- Introduced -

SB 927 - This act directs the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to administer a grant program to expand the availability of training and information provided to parents of children with disabilities. The program will be developed in consultation with a state-level advisory panel.

The grant program has two parts: (1) grants to local districts; and (2) a Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC).

The core content of the training program will be developed and implemented cooperatively by the Department, the Parent Training and Information Center and the Missouri Council for Administrators in Special Education. The core content will include information about eligibility criteria for special education, state and local policies and procedures, available services, and training for effective interaction with professionals.

To be eligible for grants, school districts must agree to form Parent Advisory Committees (PACs), use the core content with modifications for local needs, and use parent-educator teams from the local district to provide training. The contents of the local district grant proposal are specified. Districts may apply for grants of up to ten dollars for each student with a disability.

The Parent Training and Information Center is eligible for a grant amount up to 5% of the total appropriation for the program to support development and training. The Department and the Parent Training and Information Center must develop an evaluation model to measure participation, adequacy of training, and degree of satisfaction with the training.

Initial parent members of Parent Advisory Committees shall be appointed by the school board, and subsequent parent members shall be elected.

This act is combined with SCS/SBs 584, 539, 630, 777, 796, 918 & 927.

OTTO FAJEN