|
EDUCATION
ADVOCACY
Helping parents advocate for
a positive, quality special education
The Arc of Mercer County’s
Education Advocacy Mission
Our mission is for parents or
guardians to become their child’s best advocate using the resources available
in the community, such as your Local Task Force on the Right to Education, the
Local Interagency Coordinating Council (LICC), parent support groups within
their school district and/or county, and The Arc of Mercer County.
The Arc of
Mercer County’s
Education Advocacy
Program
The Arc of Mercer County is a member of The
Arc of the United States and The Arc of Pennsylvania, organizations that advocate for all individuals
with intellectual, cognitive, and developmental disabilities.
The Arc of Pennsylvania, founded in 1949,
was the first organization in the country to advocate for the rights of
children with disabilities to a free public education. In 1972, The Arc, then known as the
Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children, filed suit against the
Secretary of Education, State Board of Education, and Secretary of Public
Welfare on behalf of 13 children who were denied access to free public
education. Because of this lawsuit, the
Commonwealth agreed to develop plans to identify, locate, evaluate, educate,
and train all schoolage children with developmental disabilities. This historic action led to the federal law
known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which afforded all students with disabilities
a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
This law has recently been reauthorized and is now called Individuals
with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA).
The Arc of Mercer County believes the need
for education advocacy and better school compliance with IDEIA within Mercer County
is great. As part of its commitment to
represent the needs and wants of students with developmental disabilities, The
Arc of Mercer County instituted its Education Advocacy Program in September
2004. Since then, the Education Advocacy
Program has supported and helped numerous students with developmental
disabilities and their families realize their rights to free appropriate
education.
When you
contact us . . .
) Information is gathered relating to the
current situation and the need for further information is assessed.
) The current Evaluation Report (ER),
Individualized Education Program (IEP), and other pertinent documents are
reviewed as necessary.
) The Advocacy Department develops a plan
of action with input from the parent/guardian.
The
Education Advocacy Program provides services to all children and students from
birth to 21 who are eligible for specialized education services under the
Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act (IDEIA), Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act or The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
What Services Does
Education Advocacy
Offer To Families?
) Provides information to families about their rights under IDEIA
and applicable state regulations, including Early Intervention and how to
effectively advocate for their children to resolve issues.
) Provides technical
assistance to school districts and Early Intervention providers in designing
and delivering supports and services, which guarantee students with
disabilities the opportunity to make progress on their educational goals.
) Monitors the quality
of education programs and services provided to students with disabilities
through on-going involvement with the Local Task Force on the Right to
Education.
) Attends IEP meetings
with the parent/guardian, if deemed necessary.
) Attends facilitation,
mediation or a due process hearing if family has been unsuccessful in obtaining
a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for a student.
) Provides the opportunity to network with
other parents through on-going Parent-to-Parent Network meetings.
To learn more about
The Arc of Mercer County’s
Education
Advocacy program,
call 724-981-2950.
|
