Why Get Help from PTI?
Parent Training and Information (PTI) is federally funded to support family caregivers, youth, and professionals. We know educational systems use a lot of complicated words and follow procedures that can feel confusing. We do our best to provide tips for communicating as members of a school-and-family team that develops a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). We know it’s hard to keep track of all the documents that accumulate when a child has a disability. We can help you understand how to organize your paperwork and your concerns. For example, we have an article that provides Steps to Read, Understand, and Develop an Initial IEP. Our staff can help you participate in IEP and Section 504 Plan development and request changes. If you’re a student or a parent who want to make a handout for your meeting we can help you with that! Here are a few other things we can help with:
- Learn more about how to advocate as a family caregiver or as a student with a disability and how to participate on a decision-making team.
- Empower yourself with knowledge about early intervention, special education, post-secondary planning, or related systems that impact you or your loved ones in Washington State.
- Talk through options if you feel stuck in advocating for yourself or your child or if you need additional ideas about where to get help in your community.
- Learn vocabulary that will help you communicate with schools and other agencies. PTI can help you understand concepts like Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Our short video, FAPE Fits Like a Proper Outfit, is a place to start learning that term!
- Seek specific tools, including sample letters, to help you request an IEP meeting or make a referral for a special education evaluation.
Not finding your question within this list? Don’t worry! Sometimes we are able to listen and help you come up with the questions you didn’t even know you had. We look forward to serving you!