Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 111 Part 1.djvu/174

 Ill STAT. 150 PUBLIC LAW 105-17-JUNE 4, 1997 "(B) the effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve parents, including underserved parents of children with disabilities. "(c) OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES. —^A parent training and information center that receives assistance under this section may— "(1) provide information to teachers and other professionals who provide special education and related services to children with disabilities; "(2) assist students with disabilities to understand their rights and responsibilities under section 615(m) on reaching the age of majority; and "(3) assist parents of children with disabilities to be informed participants in the development and implementation of the State's State improvement plan under subpart 1. "(d) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.— Each application for assistance under this section shall identify with specificity the special efforts that the applicant will undertake— "(1) to ensure that the needs for training and information of underserved parents of children with disabilities in the area to be served are effectively met; and "(2) to work with community-based organizations. "(e) DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS. — "(1) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary shall make at least 1 award to a parent organization in each State, unless the Secretary does not receive an application from such an organization in each State of sufficient quality to warrant approval. "(2) SELECTION REQUIREMENT. — The Secretary shall select among applications submitted by parent organizations in a State in a manner that ensures the most effective assistance to parents, including parents in urban and rural areas, in the State. " (f) QUARTERLY REVIEW.— "(1) REQUIREMENTS.— "(A) MEETINGS. —The board of directors or special governing committee of each organization that receives an award under this section shall meet at least once in each calendar quarter to review the activities for which the award was made. "(B) ADVISING BOARD.— Each special governing committee shall directly advise the organization's governing board of its views and recommendations. "(2) CONTINUATION AWARD.— When an organization requests a continuation award under this section, the board of directors or special governing committee shall submit to the Secretary a written review of the parent training and information program conducted by the organization during the preceding fiscal year. "(g) DEFINITION OF PARENT ORGANIZATION. —As used in this section, the term 'parent organization' means a private nonprofit organization (other than an institution of higher education) that— "(1) has a board of directors— "(A) the majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities; "(B) that includes— "(i) individuals working in the fields of special education, related services, and early intervention; and "(ii) individuals with disabilities; and

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