California Parent Organizations

Parent Organizations and the California Department of Education

The California Department of Education (CDE), Special Education Division, works closely with federal-and-state-funded parent organizations to increase parent participation and collaboration between parents and educators to improve the educational system.

Senate Bill 511, Family Empowerment Centers

Parent Training and Information Center

California Community Parent Resource Centers

Senate Bill 511, Family Empowerment Centers

Background

The Family Empowerment Centers (FECs) were established in Chapter 690 of the Statutes of 2001 (Senate Bill 511, Alpert), enacted as Education Code (EC) 56400-56415 . The FECs provide services to families with children with disabilities aged three to twenty-two. The intent of the Legislature is to ensure that parents, guardians, and families of children and young adults with disabilities have access to accurate information, specialized training, and peer-to-peer support. Each FEC is a non-profit 501 (c)(3). Grant funding for the FECs is based upon a specific formula. A base rate of $246,000.00 is allocated annually to each center to provide the basic services. Additional funding for each FEC is determined according to school enrollment in the region served.

The FECs provide training and information to families of children and young adults with disabilities, between the ages of 3 and 22. These parent-led nonprofit organizations offer specialized training, peer-to-peer support, information, and referral services. They aim to assist parents to better understand their child’s educational and developmental needs, effectively communicate with service providers, serve as a resource for the individual education plan process, participate in school reform and improvement activities, promote alternative dispute resolution, and support positive relationships between parents and professionals. Services available through each FEC vary based on the needs of the region they serve.

As a condition of funding, each FEC provides regionalized services as required per EC Section 56408 . No region is the same and each FEC conducts needs assessments to ensure parent, children, and student needs are met in their areas. Pursuant to EC Section 56411 , FECs must submit data annually to the CDE in support of outcome based evaluations to continue funding for each center.

The FECs must also participate in the statewide Family Empowerment and Disability Council (FEDC), composed of the executive directors of the FECs (EC Section 56410 ). The CDE co-facilitates the FEDC and convenes the group to ensure coordinated training and information dissemination, content, and materials for FECs to ensure parents across the state have equitable access to training and information.

FEC Contact and Service Information

Los Angeles County FEC Contact and Service Information

Los Angeles County is separated into ten FEC regions/Catchment Areas, which are currently served by six FECs. The area each FEC serves is outlined in the following table by Local Educational Agency (LEA) area. Due to location and population density, seven of the ten regions share in serving a portion of Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) region; the portion within the LAUSD boundary served by each FEC is listed in the table below by zip code.

Parent Training and Information Center

Background

Each Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC) is a parent-directed non-profit 501(c)(3) organization funded and managed by the Office of Special Education Programs at the U.S. Department of Education, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The CDE coordinates with the PTICs on initiatives and opportunities for parent support statewide.

The PTICs provide a variety of direct services for children and youth with disabilities, families, professionals, and other organizations that support them. Some of the activities include:

• Working with families of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities, birth to twenty-six
• Helping parents participate effectively in their children’s education and development
• Partnering with professionals and policy makers to improve outcomes for all children with disabilities
  

PTIC Contact Information

Organization	Phone	Address	Email
Exceptional Parents Unlimited	559-229-2000 559-229-2956 (Fax)	4440 North First Street, Fresno, CA 93726	info@epuchildren.org
Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund (DREDF)	510-644-2555 (TDD Available) 510-841-8645 (Fax) 800-348-4232	3075 Adeline Street, Suite 210, Berkeley, CA 94703	info@dredf.org
Matrix	415-884-3535 415-884-3555 (Fax) 800-578-2592	94 Galli Drive, Suite C Novato, CA 94949	info@matrixparents.org
Parents Helping Parents of Santa Clara	408-727-5775 825-727-5775 (toll free) 408-286-1116 (Fax)	1400 Parkmoor Avenue, Suite 100 San Jose, CA 95126	info@php.com
Support for Families of Children with Disabilities	415-282-7494 415-282-1226 (Fax)	1663 Mission Street, Suite 700 San Francisco, CA 94103	info@supportforfamilies.org
Team of Advocates for Special Kids (TASK)	714-533-8275 714-533-2533 (Fax) 626-300-1043 (Los Angeles Office)	3020 Saturn Street, Suite 102 Brea, CA 92821	task@taskca.org

California Community Parent Resource Centers

Background

The Community Parent Resource Center (CPRC), are managed and funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and, as described in 20 United States Code 1472, will help ensure that underserved parents of children, ages birth through twenty-six with disabilities, including low-income parents, parents of limited English-proficient children, and parents with disabilities, have the training and information the parents need to enable the parents to participate effectively in helping their children with disabilities.

Each CPRC shall:

• provide training and information that meets the training and information needs of parents of children with disabilities,
• carry out the activities required of PTICs, and
• be designed to meet the specific needs of families who experience significant isolation from available sources of information and support.

CPRC Contact Information

Organization	Contact Person	Contact Information	About
Chinese Parents Association for the Disabled	Vanda Yung	Address: PO Box 2884 San Gabriel, CA 91778 Phone: 626-600-6538 Email: n/a	Serving Los Angeles and Orange Counties
Disability Rights and Education Defense Fund (DREDF)	Susan Henderson	Address: 3075 Adeline Street, Suite 210 Berkeley, CA 94703 Phone: 510-644-2555 510-841-8645 (Fax) Email: shenderson@dredf.org info@dredf.org	Serving west side communities of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
Parents Child Advocacy Network (CAN)	Marlena Garcia	Address: 1909 Jefferson Street Napa, California 94559 Phone: 707-253-7444 707-253-2244 (Fax) Email: marlenag@parentscan.org parents@parentscan.org	Serving Napa County
Support for Families of Children with Disabilities	Juno Duenas	Address: 1663 Mission Street, Suite 700 San Francisco, CA 94103 Phone: 415-282-7494 415-282-1226 (Fax) Email: jwelsh@supportforfamilies.org info@supportforfamilies.org	Serving San Francisco County, but all families are welcomed

Other Resources

Department of Developmental Services: Early Start Family Resource Centers
Families of infants and toddlers, birth to thirty-six months at risk of or with developmental delays and disabilities, can receive parent-to-parent support from Early Start Family Resource Centers and Networks.

SELPA Administrators of California – Alternative Dispute Resolution
Information, training announcements, and resources for family engagement and ADR.

Pathways to Partnership
The Pathways to Partnership consortium includes Tehama and Ventura County Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA), Tehama and Ventura County Office of Education (COE), and the Family Empowerment Centers that serve those areas. Pathways to Partnership has established and experienced leadership in designing model programs in Dispute Prevention and Resolution. Pathways to Partnership has experience in rural, suburban, and urban regions and will be able to provide and adapt program design, development, and implementation support to the diverse populations of California.

Center for Parent Information and Resources
This hub of information is funded by the Office for Special Education Programs. It contains family-friendly information and research-based materials on key topics for Parent Centers; private workspaces for Parent Centers to exchange resources, discuss high-priority topics, and solve mutual challenges; coordination of parent training efforts throughout the network; a twice-monthly e-newsletter with key topics, new resources, upcoming events, and materials to share with families; and materials from Parent Centers themselves.

CADRE Individualized Education Program (IEP) Facilitation Parent Guide and Companion Videos
A printable parent guide with companion videos providing an overview of IEP facilitation and how to prepare. Please visit the CADRE web page for translations.

CADRE Working Together Series
A series providing families and educators with strategies for working together and through conflict. Anyone supporting children or youth with disabilities may benefit from this series, however, the setting in which collaborative problem solving and conflict resolution takes place within this series is typically the school or IEP meeting.

Reasons for Concern
If you suspect that your child or a child in your care may have a disability or special need(s) that may be affecting their academic, behavioral or developmental progress, there are state and local resources in place for assistance and guidance.

Rights of Parents and Children

State Compliance Complaint Support Unit

The CDE Special Education State Compliance Complaint Support Unit provides technical assistance information and resources for parents, school districts, advocates, agencies, and others of procedural safeguards regarding students between ages 3 and 21 with disabilities and their educational rights.

• Toll-free Help Line: 800-926-0648; Weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Email: speceducation@cde.ca.gov
• FAX: 916-327-3704

Rights of Parents and Children

Special Education Rights of Parents and Children Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part B, and the California Education Code.

• Notice of Procedural Safeguards (English) (DOCX)
• Notice of Procedural Safeguards (English) (PDF)
  • Available Translations of the Notice of Procedural Safeguards

To file for mediation or a due process hearing, contact:
Office of Administrative Hearings
Special Education Division
2349 Gateway Oaks, Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95833-4231
Telephone: 916-263-0880
Fax: 916-376-4207
Secure Electronic Filing