents in resolving disputes in the most expeditious and effective way possible, including encouraging the use, and explaining the benefits, of alternative methods of dispute resolution, such as the mediation process de- scribed in section 1415(e) of this title; (7) assist parents and students with disabil- ities to understand their rights and respon- sibilities under this chapter, including those under section 1415(m) of this title upon the student’s reaching the age of majority (as ap- propriate under State law); (8) assist parents to understand the avail- ability of, and how to effectively use, proce- dural safeguards under this chapter, including the resolution session described in section 1415(e) of this title; (9) assist parents in understanding, pre- paring for, and participating in, the process described in section 1415(f)(1)(B) of this title; (10) establish cooperative partnerships with community parent resource centers funded under section 1472 of this title; (11) network with appropriate clearing- houses, including organizations conducting national dissemination activities under sec- tion 1463 of this title and the Institute of Edu- cation Sciences, and with other national, State, and local organizations and agencies, such as protection and advocacy agencies, that serve parents and families of children with the full range of disabilities described in section 1401(3) of this title; and (12) annually report to the Secretary on— (A) the number and demographics of par- ents to whom the center provided informa- tion and training in the most recently con- cluded fiscal year; (B) the effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve parents, including under- served parents of children with disabilities; and (C) the number of parents served who have resolved disputes through alternative meth- ods of dispute resolution. (c) Optional activities A parent training and information center that receives assistance under this section may pro- vide information to teachers and other profes- sionals to assist the teachers and professionals in improving results for children with disabil- ities. (d) Application requirements Each application for assistance under this sec- tion shall identify with specificity the special efforts that the parent organization will under- take— (1) to ensure that the needs for training and information of underserved parents of children with disabilities in the area to be served are effectively met; and (2) to work with community based organiza- tions, including community based organiza- tions that work with low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient children. (e) Distribution of funds (1) In general The Secretary shall— (A) make not less than 1 award to a parent organization in each State for a parent training and information center that is des- ignated as the statewide parent training and information center; or (B) in the case of a large State, make awards to multiple parent training and in- formation centers, but only if the centers demonstrate that coordinated services and supports will occur among the multiple cen- ters. (2) Selection requirement The Secretary shall select among applica- tions submitted by parent organizations in a State in a manner that ensures the most effec- tive assistance to parents, including parents in urban and rural areas, in the State. (f) Quarterly review (1) Meetings The board of directors of each parent organi- zation that receives an award under this sec- tion shall meet not less than once in each cal- endar quarter to review the activities for which the award was made. (2) Continuation award When a parent organization requests a con- tinuation award under this section, the board of directors shall submit to the Secretary a written review of the parent training and in- formation program conducted by the parent organization during the preceding fiscal year. (Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, § 671, as added Pub. L. 108–446, title I, § 101, Dec. 3, 2004, 118 Stat. 2788.) Editorial Notes PRIOR PROVISIONS A prior section 1471, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, § 671, as added Pub. L. 105–17, title I, § 101, June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 135, related to congressional findings and purposes for subpart 1 of part B of former subchapter IV of this chapter, prior to the general amendment of subchapters I to IV of this chapter by Pub. L. 108–446. Another prior section 1471, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, § 671, as added Pub. L. 99–457, title I, § 101(a), Oct. 8, 1986, 100 Stat. 1145; amended Pub. L. 100–630, title I, § 108(a), Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3301; Pub. L. 101–476, title IX, § 901(b)(158)–(161), Oct. 30, 1990, 104 Stat. 1149; Pub. L. 102–119, §§ 11, 25(a)(16), (b), Oct. 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 595, 606, 607, related to congressional findings and policy with regard to early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, prior to re- peal by Pub. L. 105–17, title II, § 203(b), June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 157, effective July 1, 1998. § 1472. Community parent resource centers (a) Program authorized (1) In general The Secretary may award grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agree- ments with, local parent organizations to sup-