Parent Training and Information Center
DREDF is a Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The PTI is part of DREDF’s Children & Family Advocacy program. PTIs serve families of children and young adults from birth to age 26 with all disabilities. Sign up for our Special EDition monthly newsletters (in English and Spanish) for information about education rights, practical advocacy strategies, and upcoming training opportunities.
What We Are & What We Do
DREDF’s PTI can help families:
- Obtain appropriate education and services for their children with disabilities
- Work to improve education results for all children
- Train and inform parents and professionals on a variety of topics
- Resolve problems between families and schools or other agencies
- Connect children with disabilities to community resources that address their needs
We serve parents, youth, and professionals in the following Central and Northern California counties: Alameda, Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Mendocino, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquín, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo and Yuba.
Download our flyer in English, in Spanish: español or in Simplified Chinese: 简体中文.
There is a PTI in every state and territory that provides free information and resources. If you’re located outside of our service area, you can use this California PTI service map, or the Center for Parent Information & Resources interactive map to find the Parent Center in your state or territory.
Connect with an Education Advocate
Call us at 1 (800) 348-4232.
Email us at iephelp@dredf.org.
Attend a Training
- Attend one of our trainings (in English and Spanish).
- Interpretation/Accommodations: If you need accommodations to participate in any of our training or presentations, please contact pti@dredf.org or call 510 644-2555 as soon as possible. We generally need 7 days to arrange these, and we want to make sure you are included!
Special Education Academy
This 10-part series runs monthly from September 2025 through June 2026. The series leads parents, families, and students through the main principles and parts of the special education process, from understanding the IDEA, California Education Code, and other laws, through putting together the Offer of FAPE, IEP implementation, and transition to post-secondary life. The series is comprehensive and gives attendees the information and tools they need so that students with disabilities have IEP teams that are collaborative, solution-oriented, and focused on using the power of the IEP to prepare students for their futures.
Introducing the IDEA and Other Laws in Special Education
Go to Part 1Introducción a la IDEA (Ley Educativa para Personas con Discapacidad) y otras leyes de Educación Especial
Ir a la parte 1Sample Letters and Forms
Sample letters and forms are often used to communicate with the school about the needs of a student. Get sample letters and forms sorted by topic.