START–Engaging Parents of Students with Disabilities
Offering programs and services that support the engagement of families to improve outcomes for students.
START-Engaging Parent of Students with Disabilities (EPSD) offers assistance and services that support the engagement of families to improve outcomes for students, including developing and supporting Special Education Parent Advisory Groups (SEPAGs) in communities and school districts.
Through workshops, trainings, and parent leadership development activities, we help parents:
- Become informed and active participants in their child’s education
- Partner with educators in improving educational programs for students with disabilities, particularly in the area of Inclusion
- Start or strengthen parent advisory groups or parent support groups in their areas
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.