Great Falls, MT: Center helps parents with IEPs; "21,000 students with IEPs" in state

Sept 4, 2025, KRTV, Great Falls, MT: Great Falls facility helps parents navigate education system for children with disabilities

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act paved the way for 100 parent training and information centers across the country, with at least one in each state catering to families and parents of kids with special needs. In Montana, it's the Montana Empowerment Center located in Great Falls.

"I think that people with disabilities are teaching all of us what their abilities are," said Heidi Gibson, executive director of the Montana Empowerment Center.

Gibson leads the Treasure State's parent training and information center, which serves a critical role for families navigating complex special education systems.

"Our mission is to help parents with children with disabilities ages 0 to 26, to help them navigate the special education process," Gibson said.

The center serves all 56 counties and thousands of families, providing guidance on topics including special education rights, Individualized Education Programs or IEPs, and the transition from high school to adulthood.

"We help families put together a plan about where they're going to live and where they're going to work and what their adult life is going to look like," Gibson said.. . .

The center may be housed in a small office in Great Falls, but it has a big statewide impact.

"We've been to all the reservations in Montana. So just want to put things in people's hands.

And we have an 800 number. We've got a very active Facebook page. Our website has many things on it, including all of our resources as well as we've got over 40 on-demand webinars. Many of them are less than 10 minutes that break all these things up into little pieces," Schroder said. . . .

Gibson and Schroder say there's no manual for parents of kids with disabilities, making an organization like the Montana Empowerment Center invaluable.

"Having a group like this that can bring other parents together and to be able to share experiences and being coached and encouraged by someone who has been through that journey, I think that's our real strength," Gibson said. . . .

"There are about 21,000 students with IEPs across Montana, and that doesn't include those that are covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1975, section 504. So those students also are entitled to having protections under the 504. And when families come to us, they are looking for information and tools to navigate that system. So we really help them through that to know that they're not alone," Gibson said.