A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Minnesota Parents Center (formerly - Families and Schools Together (FAST) Forward
PACER Center, Inc.

The PACER Center (Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights) is a statewide nonprofit parent center that for nearly twenty years has served parents of children with disabilities from birth through secondary school. Through Families and Schools Together (FAST) Forward, PACER is expanding its operations to include all parents. FAST Forward provides the following six levels of service statewide in order to increase the involvement of parents, especially low income parents, in their children's learning and strengthen partnerships between parents and professionals:

Level I: Individual Information, Support, and Assistance
FAST Forward provides individual information and assistance to 2,000 parents and professionals through phone or in-person consultations and written materials.

Level II: Training
Up to twenty specialized workshops are being presented on a variety of parent involvement topics for 200 to 400 parents. Twenty five additional low-income parents are being trained using the HIPPY Program in Minneapolis. These trained parents visit other parents in their homes every other week for activities with their children.

Level III: Training, Support, and Assistance for Parents from Underrepresented Groups
FAST Forward is developing workshops for low income and cultural groups, including African- American, Hmong, American Indian, and Latino/Hispanic. Workshops will be presented to professionals and parents to improve understanding and communication. Staff also meet with community leaders and translate materials.

Level IV: Advanced Training and Regional Network
A network of regional Community Resource Representatives is being established throughout the state to provide information and assistance to others in their communities and develop Community Network Communities.

Level V: Public Information, Resources, and Dissemination Activities
FAST Forward is informing nearly 200,000 members of the general public about family involvement and PACER's services through diverse printed and electronic media.

Level VI: Parent, Community, Employers, Students, and Professional Collaboration
Collaboration is being furthered through a statewide committee, task forces, preservice and inservice sessions with educators, and conferences supported by the Center for School Change.

PACER also coordinates its efforts with school districts participating in Goals 2000. As these districts develop comprehensive reform plans, PACER involves parents from these sites to participate as community resource representatives and collaborates with the districts to further parental involvement and partnership.

Collaborators:

• Center for School Change

Director:
Sharman Davis Jamison
PACER Center, Inc.
4826 Chicago Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55417-1098
Telephone: (612) 827-2966
Fax: (612) 827-3065
Award: $324,000
Affiliation: HIPPY

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