极乐禁地

Advocating for Special Education Supports

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Special Education Resources鈥擬assachusetts

Created by the Concord Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (Concord SPED PAC), describes this resource as 鈥渁 comprehensive parent toolkit that would be very helpful to parents of patients with behavioral health and other diagnoses.... from all over the state of Massachusetts.鈥�

The Parent Leadership Project was originated by parents and is staffed by parents whose children have received Early Intervention Services. Created through the generous support of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the lead agency for the statewide Early Intervention system, the Project works in collaboration with Early Intervention Programs, the Massachusetts Interagency Coordinating Council, and families who receive Early Intervention services for three main purposes:

• To develop an informed parent constituency;
• To promote leadership and lifelong advocacy skills for parents and family members; and,
• To facilitate family participation to ensure that Early Intervention Services are family-centered.

鈥淎 statewide information and parent-to-parent support project for families of children with special needs and chronic illness.鈥� Family Ties also maintains a in Massachusetts.

鈥淎 center for parents and parent organizations to work together on behalf of children with special needs and their families.鈥� Publisher of A Parent's Guide to Selecting a Special Education Advocate in Massachusetts in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Education.

MassPAC at the Federation for Children with Special Needs is the statewide organization providing information, training, and networking opportunities to Massachusetts special education parent advisory councils (PACs) and the professionals who collaborate with them. After almost eleven years as a private non-profit, MassPAC became part of the Federation in July 2009.

BSEA serves parents, students, school districts, private schools and state agencies in matters concerning eligibility, evaluation, placement, individualized education programs (IEPs), special education services and procedural protections for students with disabilities.

SPaN works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members and to act as a primary resource for advocates.

The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds is dedicated to promoting and supporting the mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being of young people. They can assist you in learning how to get a core evaluation completed through your school district. Anyone is eligible for a public school-based evaluation, regardless of income or whether your child actually attends public school. That is, if your child is age three or older but not yet in school, she is entitled to a fully funded evaluation through your public school system. This website helps you to understand the process and advocate for your child.

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Special Education Resources鈥擭ational

 (for teens with a disability)

This web site contains information about living college life with a disability. It鈥檚 designed for high school students and provides video clips, activities and additional resources that can help you get a head start in planning for college.

(for teens with a disability)

This web site contains information for teens with disabilities about the transition from high school to adulthood.

Both Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans can offer formal help for K鈥�12 students who are struggling in school. They鈥檙e similar in some ways but very different in others. This side by side comparison helps the reader understand the differences.

Evaluation is an essential beginning step in the special education process for a child with a disability. Before a child can receive special education and related services for the first time, a full and individual initial evaluation of the child must be conducted to see if the child has a disability and is eligible for special education. This website reviews the evaluation process and its requirements.

This is a collection of Resources from the Department of Education on the Individual鈥檚 With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) including the laws, what accommodations are available for early education, K-12, and postsecondary education and tools for parents.

For more than 30 years IECA has helped its members to effectively serve families in placements that include colleges, local day and boarding schools, schools or programs for students with learning or behavioral needs, international placements, summer opportunities, and graduate and professional schools.

The Goals of Kids Together, Inc. include a desire to remove barriers that exclude people with disabilities. We support the belief that children with disabilities, like all children, have the need to be welcomed, cherished and embraced in our communities.

LDW庐 is dedicated to identifying causes and promoting prevention of learning disabilities, and to enhancing the quality of life of individuals with LD and their families by encouraging effective identification and intervention, protecting their rights under the law, and fostering research. LDW庐 seeks to accomplish this through awareness, advocacy, empowerment, education, service and collaborative efforts.

Information on special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities.