Idaho
Idaho expanding special education support for parents
BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — The Idaho Department of Education and Idaho Parents Unlimited are teaming up to provide a new resource for parents of special education students.
The new program, called Parent LINK, provides parents with face-to-face peer support from trained parent mentors who are familiar with the local special education landscape.
“Parents navigating special education face a system that is complex, highly technical, and difficult to access without support,” said IPUL Parent Training and Information Center director Melissa Vian. “Families are expected to participate as equal members of IEP teams, yet they often encounter unfamiliar legal requirements, dense jargon, and decisions that feel predetermined.”
The program is part of a multi-pronged approach that the Idaho Department of Education is taking to improve special education services statewide.