Parent Network of Western New York (PNWNY): Parent Network of Western New York recently led a meaningful two‑day virtual convening with 26 attendees, focused on strengthening Parent Centers’ capacity to support Native American families across Region A. The training emphasized cultural awareness, understanding local tribes, and building targeted outreach strategies.

• Day 1 centered on historical trauma. Participants viewed Unseen Tears, a documentary on the impact of residential/boarding schools for Native American children, followed by a powerful panel of Native family members sharing lived experiences.
• Day 2 highlighted healing and cultural restoration. Native American Community Services facilitated their Healing Our People program, and the Seneca Arts and Learning Center showcased how cultural immersion supports Native children and families. The convening closed with a discussion of the strong partnership between SALC and Parent Network.



This event strengthened knowledge, relationships, and culturally grounded practices that will continue to support Native families across Region A.

2026 NE-PACT Region A Conference - October 6 & 7: The 2026 NE-PACT Region A Parent Center Conference is just around the corner! We are excited to gather on October 6 & 7, 2026, at the Residence Inn by Marriott Secaucus Meadowlands in Secaucus, NJ. This year's convening will highlight three Collective Impact Workgroups with featured panel presentations and targeted professional development around Military-Connected Families, Transition to Adult Life, and Empowering Staff for Success. As a reminder, NE-PACT is covering attendance for one representative from each Region A Parent Center, and additional staff or board members are welcome to attend using center funds. Registration and booking details have already been sent out, so please ensure your hotel and travel arrangements are finalized. We look forward to seeing you there!

Region A Drop-In Call: The next Drop-In call will take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026 from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST.

CPIR Events Calendar: Looking for more professional development and training opportunities? Don’t forget to check out the HUB Central Events calendar at the Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) to stay up to date on upcoming webinars, training, and network events. View the calendar: HUB Central Events calendar.

Free Nonprofit Leadership & Management Training: NonprofitReady offers more than 600 free learning resources for nonprofit professionals, including courses in leadership, program management, human resources, fundraising, communications, and volunteer engagement. Organizations can use the resources to support both individual professional development and team capacity building. Explore Nonprofit Ready’s free training resources here.

Let’s Talk Back to School: Strengthening Family-School Partnerships: The U.S. Department of Education's Family Partnership and Engagement resources include newly released “Let’s Talk Back to School” materials with sample questions families can use to build stronger partnerships with their child's school. The collection also includes resources on everyday attendance, Section 504, FERPA, students with disabilities, English learners, and other topics important to families navigating the school system. Check out Family Partnership & Engagement resources here.

Resource Library: The Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice (CYVYC) is a national hub for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities, offering powerful tools and resources on alternatives to guardianship. Featuring youth-led stories, supported decision-making guides, and transition toolkits, CYVYC provides everything youth and families need to navigate the transfer of rights and build decision-making and self-advocacy skills. Discover the resource library here.

Creating Trauma-Informed, Psychologically Safe Workplaces: Trauma-informed practices aren't only for the families and communities that organizations serve, they can also shape how organizations support their own staff. The Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice's updated Trauma-Informed Workplaces Toolkit offers strategies for creating psychologically safe and supportive workplace cultures. The toolkit addresses trauma-informed communication, transparency, accessibility and inclusion, burnout, mental health stigma, boundaries, and meaningful collaboration. View the Trauma-Informed Workplaces toolkit here.

Addressing Barriers to Attendance: Attendance Works highlights that students often miss school because of challenges outside the classroom, including health issues, transportation problems, housing instability, and family stress. The resource emphasizes that improving attendance requires schools to identify these barriers early, build trusting relationships with families, and connect them to meaningful support. Read more here.

Supporting Dually Identified Students in Dual Language Immersion (DLI): This research-informed playbook helps districts design and sustain inclusive dual language immersion (DLI) programs for English learners who also have disabilities. It provides practical guidance on planning, staffing, family engagement, and continuous improvement to ensure these students have access to biliteracy, grade-level content, and disability-related services. Read more here.

Bullying in Schools Key points for Families: Bullying shows up in many ways—rumors, exclusion, harassment, and cyberbullying. It involves a power imbalance and repeated harm, and it can lead to anxiety, depression, and changes in behavior. Students with disabilities, LGBTQ+ youth, and racial or cultural minorities are at higher risk. Experts emphasize intervening early, strong and positive school climate, and open communication. Parents can help by listening, watching for signs, and encouraging children to speak up. With technology increasing access to peers, cyberbullying continues to grow, making collaboration between families and schools essential. Read more here.

Confusing Poverty with Abuse or Neglect: The Davis Vanguard offers an excellent overview of the confusion of poverty with neglect. From the story: “Consider a family facing eviction because it cannot pay several thousand dollars in back rent. One possible government response is to allow the family to lose its housing, investigate the parents because their children no longer have stable shelter, remove the children, pay foster parents or residential providers, assign caseworkers, appoint attorneys and require parents to complete a series of services before reunification. Another possibility is to prevent the eviction.”

School Vouchers and the Growing Threat to Public Education: Check out this excellent webpage by First Focus on Children with an array of resources and deeper dives into how school vouchers threaten public education here.

Making Meaningful Connections: Facilitating Schoolwide Family Engagement With Culturally Diverse Families: The importance of strong family partnerships has long been considered essential to supporting the success of students with exceptionalities. Research indicates that building school-wide relationships with culturally and linguistically diverse families continues to prove challenges for administrators and other school personnel. Read more here.

Understanding Different Types of Program Evaluation: The importance of data is in how it can be used. Data is critical to evaluation. Check out this piece on the different types of program evaluation, such as formative and summative evaluation, here.

Positive Behavior Support in Schools Mental Health America urges schools to move away from suspensions and other punitive discipline. Instead, they recommend Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), which help students build skills, strengthen relationships, and stay connected to school. Supportive approaches improve behavior, reduce exclusions, and promote student well‑being. Read more here

Preparing for Special Education Dispute Resolution: Understood.org offers a simple checklist to help families get ready for dispute resolution when disagreements arise about a child’s services. It encourages parents to gather key documents, clarify their concerns, understand their goals, and review their child’s current support. The resource also stresses the importance of staying organized, keeping communication records, and knowing the different options available — such as mediation or state complaints. Access the guide here.

Attendance Success Blueprint: Starting the School Year with Attendance in Mind: The National Dropout Prevention Center's free Attendance Success Blueprint provides K–12 leaders with a research-grounded approach to addressing chronic absenteeism. Rather than relying primarily on truancy notices or incentives, the framework focuses on identifying attendance barriers early and strengthening student engagement through relationships, activities, and instruction. Explore the Attendance Success Blueprint here.

Head Start Comprehensive Services: New HHS data shows a steady decline in Head Start families receiving comprehensive services over the past decade. With fewer funded slots and ongoing workforce shortages, programs are providing fewer health screenings, disability services, and family support. Some services — like emergency intervention — increased, but overall access has dropped. The findings highlight the need to stabilize staffing and ensure families can benefit from Head Start’s full range of support. Read more here.

ESSA’s Impact on English Language Learners: What We Know So Far: The Every Student Succeeds Act (the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act) made significant changes to requirements for serving students who are not fluent in English. ELLEVATION provides a summary here.

Equity in Education: The article emphasizes that equity in education means giving every student the specific support they need to succeed. It highlights how factors like income, race, disability, and access to resources shape learning experiences — and why schools must remove barriers that limit opportunity. It also underscores the importance of inclusive school climates, strong family partnerships, and data‑informed decisions so all learners have a fair chance to thrive. Read more here.

Thousands of Foster Youth Age Out Without Support: The article highlights the growing number of foster youth who “age out” of the child welfare system each year without the stability or resources they need to transition into adulthood. Many leave care without permanent family connections, housing, or financial support, putting them at higher risk for homelessness, unemployment, and mental health challenges. Advocates stress that stronger transition planning, extended services, and consistent adult guidance are essential to help young people build secure, independent futures after leaving foster care. Read more here.

The 10 Commandments For Grandparents: Grandparents play an important support role in the lives of their adult children and grandchildren. However, they need to accept and respect that they are usually just that – the supporting cast – not the leading lady. Read more here.

Emotional Well-Being of Children Studied: CDC surveillance data show that emergency department visits for several mental and behavioral health conditions among children and adolescents begin increasing during the typical back-to-school period and remain elevated during the school year compared with summer. The findings highlight the importance of incorporating protective factors and mental-health preparedness into back-to-school planning. Read about Children’s Emotional Wellbeing During the School Year here.

Impact of HR1 on Homelessness: The National Alliance to End Homelessness summarizes the likely impact of HR1’s many budget cuts on homelessness here.

Special Education is Changing: The National Association of Special Education Teachers (NASET) highlights key shifts in special education for 2026, including a stronger focus on individualized supports, family collaboration, and evidence‑based practices that help students succeed in inclusive settings. There is also a growing emphasis on mental health, early intervention, and effective transition planning to ensure students receive timely, coordinated services that set them up for long‑term success. Read more here.

Trump Officials Now Restricting All Legal Immigration Categories: The Trump administration has implemented broad restrictions on legal immigration, affecting family sponsorship, employers, refugees, Diversity Visas, and other categories; the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) estimates these policies could reduce legal immigration by 33%–50%. NFAP also projects significant economic effects, including a potential loss of 19 million worker years and $1.9 trillion in goods and services through 2028. Learn more here.

Inclusive Education: A Pathway to Belonging and Opportunity: Inclusive education is rooted in a simple idea: every child, no matter their ability, background, or circumstance, deserves to learn alongside their peers. UNICEF describes it as more than a classroom model — it’s a commitment to designing schools where barriers are removed, differences are welcomed, and support is built into the learning environment. The narrative is clear: when children with disabilities or other learning needs are included from the start, they gain confidence, friendships, and meaningful access to education. And schools benefit too, becoming stronger, more equitable communities. Inclusive education isn’t just a strategy; it’s a promise that every child belongs and every child can thrive. Read more here.

The students we stop counting: Education, incarceration and the children left behind: Advocates have spent years in education watching children get lost or disappear into the juvenile justice system. In South Carolina, Black residents comprise roughly 28% of the state’s population but account for more than 60% of children referred to the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and more than 75% of children detained. Interviews with staff suggest that the average student enters DJJ at 16, technically a junior, but with only around 5 of the 24 credits needed to graduate. The school system failed them before the justice system ever received them. Read more here.

The Rainbow Guidebook for LGBTQ+ Youth with IDD: How can families and support professionals best show up for LGBTQ+ youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities? The Rainbow Guidebook: Our Lives, Our Choices, Our Rights! is a comprehensive, easy-to-read resource created entirely by LGBTQ+ self-advocates with IDD. Designed specifically for supporters, family members, and service providers, this guidebook shares firsthand experiences and practical advice on how self-advocates want to be treated, supported, and included in their communities. Explore the guidebook and its resources here.

Words matter: Building Better Mental Health Conversations: Mental health conditions are health conditions. They can affect how people think, feel, function, relate to others, and manage daily life. Using respectful, specific, and person-centered language can help shift the conversation away from judgment and toward understanding. Read more here.

Military Spouse Commission Started by Trump Calls for Comment Submissions: Earlier this week, an executive order was signed establishing the President's Military Spouse Commission to support the lives and experiences of military families. The newly created commission will provide recommendations on key issues, including housing, employment, health care, and childcare. To help guide this work, the commission has opened an online form and is actively seeking comments from military spouses and stakeholders. Submit your feedback here.

Indigenous World 2026: IWGIA’s Indigenous World 2026 report notes ongoing challenges for Indigenous Peoples in the United States, including pressures on land rights, political representation, and protections for sovereignty. The U.S. section underscores how national policies, resource extraction, and security‑related actions continue to affect Indigenous communities, while also recognizing areas of progress such as strengthened advocacy efforts and growing visibility of Indigenous rights in federal discussions. Read more here.

The Family Policy Gap: What Parents Say they Need: Check out this report from the Bipartisan Policy Center about what parents say they need here.

The Kid Angle: HR1’s Big Ugly Impact on Children’s Health Care: Read this report from First Focus on Children on the devastating impacts that HR1 will have on US children’s health care and on family poverty here.

Connecticut parents now must be told the same day a child is restrained, secluded at school: Connecticut parents must now be notified on the same day if their child is physically restrained or secluded at school. Signed into law earlier this year as part of an omnibus education bill, this new provision ensures that families are informed immediately when emergency interventions occur, empowering parents to better advocate for their child's safety and support needs. Learn more about the updated law here.

How Educators Can Embed Social-Emotional Learning and Trauma-Sensitive Practices Across Student’s Educational Experience: Check out this blog from the Institute of Education Sciences here.

States are moving on accessibility but struggling, say digital officers: The Department of Justice's push for more accessible websites and apps has accelerated work in states and local governments, but a majority reported that they don't have the resources or staff needed to remediate everything by next April's deadline. Learn more here.

Supporting Students With Disabilities as They Transition to Adulthood: The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) highlights how state boards of education can strengthen transition planning for students with disabilities as they move from high school into adulthood. The article emphasizes the importance of early, individualized planning that connects students to career pathways, postsecondary options, independent living skills, and community support. It also notes that strong collaboration among schools, families, and state agencies is essential to ensure students have clear goals, coordinated services, and meaningful opportunities to thrive beyond graduation. Read more here.

Trauma & Toxic Stress

The Babies Left Behind in America: This piece in The Atlantic highlights how current administration anti-immigrant policies are creating a whole new generation of traumatized children here.