Massachusetts went from Maximum Possible Development (Maximum Feasible Benefit) to FAPE. Maximum was changed to Appropriate.
1. Procedural Safeguards This is that lengthy document that schools must provide to parents with children with disabilities every year. It is full of very important information, most of which was covered in the Basic Rights presentation.
2. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Blog 2015 marks the 40th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act(IDEA). In the same year, the first center to help parents understand IDEA and how to advocate for their children with disabilities was born.
3. Parents, educators, advocates, and attorneys come to Wrightslaw for accurate, reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities. Begin your search in the Advocacy Libraries and Law Libraries. You will find thousands of articles, cases, and resources about dozens of topics:IDEA 2004 l Special Education l Law l Advocacy, Books, DVDs, Websites Newsletter: Subscribe to the free, weekly Special Ed Advocate. Updates on the Law
4. In this issue of the Special Ed Advocate you learn why and how to include objective measurement in IEPs. You will learn about writing goals that are clear and measurable SMART IEP goals. Why is Writing Good IEP Goals So Difficult?
5. MA Advocates Massachusetts Advocates for Children is an independent and effective voice for children who face significant barriers to equal educational and life opportunities, particularly those who have disabilities, are low income and/or are racially, culturally, or linguistically diverse. Bill's View
6. DESE Advisories: These are prepared by DESE and are extremely informative
Administrative Advisories, Technical Assistance Advisories, Legal Advisories and Additional Guidance Documents
7. Sped Watch SPEDWatch is a community of concerned citizens: a grassroots, nonprofit, social change movement working to eliminate the root causes of educational neglect of students with disabilities, ages 3-21.
8. Bureau of Special Education Appeals (BSEA) Decisions This is the official website of the BSEA where you can search decisions by keyword, although you cannot perform a keyword search for more recent cases.
9. This is the website of a special education attorney who has put together a searchable database of BSEA case decisions (an alternative to the BSEA official website)
10. Federation for Children The Parent Training and Information Center provides free information, support, technical assistance and workshops to Massachusetts' families who have children with disabilities and the professionals who work with them. We believe children benefit most from their education when parents and professionals work together as partners.
11. MA Laws about Special Education The Official Website of the Massachusetts Judicial Branch
12. A Family Guide to Transition Services in Massachusetts
13. Tom Hehir and Associates reports on the state of education in MA
14. Regulation for Restraints of Students in MA
15. IDEA - The Federal Special Education Law 2006; Part B 3-21, Part C Birth - Age 2 16. Public Law 108-446 IDEA 2004
More Resources to Explore:
Use this link to explore several of the most influential special education laws in the USA
Here is The Parents’ How-to Guide to Children’s Mental Health Services
Navigating the Special Education System in Massachusetts
A Parent Guide to Special Education
Education Law Clinic/Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative
Massachusetts Law About Special Education
Massachusetts 603 CMR 28.00: Special Education Education Laws and Regulations
MA General Laws: Chapter 71B
Special Education:Understanding Federal and State Statutory RequirementsReview of Special Education in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts