Where do you begin finding the special education assistance you might need for your child? Every school seems to have myriad programs and the State of Ohio has other offerings, but what is best for your child? And what do all of these acronyms (IEP, ETR, BIP, CETE** ) even mean?
For many families, the first step is to contact their closest circle of friends, family and medical providers. But for others, what they would truly need is to talk with someone who has navigated that system themselves. Someone who has had those battles and come out the other side with services and support.
Helping families within the system
Turns out, there is a service supporting families in Ohio. Since 1990, the Ohio Parent Mentor Project has helped families navigate local and state special education services, using a unique team of trained mentors who are also parents of special needs children.
“It’s most important for parents to know they’re not alone,” explained Shanna Gerken, a mentor serving Wood County students. “There are so many other parents in your shoes. We can help you navigate the system.”
A primary requirement for parent mentors is that they have had a disabled child in special education. “I took this job to help other parents,” explained Gerken. “There are many emotions involved, and no one can completely understand what it’s like. I’m an advocate for parents, to make their needs understood by the school.”
State supported
In 2023, nearly 16 percent of Ohio’s K-12 students (or over 250,000 students) were diagnosed with disabilities. About 100 Parent Mentor Projects operate in Ohio, serving more than one-third of the state’s school districts. The program is financed through an Ohio Department of Education and Workforce grant, and all services are provided to Ohio families free of charge.
The State of Ohio supplies the funds, and The Ohio State University is responsible for oversight and development of the Mentor Projects around the state, offering professional development and coordination of agencies and other partners of the program, according to Gabrielle Johnson, Ph.D., Parent Mentor Project director and Research Administration Management Consultant at the Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE). The Ohio Department of Education provides two liaison representatives between the project and the state.
“Our Mentors offer a very important service to parents,” explained Johnson. “They serve as coaches to parents, helping them navigate the system, because they use their personal experience to understand the mechanics of the system. After more than 30 years, this program is still very relevant.”
RELATED: The State of Disability Awareness and Support in Toledo
And the mentors are an important source of information to one another. “I’m still a newby, in my third school year as a mentor,” said Gerken. “I’ll often reach out to other mentors, especially Monica (McCain, Mentor for Toledo Public Schools), for tips and ideas.”
Being a family advocate
Mentors are employed by a particular school district, as in the case of Toledo Public Schools’ Monica McCain, or through a county’s Educational Services Center, as in the case of Shanna Gerken in Wood County. Activities vary among the schools, depending upon their programs for assessing students.
Many Wood County schools conduct preschool assessments, and the Parent Mentor is informed of their results. Teachers and principals will often contact the mentor, but Gerken says it’s most often the parents making direct contact with her. “They’re looking for resources and information, and often help filling out their IEP (Individual Education Program),” she said. “I hold many titles – whatever the parent needs.” Once she’s notified of newly assessed students, she’ll get them a “welcome” bag with information parents will need. She also produces a regular newsletter and has a social media network for parents.
In Toledo, McCain helps parents understand and navigate the special education system, usually beginning after the Evaluation Team Report (ETR) process. “Parents often don’t know what they don’t know about community resources,” she said. Mentors can help parents with any needs inside or outside the district, while at the state level, the program looks for ways to meet the changing needs of schools in every community.
At Toledo Public Schools, McCain hosts monthly family engagement activities related to special education, with recent programs focusing on behaviors inside school and at home, autism and mindfulness.
Often, parents don’t understand what the special designation means and are afraid of their child being “labeled” by the assessment. “It really boils down to communication. Making sure parents know the school is listening to them. Providing the resources they may not have considered. No level of support is off limits. I just slide in with grace to help families,” McCain said.
Johnson said it’s important that parents contact their mentors with questions. “Even if they’re not sure of what programs they might need, just ask. Take advantage of what we have available,” she said.
** Acronyms previously listed: Individualized Education Program (IEP), Evaluation Team Report (ETR), Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP) and Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE) at Ohio State University.
Mentors in northwest Ohio who are part of the Ohio Parent Mentor Program include:
Monica McCain – Toledo Public Schools – 419-671-0819, mmccain@tps.org
Wendy Smenner – Sylvania City, Springfield Local, Ottawa Hills, Maumee City and Washington Local School Districts – 419-214-3066, wsmenner@esclakeeriewest.org
Niki Herold – Swanton Local, Edon-Northwest Local, Edgerton Local, North Central Local, Fayette Local, Napoleon Area, Evergreen Local, Wauseon Exempted Village, and Pike-Delta-York Local School Districts – 567-444-4814, nichol.herold@nwoesc.org
Shanna Gerken – Rossford Exempted Village, Perrysburg, Northwood Local, Lake Local, Otsego Local, Eastwood Local, Elmwood Local, North Baltimore Local and Bowling Green City School Districts – 419-354-9010, ext 113, sgerken@wcesc.org
