Education Partners

Education Partners is a service offered because Family Connection is the state’s Parent Training and Information Center (PTI). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) established the PTI centers nationwide to ensure access to information and needed resources.

Education Partners work to strengthen family engagement in a child’s education by supporting, educating and empowering parents to learn self advocacy skills, problem solving strategies and effective communication techniques regardless of their child’s disability, experiences or cultural background.

Our Education Partners are trained, experienced parents of children with disabilities who offer the following specific support:

  • Information and training to help parents understand their rights and responsibilities in special education.
  • Information and training to help parents and those with disabilities develop self advocacy skills.
  • Problem-solving techniques to facilitate the collaboration and success of school meetings (IEP, IFSPs, 504) to best identify needed support and services for the student.

Education Partners are available to families of children with disabilities, ages birth to 26, throughout South Carolina, either in person or using technology. They provide individual assistance in preparing for meetings, including conducting case conferences, explaining provisions of IDEA and exploring options for resolving disputes.

Education Partners are not attorneys and do not provide legal advice. Families who need legal representation are urged to contact an attorney, and to consider mediation and other methods of conflict resolution.