 
         CHAPTER 33--EDUCATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
 
SUBCHAPTER IV--NATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH 
                              DISABILITIES
 
     Part B--Coordinated Research, Personnel Preparation, Technical 
          Assistance, Support, and Dissemination of Information
 
 subpart 2--improving early intervention, educational, and transitional 
services and results for children with disabilities through coordinated 
     technical assistance, support, and dissemination of information
 
Sec. 1482. Parent training and information centers


(a) Program authorized

    The Secretary may make grants to, and enter into contracts and 
cooperative agreements with, parent organizations to support parent 
training and information centers to carry out activities under this 
section.

(b) Required activities

    Each parent training and information center that receives assistance 
under this section shall--
        (1) provide training and information that meets the training and 
    information needs of parents of children with disabilities living in 
    the area served by the center, particularly underserved parents and 
    parents of children who may be inappropriately identified;
        (2) assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to 
    effectively use, procedural safeguards under this chapter, including 
    encouraging the use, and explaining the benefits, of alternative 
    methods of dispute resolution, such as the mediation process 
    described in section 1415(e) of this title;
        (3) serve the parents of infants, toddlers, and children with 
    the full range of disabilities;
        (4) assist parents to--
            (A) better understand the nature of their children's 
        disabilities and their educational and developmental needs;
            (B) communicate effectively with personnel responsible for 
        providing special education, early intervention, and related 
        services;
            (C) participate in decisionmaking processes and the 
        development of individualized education programs under 
        subchapter II of this chapter and individualized family service 
        plans under subchapter III of this chapter;
            (D) obtain appropriate information about the range of 
        options, programs, services, and resources available to assist 
        children with disabilities and their families;
            (E) understand the provisions of this chapter for the 
        education of, and the provision of early intervention services 
        to, children with disabilities; and
            (F) participate in school reform activities;

        (5) in States where the State elects to contract with the parent 
    training and information center, contract with State educational 
    agencies to provide, consistent with subparagraphs (B) and (D) of 
    section 1415(e)(2) of this title, individuals who meet with parents 
    to explain the mediation process to them;
        (6) network with appropriate clearinghouses, including 
    organizations conducting national dissemination activities under 
    section 1485(d) of this title, and with other national, State, and 
    local organizations and agencies, such as protection and advocacy 
    agencies, that serve parents and families of children with the full 
    range of disabilities; and
        (7) annually report to the Secretary on--
            (A) the number of parents to whom it provided information 
        and training in the most recently concluded fiscal year; and
            (B) the effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve 
        parents, including underserved parents of children with 
        disabilities.

(c) Optional activities

    A parent training and information center that receives assistance 
under this section may--
        (1) provide information to teachers and other professionals who 
    provide special education and related services to children with 
    disabilities;
        (2) assist students with disabilities to understand their rights 
    and responsibilities under section 1415(m) of this title on reaching 
    the age of majority; and
        (3) assist parents of children with disabilities to be informed 
    participants in the development and implementation of the State's 
    State improvement plan under part A of this subchapter.

(d) Application requirements

    Each application for assistance under this section shall identify 
with specificity the special efforts that the applicant will undertake--
        (1) to ensure that the needs for training and information of 
    underserved parents of children with disabilities in the area to be 
    served are effectively met; and
        (2) to work with community-based organizations.

(e) Distribution of funds

                           (1) In general

        The Secretary shall make at least 1 award to a parent 
    organization in each State, unless the Secretary does not receive an 
    application from such an organization in each State of sufficient 
    quality to warrant approval.

                      (2) Selection requirement

        The Secretary shall select among applications submitted by 
    parent organizations in a State in a manner that ensures the most 
    effective assistance to parents, including parents in urban and 
    rural areas, in the State.

(f) Quarterly review

                          (1) Requirements

        (A) Meetings

            The board of directors or special governing committee of 
        each organization that receives an award under this section 
        shall meet at least once in each calendar quarter to review the 
        activities for which the award was made.

        (B) Advising board

            Each special governing committee shall directly advise the 
        organization's governing board of its views and recommendations.

                       (2) Continuation award

        When an organization requests a continuation award under this 
    section, the board of directors or special governing committee shall 
    submit to the Secretary a written review of the parent training and 
    information program conducted by the organization during the 
    preceding fiscal year.

(g) ``Parent organization'' defined

    As used in this section, the term ``parent organization'' means a 
private nonprofit organization (other than an institution of higher 
education) that--
        (1) has a board of directors--
            (A) the majority of whom are parents of children with 
        disabilities;
            (B) that includes--
                (i) individuals working in the fields of special 
            education, related services, and early intervention; and
                (ii) individuals with disabilities; and

            (C) the parent and professional members of which are broadly 
        representative of the population to be served; or

        (2) has--
            (A) a membership that represents the interests of 
        individuals with disabilities and has established a special 
        governing committee that meets the requirements of paragraph 
        (1); and
            (B) a memorandum of understanding between the special 
        governing committee and the board of directors of the 
        organization that clearly outlines the relationship between the 
        board and the committee and the decisionmaking responsibilities 
        and authority of each.

(Pub. L. 91-230, title VI, Sec. 682, as added Pub. L. 105-17, title I, 
Sec. 101, June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 149.)


                            Prior Provisions

    A prior section 1482, Pub. L. 91-230, title VI, Sec. 682, as added 
Pub. L. 99-457, title I, Sec. 101(a), Oct. 8, 1986, 100 Stat. 1153; 
amended Pub. L. 100-630, title I, Sec. 108(k), Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 
3302; Pub. L. 101-476, title IX, Sec. 901(b)(182), Oct. 30, 1990, 104 
Stat. 1150; Pub. L. 102-119, Secs. 18, 25(a)(18), (b), Oct. 7, 1991, 105 
Stat. 599, 606, 607, related to establishment of State Interagency 
Coordinating Councils, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105-17, title II, 
Sec. 203(b), June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 157, effective July 1, 1998.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 1401, 1415, 1483, 1484, 1486 
of this title; title 29 sections 725, 773.
