Iowa Department of Education

The Parent-Educator Connection (PEC) is a program that provides services and supports for families who have children with individual Education Programs (IEPs) and the educators who teach them in school. The program has been in existence since 1984, and was designed and developed by parents and teachers working together with direction and fiscal support from the Iowa Department of Education, Bureau of Children, Family and Community Services. The belief then and today is that through families and teachers working together, children will benefit and have opportunity to be successful. By learning and working together, partnerships can develop that provide a powerful impact on the lives of children with disabilities.

Parent-Educator Connection History ( 2006-09-28 11:11:44)

Legal Requirements and Reports

While there are legal requirements in special education law that address parent participation and involvement, there is not a requirement in IDEA for states to have a service or organization such as the PEC for families and educators. Iowa is the only state in the nation that has services available across the entire state and a consultant on the state department staff.

Advisory Group

Seven of the 11 AEA PEC programs have steering committees that advise the PEC and examine the data that are generated for their AEA. Four AEA PEC programs make decisions about information and supports that need to be supported by the PEC in their specific region by using data, processes and family experiences within their AEA. Check with your AEA PEC to see if there is a steering committee in place if you would be interested in serving the AEA in that capacity.

Funding Sources

Iowa has maintained a 20 year history of funding the PEC program through federal Part B dollars that come to the state each year. Some AEAs provide additional in-kind contributions to the program for staff, activities and events that are administered and developed locally.

Guiding Practices

Parent-Educator Connection Brochure ( 2006-09-27 15:22:44)

Supporting Documents

The PEC has two program goals if wishes to reach as a result of the services they provide across the state. The AEAs may have different activities and supports to meet the goals, but all PEC programs are working toward the same goals for children who have IEPs.

Statewide Outcomes for the PEC-

• PEC Part B, Transition Part C to Part B Goal

Maintain strong support for families to participate in their child's education by providing the information and resources they need to transition their child with a disability to appropriate Part B services from Part C services.

• • Indicator #1: % of families reporting involvement in transition decisions and planning
  • Indicator #2: % of families informed of Part B parent rights and responsibilities during transition planning

• PEC Part B Secondary Transition Goal

Families have expectations and plans of living, learning and employment activities post high school for their youth with disabilities

• • Indicator #1: % of parents stating specific expectations for youth's post high school experiences
  • Indicator #2: % of families involved in transition decisions
  • Indicator #3: % of families setting goals and making plans for post high school experiences
  • Indicator #4: % of families reporting high school activities were helpful in preparing their youth for post high school experiences

Part C Indicator

Parent of families participating in Part C who report that early intervention services have helped the family:

A. Know their rights;
B. Effectively communicate their children's needs; and
C. Help their children develop and learn.

Part B Indicator

Percent of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with disabilities.

Calendar of Events

Iowa Training Consortium: Sponsored by the Center for Development and Disability
http://www.disabilitytraining.org/calendar.html

Contacts in Your Area

AEA 1 - Dubuque and Elkader
http://www.aea1.k12.ia.us/pec/pec1.html

AEA 267 - Cedar Falls, Clear Lake and Marshalltown
http://www.aea267.k12.ia.us/familyed/index.php?page=familyed_about_fec

AEA 8 - Esterville and Fort Dodge
http://www.aea8.k12.ia.us/ed/programs_and_services/parent_educator_connection/

AEA 9 - Bettendorf
http://www.aea9.k12.ia.us/05/parent.php

Supporting Links

ASK Resource Center, the Iowa Parent Training and Information Center, PTI
http://www.askresource.org/

PACER - is the Minnesota Parent, Training and information Center--it also serves as the national technical assistance center for all PTIs in the nation and territories.
http://www.pacer.org/

Iowaparents.org - research and information about parent involvement in education. http://www.iowaparents.org/

NICHCY - the most comprehensive site you are going find with disability and educational information. http://www.nichcy.org/

Family Village from the University of Wisconsin - disability information and national organizations/information. http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/

Beach Center - a center that works on research re: disabilities, education and families. http://www.beachcenter.org/

Wrightslaw - legal information regarding the various laws that impact people with disabilities and their families, and the systems that provides services and supports to them. http://www.wrightslaw.com/

Office of Special Education Programs - the Federal Department of Education
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.html

Iowa Legislators
http://www4.legis.state.ia.us/find-leg/

Federal Government Search
http://thomas.loc.gov/

Contact

Deb Samson
515-242-5295
deb.samson@iowa.gov