Clearinghouses for Children and Youth with Disabilities. Six clearinghouses focus on children with disabilities, post-secondary education for individuals with disabilities, and professions in special education.

ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education
(800) 328-0272; TTY: (703) 264-9446; (http://ericec.org)

National Deaf Education Network and Clearinghouse
(202) 651-5051; TTY: (202) 651-5052; (http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu)

National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities
(800) 695-0285 (V/TTY); (http://nichcy.org)

The National Information Clearinghouse on Children Who Are Deaf-Blind
(800) 438-9376; TTY: (800) 854-7013; (http://www.tr.wou.edu/dblink)

The National Clearinghouse on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Disabilities
(800) 544-3284 (V/TTY); (http://www.heath-resource-center.org)

National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education
(800) 641-7824; TTY: (703) 264-9480; (http://special-ed-careers.org)

Comprehensive Regional Assistance Centers: The Centers help coordinate and integrate the implementation of ESEA and other federal education programs with state and local activities in ways that support federal, state, and local efforts to improve teaching and learning, and to increase the academic achievement of all children. The Centers administer and implement Improving America's Schools Act (IASA) programs. For general information on the Centers, call (202) 260-2476 or visit http://www.ccnetwork.org. The fifteen Centers are:
    Region I - Grantee: Education Development Center, Inc.
    (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
    (800) 332-0226, (http://www.edc.org/NECAC/)

    Region II - Grantee: Metropolitan Center for Urban Education, School of Education, New York University
    (New York State)
    (800) 469-8224, (http://www.nyu.edu/education/metrocenter/nytac/nytac.html)

    Region III - Grantee: The George Washington University
    (Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C.)
    (800) 925-3223, (http://r3cc.ceee.gwu.edu/)

    Region IV - Grantee: Appalachia Educational Laboratory, Inc.
    (Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia)
    (800) 624-9120, (http://www.ael.org/cac/)

    Region V - Grantee: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
    (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi)
    (800) 644-8671, (http://www.sedl.org/secac/)

    Region VI - Grantee: University of Wisconsin-Madison
    (Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin)
    (888) 862-7763, (http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/ccvi)

    Region VII - Grantee: University of Oklahoma
    (Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma)
    (800) 228-1766, (http://region7.ou.edu)

    Region VIII - Grantee: Intercultural Development Research Association
    (Texas)
    (888) FYI-STAR (in Texas) or (210 648-8100, (http://www.starcenter.org)

    Region IX - Grantee: New Mexico Highlands University
    (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah)
    (505) 891-6111, (http://www.cesdp.nmhu.edu/swcc/index.html)

    Region X - Grantee: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
    (Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming)
    (503) 275-9479, (http://www.nwrac.org)

    Region XI - Grantee: WestEd
    (Northern California: Includes all counties except Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernadino, and San Diego)
    (800) 64LEARN, (http://www.wested.org/cc)

    Region XII - Grantee: Los Angeles Office of Education
    (Southern California: Includes Imperial, Inyo, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernadino, and San Diego Counties)
    (562) 922-6343, (http://sccac.lacoe.edu)

    Region XIII - Grantee: South East Regional Resource Center
    (Alaska)
    (907) 586-6806, (http://www.AKRAC.k12.ak.us)

    Region XIV - Grantee: Educational Testing Service
    (Florida, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands)
    (800) 241-3865, (http://www.ets.org/ccxiv)

    Region XV - Grantee: Pacific Resources for Education and Learning
    (American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Federated States of Micronesia (Chunk, Kosrae, Phnpei, Yap), Guam, Hawaii, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), Republic of Palau)
    (808) 441-1300, http://www.prel.hawaii.edu/programs/Pc/pacific-center.html

Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center. The Center conducts periodic needs assessments and develops and delivers technical assistance plans to programs supported under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for infants and toddlers (Part C of IDEA) and for preschoolers (Part B of IDEA). Additional information: (919) 962-2001

Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education (ENC). The clearinghouse collects, catalogues, and disseminates K-12 curriculum materials and resources in mathematics and science. It also provides teachers with technical assistance in referencing and printing publications. Their catalogue of information is available on-line and on CD-ROM. Additional information: (800) 621-5785, http://www.enc.org.

Eisenhower Regional Mathematics and Science Education Consortia. The 10 Regional Mathematics and Science Education Consortia provide information, technical assistance, and exemplary materials to schools for improved mathematics and science programs. Additional information: (202) 219-1376.

Equity Assistance Centers. The 10 Equity Assistance Centers are funded by the U.S. Department of Education under Title IV of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. They provide assistance in the areas of race, gender, and national origin equity to public school districts to promote equal educational opportunities.

National Centers for Career and Technical Education (NCCTE). The Centers, a consortium of five universities, are committed to providing innovative approaches to improving the practice of career and technical education at local, state, and national levels leading to improved student achievement. To this end, the Centers will develop intensive and ongoing relationships with practitioners and policymakers in career and technical education. For additional information, contact (800) 678-6011 or visit http://nccte.com.

National Center to Improve the Tools of Educators. The Center, through leadership, improves the quality of technology, educational media, and materials (TMM) for individuals with disabilities by developing research reviews, collaborating with policy makers on content standards, and assisting developers of TMM. Additional information: http://idea.uoregon.edu/~ncite/.

National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education (NCBE): The Clearinghouse provides practitioners with information on the education of limited English proficient students by compiling information on resources related to this population and making it available through newsletters, referral services, and the NCBE web site. Additional information: (202) 467-0867

National Education Research and Development Centers. Funded by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, the Centers research and develop initiatives that address problems and issues in education such as: student achievement in math and science - (608) 265-6240; assessment - (310) 206-1532; cultural diversity - (831) 459-3500; early childhood - (919) 966-4250; education reform - (215) 573-0700; postsecondary education - (650) 723-7724; reading - (734) 647-6940; at-risk students - (410) 516-8800; gifted and talented students - (860) 486-4676; English learning - (518) 442-5026; adult literacy - (617) 495-4843; and teaching and policy - (206) 221-4114.

National Library of Education (NLE). NLE is the largest Federally sponsored library devoted to education information in all forms. Material is accessible between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time). For additional information, call (800) 424-1616 or visit their web site at http://www.ed.gov/NLE/.

National Transition Alliance. The Alliance provides technical assistance for policy makers, teachers, administrators, and persons with disabilities on ways to promote the transition of youth with disabilities, such as school-to-work programs that are supported under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Vocational Rehabilitation Act. Additional information: 217-333-2325

Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is responsible for enforcing federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, and age in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. These laws are: 1) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin; 2) Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex; 3) section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability; and 4) the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age. Also, OCR is responsible for enforcing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by any public entities, including public charter schools and public school districts, regardless of whether they receive federal financial assistance.

OCR investigates complaints filed by individuals, or their representatives, who believe that they have been discriminated against under the federal civil rights. OCR also initiates compliance reviews of institutions and agencies. OCR provides technical assistance to help entities with responsibilities under the civil rights laws enforced by OCR achieve voluntary compliance by understanding their legal obligations, and to help those protected by the laws it enforces to understand their rights.

OCR consists of administrative offices that are located at the Department of Education's headquarters in Washington, D.C. and twelve enforcement offices around the country. Telephone numbers for the enforcement offices are provided below:
    Boston Enforcement Office
    (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
    (617) 223-9662; (617) 223- 9695 (TDD)

    New York Enforcement Office
    (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands)
    (212) 637-6466; (212) 637-0478 (TDD)

    Philadelphia Enforcement Office
    (Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, West Virginia)
    (215) 656-8541; (215) 656-8604 (TDD)

    Atlanta Enforcement Office
    (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee)
    (404) 562-6350; (404) 331-7236 (TDD)

    Dallas Enforcement Office
    (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas)
    (214) 880-2459; (214) 880-2456 (TDD)

    Washington, D.C. Enforcement Office
    (North Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C.)
    (202) 208-2545; (202) 208-7741 (TDD)

    Chicago Enforcement Office
    (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin)
    (312) 886-8434; (312) 353-2540 (TDD)

    Cleveland Enforcement Office
    (Michigan, Ohio)
    (216) 522-4970; (216) 522-4944 (TDD)

    Kansas City Enforcement Office
    (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota)
    (816) 880-4200; (816) 891-0582 (TDD)

    Denver Enforcement Office
    (Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming)
    (303) 844-5695; (303) 844-3417 (TDD)

    San Francisco Enforcement Office
    (California)
    (415) 556-4275; (415) 437-7783 (TDD)

    Seattle Enforcement Office
    (Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands)
    (206) 220-7900; (206) 220-7907 (TDD)

Regional Educational Laboratories. Ten OERI funded laboratories serve specific regions in the United States by identifying school improvement techniques and providing technical assistance to state and local educators through research and the sharing of information via newsletters, conferences, and electronic media. The laboratories cover the following regions:
    Northeast and Islands Laboratory at Brown University (LAB)
    (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands)
    Providence, Rhode Island (800) 521-9550, (http://www.lab.brown.edu)

    Mid-Atlantic Laboratory for Students Success (LSS)
    (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania)
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (800) 892-5550, (http://www.temple.edu/lss)

    Appalachia Educational Laboratory (AEL)
    (Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia)
    Charleston, West Virginia (800) 624-9120, (http://www.ael.org)

    SouthEastern Regional Vision for Education (SERVE)
    (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina)
    Greensboro, North Carolina (800) 755-3277, (http://www.serve.org)

    North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL)
    (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin)
    Oak Brook, Illinois (800) 356-2735, (http://www.ncrel.org)

    Southwestern Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL)
    (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas)
    Austin, Texas (800) 476-6861, (http://www.sedl.org)

    Mid-Continental Regional Educational Laboratory (McREL)
    (Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming)
    Aurora, Colorado (303) 337-0990, (http://www.mcrel.org)

    WestEd
    (Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah)
    San Francisco, California (415) 565-3000, (http://www.wested.org)

    Northwestern Regional Laboratory (NWREL)
    (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington)
    Portland, Oregon (503) 275-9500, (http://www.nwrel.org)

    Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL)
    (Hawaii, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau)
    Honolulu, Hawaii (808) 441-1300, (http://www.prel.org)


Regional Resource and Federal Centers Network. The Regional Resource Centers provide consultation, technical assistance and training, as requested by SEAs, to aid in providing special education, related services and early intervention services to infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities, and their families. Additional information: (202) 205-8451, http://www.dssc.org/frc/rrfc.htm.

Regional Technology in Education Consortia (R-TEC). The six R-TECs help states, school districts, and other educational institutions use advanced technology to support improved teaching and student achievement. They work collaboratively to ensure that technology is used effectively to support school reform. There are six regions: Southeast and Islands - (800) 755-3277, http://www.seirtec.org ; North Central - (630) 571-4710, http://www.ncrtec.org ; South Central - (800) TEC-2001, http://www.scrtec.org ; Pacific/Southwest - (562) 985-5806, http://psrtec.clmer.csulb.edu/ ; Northwest - (800) 211-9435, http://www.netc.org.

CHAPTER 3  |  HOME