Matrix Centers
Regional and National Parent Centers
National Parent Technical Assistance Center
The Technical Assistance ALLIANCE for Parent Centers (the ALLIANCE) is an innovative partnership of one national and six regional parent technical assistance centers, each funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). These seven projects comprise a unified technical assistance system for the purpose of developing, assisting, and coordinating the over 100 Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The national and regional parent technical assistance centers work to strengthen the connections to the larger OSEP Technical Assistance and Dissemination Network and fortify partnerships between Parent Centers and education systems at local, state, and national levels.
Region 1 PTAC - Northeast Parent Center Assistance & Collaboration Team
NEPACT offers Technical Assistance for OSEP-funded parent centers - Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) – in the northeastern states. The support, resources and assistance provided enhances the capacity of OSEP-funded parent centers to provide effective services for families of children with special needs and to work effectively with state agencies in improving services for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. Region 1 includes the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Region 2 - Exceptional Children's Assistance Center
The Exceptional Children's Assistance Center manages this project to meet the technical assistance needs of the 15 Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) located in Region 2, which includes Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
Region 3 - Partners Resource Network
Partners Resource Network serves as the regional parent technical assistance center (RPTAC) for the funded Parent Centers in OSEP’s Region 3. Members of the region include Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) and Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) in eight states and two territories: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The mission of the RPTACs is to strengthen the infrastructure, enhance the effectiveness, and increase the capacity of parent centers to educate and support families of children with disabilities. In addition, the RPTACs assist parent centers to collaborate with national, state and local education systems and members of the OSEP TA&D network. The administrative offices of Partners Resource Network are located in Beaumont, Texas.
Region 4 PTAC - WI Family Assistance Center for Education Training & Support
WI FACETS’ Region 4 Parent Technical Assistance Center will provide technical assistance to Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) located in the nine states of Region 4 (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin). In collaboration with other technical assistance partners and region 4 parent centers, the center will strengthen the infrastructure, enhance the effectiveness, and increase the capacity of parent centers to educate and support families of children with disabilities to be informed shared decision-makers in their children’s education and to work with national, state and local education systems to implement effective evidence-based practices that improve the results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.
Region 5 - PEAK Parent Center
PEAK Parent Center implements the Regional Parent Technical Assistance Center in Region 5, serving the federally designated Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The project provides technical assistance on scientifically based best practices, management techniques, and effective strategies for supporting families in Region 5 in a timely way, based on their individual needs and utilizing innovative technical assistance methods. The project serves as a key link among PTIs/CPRCs, the National Parent Technical Assistance Center (NPTAC), and other regional and national groups to assure a unified system of technical assistance.
Region 6 - Matrix Parent Network and Resource Center
The West Region Technical Assistance Center (TAC) for the Parent Centers will assist each Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) and Community Parent Resource Center (CPRC) in Region 6 to improve services and solve issues, by providing information or linking them with other resources. Region 6 includes Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, the outlying areas of the Pacific Basin, and the Freely Associated States.