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Parents graduate from PIE cohort 8 after year of advocacy training

Parent Institute for Engagement (PIE) Cohort 8 Graduation · July 23, 2026
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Summary

Graduates of the Parent Institute for Engagement (PIE) Cohort 8 marked completion of a year‑long leadership program that included advocacy and racial equity sessions and connections to state advisory groups; organizers urged continued participation in SEAC and ICC work.

Vanessa Allen, family engagement coordinator with Washington's early support for infants and toddlers program, opened the Parent Institute for Engagement (PIE) Cohort 8 graduation by calling the event "a celebration of growth, leadership, resilience, and the power of family voice." Allen described the program as a year‑long leadership development track that centers parents and caregivers who have received early intervention services.

Allen said cohort members completed six advocacy sessions and six racial equity sessions, attended state ICC subcommittees, contributed to a contingency planning workgroup, and engaged with the state performance report (APR). "Your voice matters," Allen told graduates, encouraging them to pursue seats on advisory bodies such as the Washington State Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC).