HCS HB 54 -- SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENTAL TRAINING PROGRAM

SPONSOR:  Fitzwater (Boucher)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Education-Elementary and Secondary by a vote of 20 to 0.

This substitute directs the Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education (DESE) to administer a grant program to
expand the availability of training and information provided to
parents of children who need special education.  The program
will be developed in consultation with the special advisory
panel required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act.  The grant program has two parts:  grants to
local districts and a parent training and information center.

The core content of the training program will be developed and
implemented cooperatively by DESE, the recipient of the state
parent training and information center grant, and local school
districts.  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,
school districts must agree to form parent advisory committees,
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 in the substitute.  Districts may apply for grants up
to $10 for each student with a disability.

The parent training center is eligible for a grant amount up to
5% of the total appropriation for the program to support
development and training.  DESE 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.

FISCAL NOTE:  Cost to General Revenue Fund of $1,296,200 in FY
2000, $1,335,086 in FY 2001, and $1,375,139 in FY 2002.
Estimated Net Effect on Special Education Parental Training Fund
of $0 in FY 2000, FY 2001, and FY 2002.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that while many school districts do
a good job of communicating with parents of children with
disabilities, some do not.  Even parents with a high level of
education and a lot of motivation can be intimidated by the
amount of information and the layers of regulation surrounding
special education.  There should be a source of consistent,
reliable information for parents.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Boucher; Missouri
Parents Act (MPACT); Carolyn Owen; William Meyer, Jr.; Carol
Shelley; Mary Mosley; and Governor's Council on Disabilities.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Becky DeNeve, Legislative Analyst

HB 54 -- Special Education Training Program for Parents

Sponsor:  Boucher

This bill directs the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education to develop a statewide training program for parents of
children who need special education.  The program, to be
developed in consultation with such parents, will provide
information about diagnosis, evaluation, available services, and
training for effective interaction with professionals.  Subject
to appropriations, the program will be implemented through a
grant to a statewide organization and monitored by the Division
of Special Education.  Grant evaluation criteria include, among
others, a philosophy of parental empowerment, sound
organizational practices and fiscal management, and cooperation
with the Division of Special Education.  The Special Education
Parental Training Fund is established, and the department is
directed to promulgate rules to implement the program.