Parent & Family Resources
The following resources and groups are available to all of our families of students with disabilities to assist in securing services for students and providing a supportive community.
Local Resources
Parent to Parent
Parent to Parent program of The Arc and offers personal support and information from parent volunteers, who have children with similar needs.
The Arc Parent Coalitions
Throughout Washington State you will find Parent Coalitions that have parents and guardians who have walked the walk and who help parents organize their voices and be heard on issues important to them. The Benton/Franklin County Coordinator is Sharon Adolphsen, 509-967-3974.
PAVE (Partnerships for Action, Voices for Empowerment)
PAVE provides support, training, information and resources to empower and give voice to individuals, youth and families impacted by disabilities. Benton/Franklin county's local PAVE contact is Sherry Mashburn, 509-439-9880, smashburn@wapave.org.
Benton-Franklin Counties Special Education PTA
The Benton-Franklin Counties Special Education PTA is an inter-county group serving families in the Tri-Cities and surrounding areas. This PTA is not associated with any one school district, but supports Special Education students, parents, families, teachers, administrators and other advocates from all Tri-City area schools. For more information email bfcsepta@yahoo.com.
>> Benton-Franklin Counties Special Education PTA Facebook
>> Benton-Franklin Counties Special Education PTA Instagram
State Resources
DCYF: Early Support for Infants & Toddlers
Early intervention services are designed to enable children birth to 3 with developmental delays or disabilities to be active and successful during the early childhood years and in the future in a variety of settings—in their homes, in child care, in preschool or school programs, and in their communities.
Parent and Student Rights (Procedural Safeguards)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires schools to provide the parents/guardians of a student who is eligible for or referred for special education with a notice containing a full explanation of the rights available to them.
>> OSPI Parent and Student Rights Website
OSPI Special Education Guidance for Families
OSPI provides students, families, and community members with information about special education, to ensuring that students and families know about their rights, answering questions they may have about how the process works, and sharing ways that partners may provide input and get involved.
>> OSPI Guidance for Families Website
Washington State Special Education Manual for Parents & Educators
This handbook is intended to help parents, school professionals and others understand the special education process.