Early Childhood IDEA Centers and the network of Parent Centers
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) funded national TA Centers to support state Part C and Part B, Section 619 agencies and a network of parent centers to provide information and training to families of children with disabilities. These centers work to assist states, administrators, programs, and families in enhancing outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families.
See also: Early Childhood IDEA Centers: 2023 State Learning Opportunities
OSEP Early Childhood Technical Assistance Centers
| Center | Goal |
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The Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy) assists states to collect, report, and analyze high-quality Part C and Part B Section 619 data by helping states build a strong data infrastructure and develop leaders to build a data culture with active stakeholder engagement. Also, support states to use data for program improvement and compliance accountability to improve results for children and families. dasycenter.org DaSy State Liaisons |
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The Early Childhood Personnel Center (ECPC) provides technical assistance and resources to assist state administrators, higher education faculty, practitioners, and families to develop and implement components of a comprehensive system of personnel development (CSPD) to improve the quantity, quality, and effectiveness of the early childhood intervention workforce for infants and young children with disabilities and their families. ecpcta.org |
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The Early Childhood Technical Assistance (ECTA) Center assists states in developing high-quality state early intervention and early childhood special education service systems, increasing local implementation of evidence-based practices, and enhancing outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families. ectacenter.org ECTA State Contacts |
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The National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) provides technical assistance, training materials, data tools, and resources for the implementation of the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (Pyramid Model) within early intervention and early education programs to promote positive social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes. challengingbehavior.org |
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The Center for IDEA Fiscal Reporting (CIFR) assists state educational agency and lead agency staff in improving the collection, reporting, analysis and use of IDEA Part B and Part C fiscal data. CIFR expands state knowledge, capacity, and infrastructure through the development of policies and procedures, resources, training systems, and cross-agency relationships. cifr.wested.org CIFR State TA Liaisons |
Parent Centers Serving Families of Children with Disabilities
There are nearly 100 Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) in the United States and territories. These centers perform a variety of direct services for children and youth with disabilities, families, professionals, and other organizations that support them. Some of the parent centers' activities include:
- Working with families of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities ages birth–26
- Helping parents participate effectively in their children's education and development
- Partnering with professionals and policy makers to improve outcomes for all children with disabilities.
Parent Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs)
The Center for Parent Information and Resources (CPIR) is the national central hub of information and products created for the network of parent centers serving families of children with disabilities.
CPIR also houses the Native American and Military Families Resource Collections.
Four Regional Parent Technical Assistance Centers (RPTACs) work with the OSEP-funded network of parent centers. RPTACS help the OSEP-funded network of parent centers address administrative and management challenges, and increase their capacities to provide information and training to families of children with disabilities.
