Parent educators in early intervention: Insights from evaluations

In 1 states Part C early intervention (EI) program, families are afforded a unique opportunity to connect with parent educators (PEs), parents of children who have received EI services, and who are trained to support EI families and staff with a range of tailored duties. In an effort to continually reflect and improve upon the role of PEs, the authors conduct an annual PE program evaluation with input from 4 groups of stakeholders including EI coordinators, service coordinators, parents in EI, and the PEs themselves. Findings from 3 consecutive annual evaluations are presented in this article. Although there continues to be primarily positive feedback and appreciation for the PE model, the evaluation process allows certain areas in need of improvement to be acknowledged and subsequently addressed. Considerations for evaluating a statewide initiative as well as incorporating a PE model are discussed.