Press Releases

Raising Special Kids

July 9, 2009

Parent Organization Wins Grant for Special Education

The U. S. Department of Education has awarded Raising Special Kids a $1.8 million grant to provide special education information and assistance to parents of students with disabilities in Arizona. The five-year grant is awarded under Part D of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which establishes parent training and information centers in every state.
Arizona has approximately 200,000 children, from birth to age 22, with disabilities and special health care needs. Many require special education services and support to receive a free and appropriate public education.

Julie Braswell reflected on her struggle to find the right educational environment for her 8-year-old daughter who is deaf. “I learned a lot” she said. “We didn’t know what we didn’t know. When we were talking with the school they were using a lot of terminology that we didn’t understand.”

Each child in public school who receives special education must have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) designed by a team that includes parents and school representatives. “We had been through the IEP process before, and we had always just accepted whatever the school said. But now that our daughter is older, her IEP has gotten more complicated,” said Braswell. “Raising Special Kids’ staff were able to explain the system and define terms for us. When they did that, so many other things became clearer to us about the process, and we were better able to present our case to the school.”
The Braswells overcame the school’s initial reluctance to their proposal for their daughter whose new program will begin in the fall. “We learned how to advocate effectively for our child,” Braswell commented. “We are extremely grateful.”

The grant is intended to ensure that parents understand their rights and responsibilities in special education, and have the skills to successfully advocate for their children. “Learning how to work with schools and educators is a critical focus of the new project, which emphasizes the importance of collaboration between parents and professionals,” explained Joyce Millard Hoie, Executive Director.

As a parent-led nonprofit organization, Raising Special Kids has been providing programs and services free of charge to families for 30 years. Services are available in English and Spanish to families throughout the state. More information about Raising Special Kids can be found on their website: www.raisingspecialkids.org or by calling 602-242-4366.

###

Members of the media: for more information, contact our Communications Coordinator at
602-242-4366 or marissah@raisingspecialkids.org