We provide educators with training or materials or phone-based consulting so that they can learn how to work with parents. And we do the same for parents to learn how to work with educators. We help parents understand what dynamics are occurring, why decisions or policies might be the way they are, and what rights they or their children have so that ultimately the children can access education. We're empowering the consumers of our public education system. EP is an independent, nonprofit agency not dependent on any school district or the State of Wisconsin for funding.
Parental involvement appears to be the only way the law can be enforced.
A report issued recently by the National Council on Disabilities asserted that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which includes federal guidelines for special education programs, is not being fully implemented in most states in the U.S. largely because there is no agency assigned to monitor it. There is no agency assigned to watch it. It's on the honor system. That works fine in a district with the desire and the resources to do what's right. The situation has been made worse in Wisconsin by the revenue cap on educational expenditures.