Background:
In the spring of 2004, SEA200 and Community Unit School District 200 came together to apply for a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).  We were one of eleven school districts to be accepted.  Although only to be a 3 year grant, the project has been so successful that the ISBE has extended it for another year.  It is our hope that the ISBE will continue to receive data that supports such a successful effort for years to come.

Summary
The Parent Mentor Grant, known as the Parent and Educator Partnership, is an initiative of the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and was modeled after the Ohio Parent Mentor Project (OPMP). The primary goal of this initiative is to move families and educators from a relationship which has been traditionally adversarial to one that enhances partnership. Working together to meet the needs of children provides more opportunities for educational success.

About the Parent Mentor Project
The main objective of the Parent Mentor Project is to provide support, training, resource information and ongoing technical assistance to parents and school district personnel related to the referral, identification and educational services for students with special needs.
Parents can get information or assistance from the Parent Mentor by making a phone call or sending an email. All contacts with the Parent Mentor are confidential.  The Parent Mentor is a consultant, not a district employee.

Funds for this program are provided through the Illinois State Board of Education. 100% of the funds are from federal sources.

Why a Parent Mentor?
Students have better outcomes when home and school work together. The role of a Parent
Mentor is to empower parents to fully participate as a partner in their child’s education. Mentors do not represent or speak for parents or the school district.  The Mentor assists parents and staff in creating a cooperative partnership focused on the needs of the student.

A Parent Mentor is available to:
Attend IEP meetings as requested
Provide parents and school personnel resource information
Assist parents in learning about the special education process (forms, IEP, evaluations, parent’s rights, etc).

Parent Mentors receive training in a range of areas including:
Policies and Procedures
Community Resources
Individualized Educational Program (IEP) process
Procedural Safeguards - Special Education Law.

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