START–Engaging Parents of Students with Disabilities
Offering programs and services that support the engagement of families to improve outcomes for students.
Special Education Parent Advisory Groups (SEPAGs) are required for all school districts in New Jersey. The purpose of these groups is to provide opportunities for parents and community members to offer input to their districts on critical issues relating to students with disabilities.
PARENTS AS LEADERS
SPAN Parent Leadership E-News
View articles from the START-EPSD Newsletter Archive below
What We Do
SPAN’s Parent Group Specialists (PGSs) provide information, resources, and training related to the following components:
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- Inclusion of students with disabilities,
- Improving literacy achievement for all students,
- Informing parents and professionals about the New Jersey Tiered System of Supports (NJTSS) framework, and
- Developing parent groups, including Special Education Parent Advisory Groups (SEPAGs).
PGSs guide parent and district leaders in building their knowledge, skills, and confidence to develop collaborative family-school partnerships to optimize successful outcomes for all students. PGSs do not provide legal advice or representation.
Mackenzie DiMaria
Parent Group Specialist
Union | Somerset | Bergen | Hudson
Brenda Figueroa
Bilingual Parent Group Specialist
Burlington | Atlantic | Mercer | Ocean
Ellie Santiago
Parent Group Specialist
Hunterdon | Warren | Sussex | Passaic | Morris
Ellen Woodcock
Parent Group Specialist
Cumberland | Gloucester | Cape May | Salem | Camden
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SEPAG
What People Are Saying
A strong parent advisory group can help foster ongoing communication between the parents and school to better serve our children.
Our group started with two parents and a supportive District Supervisor. What’s important is to get up and running and see where it takes you.
The advice that parents need to continually talk with school district personnel and develop meaningful inclusion programs and then continually evaluate their children’s progress based on data was on the mark.