Family Engagement Services

Overview

CESA 6 has a Wisconsin Statewide Parent-Educator Initiative (WSPEI) identified Family Engagement Coordinator. The coordinator supports educators and families to build positive partnerships on behalf of students with disabilities.

Both state and federal special education laws recognize the importance of the parent’s role in their children’s education in order to build team-oriented practices. The Family Engagement Coordinator is able to assist both families and educators in reaching the desired goal of a highly functioning team.

How We Can Help

The Family Engagement Coordinator is a parent who has a child with disabilities and is on staff to support families and educators in the following ways:

For families:

• To provide resources and information about special education and district and community services that support families.
• To encourage parents to become active participants, communicate well and collaborate with others in the decision-making process of their children’s education.
• Speak/present and conduct trainings on a variety of special education topics.
   

For educators:

• Assist in identifying and addressing parents’ concerns and needs.
• Assist in identifying and training a district parent who can serve district families as a Family Engagement Liaison.
• Assist in the formation of a Family Advisory Council.
• Assist in the creation of targeted, focused family engagement plans.
• Assist in planning parent/family activities and events.
• Speak/present and conduct trainings to district staff regarding family engagement.

Since the Family Engagement Coordinator is funded through a State Discretionary Grant, all services listed above are free of charge to both families and school districts.

CESA 6 WSPEI Family Engagement Coordinator

The WSPEI Family Engagement Coordinator for the CESA 6 region is Tim Borud.

Tim is trained in many facets of special education and parenting, and has a special interest in helping others who work with or raise children with special needs. Tim has family experience with his own special needs children and has 14 years of both public school teaching experience and foster care experience. All of these experiences combine to give him a unique and well-informed perspective in helping schools and families connect.