Parents urge board to improve IEP communication and support; parent‑training fellowship introduced

During the public comment period of the Oct. 20 Cincinnati School Board meeting, a parent spoke about Individualized Education Program (IEP) processes and the districts supports for families of students with disabilities, and the CEO of a parent group described a new parent training fellowship.

Erica Jackson, speaking from the podium, identified herself as a mother of seven and said one of her children graduated last year from Hughes. She told the board parents are “not aware of our rights” under the IEP process and asked whether district staff could be re‑trained on laws and regulations that support children with disabilities so students do not “keep falling behind.” She also described trauma experienced by families who have slept in cars and shelters and asked the board to consider how housing instability affects children’s needs and consent for mental‑health services.

Later in the public-comment period, Christian Davis introduced himself as CEO and founder of the Cincinnati Parent Empowerment Network, which he said represents more than 26,000 families. Davis told the board the group had launched an eight‑week paid parent fellowship to teach parents how to navigate the education system and become more civically engaged; the first cohort was attending the meeting as an observation field trip. He said the group would follow up with the board by email to report progress.

Superintendent Murphy and board members acknowledged the comments and noted the district has social‑work and support resources. No formal response or action was taken at the meeting beyond the public‑comment exchange.