I would love to hear anyone's ideas about how to start up a SEPTO not associated with a particular district. My daughter attends and intermediate school district, funded by several school districts, that offers special education services. We just had a goal meeting to start a PTO and I am curious about other experiences. Thanks!
We have been dealing with this in our school district. We have 2 schools that are PTOs and 3 schools are PTAs. We started a special education "committee" to encompass all schools. Some are interested in SEPTA feeling the formalization is the way to be recognized and to make changes. The strange thing is our group's mission statement is about INCLUSION. Unfortunately, it has divided parents. We have less people working toward a common goal- Inclusion and education for our children. Currently, we provide all parents support meetings and educational opportunity, provide support to teachers. Check out our web site www.rainetwork.weebly.com or our facebook page RAIN.
Perhaps work with your current PTO to develop a SEPTO division or committee whose focus is to provide the things you mentioned and/or provide for SpEd teachers, etc. You don't want to compete with each other and there is no reason the two can't work together under one umbrella. Many parents for SE students also have other children who aren't SE...Those parents then are driven by two PTO's . I say combine, work together! No sense recreating the wheel!
I also find the idea of paying dues and getting nothing in return objectionable. That's why the group left PTA to become a SEPTO. There is no defense.
I suppose they could have pressured local PTAs to try to do more for parents. But they decided to make it happen themselves. I am not sure what you mean by the "yes and" not a "but" stuff. I simply believe that every parent who belongs to a special education support group should also be actively involved in their school PTO or PTA. Typically, they are very different groups. One does not replace the other.
I don't object to a group doing special things to benefit parents of kids with special needs; I know firsthand the value of such groups, though not affiliated with the schools in my area. I was responding to your statement that your SEPTA disassociated with the PTA because you got tired of paying dues and "getting nothing in return". THAT's the part I find objectionable, and I think the PTA would find hard to defend.
Many of the ideas you list below would be useful to all parents, to help them understand the challenges other parents face. I'd strongly prefer to have the PTA put on some of those programs, keep the parents of kids with special needs strongly involved and feeling welcome and included. Add the SEPTA if needed, but let it be a "yes and", not a "but".
Parents of children with special needs have some special needs too. We need to be educated about how our children learn and how the system of special education works. We need support from other parents who have been in our shoes who have learned how to survive and make things work. We need to know how to advocate for our children at home, at school and in the community. A special education parent group shoud exist to help meet those needs. It has nothing to do with segregation.
The SEPTO in my town meets those needs by featuring speakers on special education topics at every meeting. Sometimes it's two speakers. We also organized a parent advocacy training class with professional trainers from a state agency. We have networking time and group discussions at our meetings where parents share their experiences. And we regularly distribute information about local programs and services to our members, both at meetings and by email.
In my opinion, every SEPTO member should also be an active member in their school PTO or PTA. These school based groups offer parent involvement opportunities that SEPTOs can't, like volunteering in the school library or helping with school events. Children with special needs often feel out of place in school. Seeing Mom and Dad come into the school to help with PTO or PTA activities tends to make these kids feel more like they belong in school. This is important because kids who resist going to school don't benefit from their education as much as the kids who want to be there.
