Special Services
Special Education Parent Advisory Council
What is a Special Education Parent Advisory Council?
A Special Education Parent Advisory Council, is a state-mandated, district-level, parent-driven group charged with providing input to the local school district on system-level challenges in special education and related services.
Our Mission:
The Eatontown Public School System wants to ensure that all families with a student receiving special education assistance have the resources and support they need to ensure that their children become fully participating and contributing members of our communities and society. Therefore, we are initiating the Special Education Parent Advisory Council to provide a vehicle by which parents and special educators may work together to share resources and provide information on a timely and consistent basis.
What is the purpose and function of a Special Education Parent Advisory Council?
The Special Education Parent Advisory Council gives parents the opportunity to provide direct input to their school district about programs, practices, and services that have an impact on students with disabilities and their families. The group promotes a proactive involvement of families by inviting input that can be used to shape local special education offerings as well as provide families with information and support about areas of concern both present and future.
Participation in the Special Education Parent Advisory Council offers the opportunity to raise questions, voice concerns, and provide direct input to the district and school leadership as well as listen to topic presentations that will be valuable resources to all participants.
An effective Special Education Parent Advisory Council that uses parental input can:
Help improve educational outcomes and well-being for all students including those with
disabilities
Help identify unmet needs within the district
Help shape the development of programs and services
Improve district culture and climate
Who can be a member of a SEPAC?
Parents are the core members of a Special Education Parent Advisory Council. This includes parents of children with disabilities who may have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) who are educated in schools within or outside of the student’s home district. Parents do not need special training or background knowledge to be a member of the group.