Resources
Free special education help in every state
Every state has free, official help for families: a parent training and information center, a protection and advocacy agency, and the state education agency's special education office. Here is where to find each one.
Last verified: Oct 2026
This is general information, not legal or medical advice.
National starting points
- Center for Parent Information and Resources
The national hub for federally funded parent centers.
Helps: Families and the people who support them. Cost: Free.
- Find your parent center
A map of parent training and information centers by state.
Helps: Families looking for local, free help. Cost: Free.
- IDEA website
The law, regulations, and federal guidance from the U.S. Department of Education.
Helps: Anyone who wants the source text. Cost: Free.
Want paid help? See our Directory and the Advocates vs attorneys explainer.
By state
- Alabama
- Parent center:
- Alabama Parent Education Center (APEC)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program
- State special education office:
- Alabama State Department of Education
- Alaska
- Parent center:
- Stone Soup Group
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Law Center of Alaska
- State special education office:
- Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
- Arizona
- Parent center:
- Encircle Families (formerly Raising Special Kids)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Arizona
- State special education office:
- Arizona Department of Education
- Arkansas
- Parent center:
- The Center for Exceptional Families
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Arkansas
- State special education office:
- Arkansas Department of Education, Division of Elementary and Secondary Education
- California
- Parent center:
- Find your parent center
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights California
- State special education office:
- California Department of Education
- Colorado
- Parent center:
- PEAK Parent Center
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Justice (formerly Disability Law Colorado)
- State special education office:
- Colorado Department of Education
- Connecticut
- Parent center:
- Connecticut Parent Advocacy Center (CPAC)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Connecticut
- State special education office:
- Connecticut State Department of Education
- Delaware
- Parent center:
- Parent Information Center of Delaware
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Delaware (CLASI)
- State special education office:
- Delaware Department of Education
- District of Columbia
- Parent center:
- Advocates for Justice and Education
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights DC at University Legal Services
- State special education office:
- Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)
- Florida
- Parent center:
- Family Network on Disabilities (FND)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Florida
- State special education office:
- Florida Department of Education
- Georgia
- Parent center:
- Parent to Parent of Georgia
- Protection and advocacy:
- Georgia Advocacy Office
- State special education office:
- Georgia Department of Education
- Hawaii
- Parent center:
- Learning Disabilities Association of Hawaii
- Protection and advocacy:
- Hawaii Disability Rights Center
- State special education office:
- Hawaii State Department of Education
- Idaho
- Parent center:
- Idaho Parents Unlimited (IPUL)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Idaho
- State special education office:
- Idaho State Department of Education
- Illinois
- Parent center:
- Family Matters Parent Training and Information Center
- Protection and advocacy:
- Equip for Equality
- State special education office:
- Illinois State Board of Education
- Indiana
- Parent center:
- IN*SOURCE
- Protection and advocacy:
- Indiana Disability Rights
- State special education office:
- Indiana Department of Education
- Iowa
- Parent center:
- ASK Resource Center
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Iowa
- State special education office:
- Iowa Department of Education
- Kansas
- Parent center:
- Families Together, Inc.
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Center of Kansas
- State special education office:
- Kansas State Department of Education
- Kentucky
- Parent center:
- Kentucky Special Parent Involvement Network (KY-SPIN)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Kentucky Protection and Advocacy
- State special education office:
- Kentucky Department of Education
- Louisiana
- Parent center:
- Louisiana Parent Training and Information Center (FHF)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Louisiana
- State special education office:
- Louisiana Department of Education
- Maine
- Parent center:
- Maine Parent Federation
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Maine
- State special education office:
- Maine Department of Education
- Maryland
- Parent center:
- Parents' Place of Maryland
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Maryland
- State special education office:
- Maryland State Department of Education
- Massachusetts
- Parent center:
- Federation for Children with Special Needs
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Law Center, Inc.
- State special education office:
- Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Michigan
- Parent center:
- Michigan Alliance for Families
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Michigan
- State special education office:
- Michigan Department of Education
- Minnesota
- Parent center:
- PACER Center
- Protection and advocacy:
- Minnesota Disability Law Center
- State special education office:
- Minnesota Department of Education
- Mississippi
- Parent center:
- Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Mississippi
- State special education office:
- Mississippi Department of Education
- Missouri
- Parent center:
- Missouri Parents Act (MPACT)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Missouri Protection and Advocacy Services
- State special education office:
- Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
- Montana
- Parent center:
- Montana Empowerment Center (MEC)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Montana
- State special education office:
- Montana Office of Public Instruction
- Nebraska
- Parent center:
- PTI Nebraska
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Nebraska
- State special education office:
- Nebraska Department of Education
- Nevada
- Parent center:
- Nevada PEP
- Protection and advocacy:
- Nevada Disability Advocacy and Law Center
- State special education office:
- Nevada Department of Education
- New Hampshire
- Parent center:
- Parent Information Center (PIC)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Center - NH
- State special education office:
- New Hampshire Department of Education
- New Jersey
- Parent center:
- Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights New Jersey
- State special education office:
- New Jersey Department of Education
- New Mexico
- Parent center:
- Parents Reaching Out (PRO)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights New Mexico
- State special education office:
- New Mexico Public Education Department
- New York
- Parent center:
- Starbridge (statewide outside NYC and Long Island)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights New York
- State special education office:
- New York State Education Department
- North Carolina
- Parent center:
- Exceptional Children's Assistance Center (ECAC)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights North Carolina
- State special education office:
- North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
- North Dakota
- Parent center:
- Pathfinder Parent Center
- Protection and advocacy:
- North Dakota Protection & Advocacy Project
- State special education office:
- North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
- Ohio
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Ohio
- State special education office:
- Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
- Oklahoma
- Parent center:
- Oklahoma Parents Center
- Protection and advocacy:
- Oklahoma Disability Law Center
- State special education office:
- Oklahoma State Department of Education
- Oregon
- Parent center:
- FACT Oregon
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Oregon
- State special education office:
- Oregon Department of Education
- Pennsylvania
- Parent center:
- PEAL Center
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Pennsylvania
- State special education office:
- Pennsylvania Department of Education
- Rhode Island
- Parent center:
- Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Rhode Island
- State special education office:
- Rhode Island Department of Education
- South Carolina
- Parent center:
- Family Connection of South Carolina
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights South Carolina
- State special education office:
- South Carolina Department of Education
- South Dakota
- Parent center:
- South Dakota Parent Connection
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights South Dakota
- State special education office:
- South Dakota Department of Education
- Tennessee
- Parent center:
- TNSTEP (formerly STEP, Inc.)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Tennessee
- State special education office:
- Tennessee Department of Education
- Texas
- Parent center:
- Partners Resource Network (regional Texas PTIs)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Texas
- State special education office:
- Texas Education Agency
- Utah
- Parent center:
- Utah Parent Center
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Law Center (Utah)
- State special education office:
- Utah State Board of Education
- Vermont
- Parent center:
- Vermont Family Network
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Vermont
- State special education office:
- Vermont Agency of Education
- Virginia
- Parent center:
- Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center (PEATC)
- Protection and advocacy:
- disAbility Law Center of Virginia
- State special education office:
- Virginia Department of Education
- Washington
- Parent center:
- PAVE
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Washington
- State special education office:
- Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
- West Virginia
- Parent center:
- West Virginia Parent Training and Information
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights of West Virginia
- State special education office:
- West Virginia Department of Education
- Wisconsin
- Protection and advocacy:
- Disability Rights Wisconsin
- State special education office:
- Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
- Wyoming
- Parent center:
- Parent Information Center (PIC Wyoming)
- Protection and advocacy:
- Wyoming Protection & Advocacy System
- State special education office:
- Wyoming Department of Education