Parent Mentor Partnership - Georgia

The Parent Mentor Partnership was founded in 2002 when six school districts partnered with the Georgia Department of Education Division for Special Education Services and Supports to hire parent mentors to infuse family engagement into school and district activities. The mentors, who would serve as members of their special education leadership teams, were funded partially by the GADOE and partially by the school district. Mentors were responsible for providing information to parents of students with disabilities to assist them in navigating the special education system and in identifying activities that could help improve outcomes for their children. They also supported teachers and administrators in planning and implementing activities that would support family involvement.

Modeled after the Ohio Parent Mentor Program and led by the GaDOE Special Education Family Engagement Specialist, the Georgia Parent Mentor Partnership quickly became a model for families and schools working together to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. Today, the Partnership has grown to include over 100 parent mentors who partner with special education directors in over 90 school districts to embed family engagement into school and district initiatives.

Parent Mentors Work With:

Families: Parent mentors provide information and resources to parents of students with disabilities on a variety of topics and issues related to home, school, and community.

• Work with families of students with disabilities daily, providing them with tools, resources, and strategies to support their children at home, school, and in the community. As parents of children with disabilities themselves, parent mentors are committed to providing parents with timely access to information and family-friendly resources on a variety of topics and issues.

• In response to questions from parents, mentors provide information on a variety of topics through telephone calls, letters, email, and face-to-face meetings. For example, mentors may be asked to assist parents in identifying funding sources for specialized equipment or in locating medical and therapeutic services within the community. They may also be asked to assist in obtaining resources that parents can use to help their children in reading and math. Because each parent mentor works with their school district the types of services they provide vary according to the needs in their district.

Schools: Mentors also work with teachers, staff, and administrators to integrate family engagement into school and district activities and to build a culture in which family engagement is expected and valued.

• Parent mentors provide information and resources to parents to empower them to help their children succeed in school and transition from school to adult life. Support usually begins when children are first referred to special education, and parents are learning about theprocess. Mentors encourage parents to be actively engaged in their child’s education and to participate in IEP meetings. As students grow older, parent mentors provide resources and supports to parents that are related to effective transition planning, hoping to improve their post-school outcomes.

Communities: Parent mentors also work to support integration of students with disabilities into the community by working with partners to build a community in which students with disabilities are included and valued.

• Parent mentors, in collaboration with teachers and administrators, work to build community partnerships that focus on issues effecting students with disabilities and their families.  In some communities, mentors have developed strategies that remove barriers and support inclusion of students with disabilities in the community.  In these efforts, parent mentors have identified and implemented strategies designed to improve vocational training and job opportunities, as well as after school care and recreational options for students. As a result of these activities, students and their families have more opportunities for participation and inclusion in their home communities.

Division for Special Education Services and Supports will provide:

• An additional $12,500.00 to the district’s federal funds allocation. (Districts with more than 4,000 students may receive funding for up to two half-time parent mentors.)
• Professional developmentfor the parent mentor and special education director/administrator on statewide initiatives and family engagement strategies through the Division for Special Education Services and Supports.

Districts will commit to:

• Provide the salary for the parent mentor.
  • The estimated yearly cost for a school district with one half-time, 20 hours a week parent mentor is typically about $25,000.00 which includes $14,400.00 in salary for the school year, approximately $2,000.00 in travel/conference costs and other incidentals, and $8,500.00 of in-kind contributions, which may include: office space,a computer, adequate office supplies, a phone line with voice mail, email, and clerical support.
• Provide travel expenses for the following required trainings:
  • The parent mentor and the special education director or an administrator to attend the annual GaPMP statewide conference.
  • The parent mentor to attend 4 regional drive-in trainings and one divisional drive-in university.
  • Orientation for new parent mentors and their director or an administrator.