Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC) and The Federation for Children with Special Needs (FSCN): At the National Parent Center Conference, Region A’s Youth Leadership Council members, Ryan DeCosta, Youth Engagement Coordinator at Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC), and Danielle Daughtry, Transition Coordinator at the Federation for Children with Special Needs (FSCN), led an inspiring session titled "Building Bridges: Engaging Youth and Empowering Youth Voice and Leadership." The presentation highlighted the importance of involving youth with lived experience in decision-making processes and shared strategies for creating authentic, youth-led initiatives. For a deeper look into the session, here are the slides.

Region A Drop-In Call: The next Drop-In call will take place on Tuesday, May 6, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM EST. Megan Cote from the National Center on DeafBlindness will be our featured technical assistance presenter. Join the call here.

2025 Regional Conference: The upcoming conference for Parent Center Project Directors/Executive Directors and one additional key staff member will begin at noon on the first day and conclude in the afternoon on the final day. The most popular dates selected were Tuesday, October 28 – Thursday, October 30. After thoughtful discussions with NEPACT Advisory Board members and the team, the proposed theme for the conference is: "Collective Impact in a Divided and Rapidly Changing Environment." More details to come soon!

The conference will feature strands focused on the following broad areas, and will include a focus on collective impact:

• Using Technology Across Types and Tiers of Services
• Advocacy and Skill-Building in the Current Landscape
• Job-Alike Sessions

The National Parent Center Conference | The Power of Parent Centers: The conference has wrapped up, and we’re excited to share a brief recap featuring some of the Region A folks captured and uploaded to Guidebook: Region A x The National Parent Center Conference. A huge thank you to everyone who represented NEPACT. You were fantastic and made us proud! 

2025 OSEP Leadership Conference: Save the date. August 5 and 6, 2025, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. This year's conference will span two full days. ONLY ONE PERSON PER PROJECT (it should be the project director)! Registration is live here.

CPIR Calendar: Don’t forget to check out the HUB Central Events calendar at the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) for more webinars and events.

Making Sense of Uncertainty: Nonprofit Scenario Planning: Nonprofits can’t be sure how local, national, or even global events will affect society, the economy, or their own field six months or a year from now. But they can navigate the uncertainty with greater confidence by building scenario plans that can help them continue to pursue their missions. Learn more.

How to Help Someone with Anxiety: Many of the families who are contacting Parent Centers today are anxious about the implications of budget cuts, elimination of the Department of Education, restructuring of the Department of Health and Human Services, attacks on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility - and they have good cause! How can we help them deal with their anxiety so they can do what they need to do for their children with disabilities? Read this Johns Hopkins Medicine piece here.

Youth Leadership Toolkit: Developed by the National Resource Center for Youth Development in collaboration with FosterClub, this toolkit equips professionals with strategies to engage youth meaningfully. It covers topics such as public speaking, conducting focus groups, and effective outreach, aiming to empower youth in shaping programs and policies that affect their lives. Access it here.

Introduction to Motivational Interviewing: Several resources offer free or introductory motivational interviewing training including online courses, webinars, and YouTube channels. The Motivational Interviewing Center for Change has numerous resources here. The College of Wellbeing provides a free online course as an introduction to their more in-depth course here. The Mid-America Addiction Technology Transfer Center offers a 4-hour free course here. The UBC CPD provides a free, accredited online course here.

Teams Make All the Difference for Supporting Attendance: Tackling the challenge of chronic absence requires a team-based approach. This Attendance Works webinar explores how district and school leaders can establish, strengthen or reconfigure teams to support their attendance and engagement efforts. Check out the resources from this webinar and sign up for upcoming webinars here.

An Asset-Based Approach to Multilingual Learner Terminology: Research shows that the terms we use to identify multilingual learners can affect perceptions of their abilities and potential. Check out this infographic from the Regional Educational Laboratory West to learn about shifting toward an asset-based approach that acknowledges multilingualism as a superpower. Learn more.

What Are Public Schools Required to Do When a Student with Disabilities is Bullied? A one-page fact sheet that provides concise information on the obligations of public school districts and resources for families on how to ensure their students with disabilities are protected. Learn more.

Title IV-E Prevention Program: The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), enacted as part of Public Law (P.L.) 115—123, authorized new optional title IV-E funding for time-limited prevention services for mental health, substance abuse, and in-home parent skill-based programs for children or youth who are candidates for foster care, pregnant or parenting youth in foster care, and the parents or kin caregivers of those children and youth. Read more.

How School Voucher Programs Hurt Students: Check out this Time Magazine article here.

Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person: To be truly person-centered, the content and extent of the planning process should be tailored to the person’s unique life circumstances. The intent of this resource is to reinforce the importance of aligning person-centered planning approaches with the wishes and needs of the person for whom the plan is being developed, rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach. Learn more.

Government Data Is Disappearing Before our Eyes: A battle is being waged in the quiet corners of government websites and data repositories. Essential public records are disappearing and, with them, Americans’ ability to hold those in power accountable. Find out more here.

Elementary School proactive approach to positive discipline: Albert Lea’s elementary schools are transforming their approach to student discipline by emphasizing emotional support and skill-building over traditional punishment. Read here.

Special Education Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR): Learn the collaborative processes designed to resolve disagreements between families and schools regarding special education services, without resorting to formal legal procedures. Read more.

Successful dropout prevention program in Washington state faces uncertain future: A state program that helps prevent Washington students from dropping out of high school may be in jeopardy if lawmakers don't step in. Read more

Overview of Early Intervention: Early intervention is a system of services that helps babies and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities. Early intervention focuses on helping eligible babies and toddlers learn the basic and brand-new skills that typically develop during the first three years of life. Read more

Brookings Scholars Analyze Trump’s Order to Dismantle the Department of Education: Read this excellent analysis, part of the Why We Have and Need a US Department of Education series, here.

Increasing Equity in K-12 Schools Begins With Changing Mindsets: Cultivating a school climate for equity requires careful attention to the creation of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral spaces throughout the school. It is useful to think of the climate through three lenses. Read more.

National Foster Parent Association (NFPA): Serves as a vital resource and support network for foster parents across the nation. It is committed to empowering foster families by offering educational materials, training opportunities, and advocacy support to enhance their ability to provide safe, nurturing environments for children in need. Learn more.

A Grandfather Finds His Voice After Tragedy Strikes: After his granddaughter was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy type 1, Ron Blomberg, pastor, professor, and grandfather, found a new calling. His story highlights how personal tragedy can spark powerful advocacy and a renewed sense of purpose. Read more.

Prescription for Disaster: The Impact of Proposed Medicaid and CHIP Cuts on Children’s Health: First Focus on Children analyzes the potential impact of healthcare cuts on children here.

How schools can help students facing homelessness get to class: “A quiet place to complete homework, free and stable transportation options, and not immediately being penalized for missed work” are among the things that Te’yana Brown said could have helped her as she faced homelessness at different points between elementary and high school. Read more.

Parents of Students with Disabilities: Don’t Gut Federal Funding: Millions of parents fear disruptions and loss of critical services if the funding and oversight of the Department of Education is shut down. Learn more.

The caregiving industry relies on immigrants. These workers fear deportation: Although immigrants comprise 17% of the total American labor force, they make up 31% of the home care workforce, 21% of the residential care aide and nursing assistant workforce, and 30% of the nursing home housekeeping and maintenance workforce, according to a 2024 report from Leading Age, an organization representing nonprofit aging services providers. Learn more.

Best Practices for Building an Inclusive Classroom: An inclusive, supportive, and accepting classroom can have a profoundly positive impact on all learners, both in the short term and the long term. Students with disabilities who learn in inclusive classrooms tend to perform better academically, have higher attendance rates, and experience fewer behavioral problems, among other benefits. Learn more here.

Children’s Rights in Juvenile Justice System: The Special Litigation Section works to protect the rights of children in all stages of the juvenile justice system, from contact with law enforcement to delinquency proceedings to confinement in youth detention and commitment facilities run by, or on behalf of, state or local governments. Find it here.

Dismantling a Culture of Violence: The Human Rights Campaign's report, Dismantling a Culture of Violence, offers a comprehensive analysis of the systemic factors contributing to violence against transgender and non-binary individuals. It outlines actionable steps for professionals to foster safer, more inclusive environments for gender-diverse communities. Find it here.

Mental Health Month Planning Guide (available in Spanish as well): Mental Health America is excited to announce that our 2025 Mental Health Month Planning and Action Guides are now available in Spanish! By downloading the free guides, Spanish speakers can plan effective Mental Health Month activities, take charge of their mental well-being, and help make a broader impact. Access the English guide here. Access the Spanish guide here.

Students, parents say anti-DEI push is a hindrance to learning at DOD schools: Recent Pentagon policies are having direct impacts on students at Defense Department schools around the globe and leaving students and their parents concerned they’re being disadvantaged by attending the schools. Find it here.

Nevada Assembly Champions True Justice: Indigenous Peoples’ Day Bill Advances to the Senate: The Nevada Assembly on Tuesday passed Assembly Bill 144 that would officially recognize the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day. Sponsored by Assemblymember Shea Backus, the bill passed the Assembly Floor in a 27-15 victory. Read more.

Lessons from Teachers: How to Include Families with Limited Formal Education: Review these tips, developed for schools but applicable to Parent Centers, on how to include families with limited formal education, here.

How Education Breaks the Cycle of Poverty: Read this Graduation Alliance blog here.

International News - Ireland Department of Education faces UN complaint over school guidance on use of physical restraint: Campaigners are to complain to the United Nations top official on torture and degrading treatment over new guidance for schools that they say fails to protect vulnerable children from physical restraint. The new guidelines for dealing with “behaviours of concern”, which come into force across schools from September, prohibit the use of seclusion and only permit physical restraint in “crisis” situations. Read more here.

The Future of Social Emotional Learning: Access, Agency, Action: Tech in EdTech, Sean Strathy sits down with Jason Kahn, Founder and Chief Science Officer at Mightier, to explore how digital play can power real emotional growth in children. Watch the video here.

Microsoft Ability Summit 2025: Accessibility in the AI era: Accessibility is a fundamental right for people with disabilities and makes technology easier for everyone. Here’s a quick summary of the new accessibility products, features and programs announced at the 2025 Ability Summit. Read more.

Self-Direction Toolkit: SELF-DIRECTION TOOLKIT provides individuals with disabilities the information and tools needed to self-direct any component of their personal assistance services. Access it here.

Coping with Stress as a Parent and How It Affects Kids: Check out these tips here.