The Parent Coordination Network and the Texas Education Agency, in collaboration with the Right Question Institute, present the Webinar Series: Building Stronger School-Family Partnerships.

Nationally acclaimed speakers, Luz Santana, Co-Director & Author and Siyi Chu, Project Coordinator with the Right Question Institute, will help participants understand how The Right Question School-Family Partnership Strategy can be used as a pathway for educators and parents to work more effectively with each other – to improve communication, increase parent participation, nurture engagement, and engender better partnerships.

There will be two series:

• One for Educators, with the second webinar quickly approaching on Tuesday, March 12; and
• One for Parents, premiering in April. The Parent Series will also be offered in Spanish. Stay tuned for a separate flyer featuring those dates and details!
  

Click here for a description of each webinar and to register. Previous webinars may also be viewed by following the instructions on this page.

The Progress in the General Curriculum (PGC) Network, coordinated by Education Service Center, Region 20, assists schools to ensure that all students with disabilities are involved in and show progress in the general classroom with the use of curricular and instructional adaptations.

The PGC website hosts featured resources for parents including guides and Q&As for: Individual Education Plans (IEPs), Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), Universal Design for Learning (UDL); and Literacy Strategies for Students with Disabilities.

Last fall Disability Rights Texas went live with a new accessible, mobile responsive website. But in the meantime, they have been adding more features before making this formal announcement and introduction to their new platform.

The new site has some amazing new accessiblity features and content:

• Oz Player - a fully accessible video player
• BrowseAloud - a tool that offers translation in nearly 50 languages, screen reading in different languages, text magnification, saving content to MP3 audio files, and more (click on "Listen with Browse Aloud" at the top of any our web pages)
• Staff Blog - now you can hear from more of our attorneys and advocates on how they are protecting and advocating for your rights
• On Page Spanish Switcher - more pages and resources available for Spanish speakers
• Easier Navigation - get to the information you need faster

Go to the new website today and check out all the latest features!

Are you aware of all the benefits associated with Texas Medicaid for children with special needs? Spend a few minutes here to help determine if your child is able to receive financial assistance. Children with special needs, ages 4 years or older, may be eligible to receive diapers or pull-ups each month at no cost under their existing Texas Medicaid benefits.

For more information, view the flyer in English and/or Spanish. For questions, call (866) 684-2507 or email Jessican Mayaudon.

as published by Reading Rockets

Scholastic is launching a new annual reading campaign with "Dog Man" and "Captain Underpants" creator Dav Pilkey. Reading Gives You Superpowers Week will kick off March 25-29 and celebrate reading in school libraries and classrooms, highlighting Pilkey’s message about the importance of associating reading with fun. The campaign also celebrates school librarians and teachers, whom Pilkey considers “everyday superheroes," and provides resources for educators to promote the benefits of reading for fun. The beloved author has often talked to students about his challenges in school and struggles with reading after being diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD. His books are often enjoyed by kids going through difficulties similar to the ones he faced.

Click here for the free activity kit with a full week's worth of activities that will inspire students to work together, be creative, think critically, and find their own superpower!

Partners Resource Network is a non-profit agency that operates the federally funded Texas Parent Training and Information Centers - PATH, PEN & TEAM. All of the projects share the common purpose of empowering parents of children and youth with disabilities in their roles as parents, decision makers, and advocates for their children.

as published by Navigate Life Texas

photo credit from CAMP

NOW is the time to begin planning for this summer!

Imagine a day where your child is making new friends, singing camp songs, and playing outside. They feel included. They’re well cared for. They’re trying new things. And you’re off doing something else while this happens. For many parents of children with disabilities or special health-care needs, this vision might seem impossible. After all, how could your child be safe without you? How could you find a camp that would support them? But they do exist. There are different types of camps that support children and adults with disabilities and special health-care needs, places where they can learn, grow, and just have a good time.

To read the full article, find a camp that may be designed just for your child, and other helpful hints click here.

Smore provides a translation feature, powered by Google Translate, with support for over 100 languages.

Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter. A black bar will appear, and "Translate" will be an option.

Please note: There are some limitations currently, as users are not able to print in a translated language.