PACER Center
952-838-9000
Champions for Children with Disabilities
- From Experience to Influence: The Power of a Parent's Story
- Key Questions for Parent Leaders to Ask
- IEP for Parent Leaders in Advisory Positions
- Parent Keys to Success in the Parent School Partnership
- Disability-Related Interagency and Special Education Council and Committee Opportunities
- Guidelines for Exploring Interagency Opportunities
Parent Leadership in Special Education
This resource is also available as a PDF
Disability-Related Interagency and Special Education Council and Committee Opportunities
Federal Level
Federal Interagency Coordinating Council (FICC)
Makes recommendations to federal agencies working to improve opportunities to children with disabilities. Facilitates coordination of federal resources for children 0-5 with or at risk for disabilities and their families. www.fed-icc.org
State Level
Open Appointment applications and current vacancies for all state councils, boards, and commissions are available online, at open.appointments@sos.state.mn.us, or call 651-297-5845 to receive monthly announcements of current vacancies.
Governor's Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC)
Makes recommendations to the governor, the legislature, and the state agencies serving infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families to ensure a coordinated state and local early childhood intervention system.
Contact Dawn Bly, Chair, at 218-435-1909; blyfamily@gvtel.com
Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC)
Advises the Division of Special Education and Office of Monitoring and Compliance regarding policies, practices and issues related to the education of children and youth with disabilities, ages birth through 21.
Contact Mary McDevitt-Kraljik at 651-582-8589;
mary.mcdevitt-kraljic@state.mn.us.
State Transition Team
For the improvement and delivery of services to young adults 14-21 with disabilities and their families.
Contact Jayne Spain at 651-582-8200 or jayne.spain@state.mn.us
State Advisory Council on Mental Health;
Subcommittee on Children's Mental Health
Advises the governor, legislature and state agencies about policy, programs and services affecting people with mental illness. The subcommittee makes recommendations on matters pertaining to children’s mental health. Contact Bruce Weinstock at 651-582-1284 or Bruce.Weinstock@state.mn.us; http://mentalhealth.dhs.state.mn.us/
Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
Advisory group charged with providing information, education and training that will enable people with significant disabilities to become independent, productive, and included in community life.
www.mncdd.org Contact Colleen Wieck, 651-296-9964;
colleen.wieck@state.mn.us
County or Local Level
Interagency Early Intervention Committee (IEIC)
For the improvement and delivery of services to children 0-5 with disabilities and their families.
Contact list at www.mnsic.org/governance/local.html or call Sue Benolken, Minnesota Dept. of Human Services, 651-582-1886;
sue.benolken@state.mn.us.
Special Education Parent Advisory Councils/Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC)
To increase the involvement of parents of children with disabilities in district policymaking and decision-making.
Contact your school district’s special education director.
Community Transition Interagency Committee (CTIC)
For the improvement and delivery of services to young adults 14-21 with disabilities and their families.
Statewide contact list available from Minnesota Department of Children, Families & Learning’s Interagency Office on Transition Services, Jayne Spain, 651-582-8200 or
jayne.spain@state.mn.us
Children's Mental Health Collaborative (Local Coordinating Council, LCC/Local Advisory Council, LAC)
For the development, delivery, and improvement of services to children, youth 0-21 with mental health issues and their families.
See the
LCC website
Family Services Collaborative (FSC)
For the development, delivery and improvement of services to children, youth and families in need, ages 0-21.
PACER's site offers many PDF files for download, which require 
