Massachusetts Advocates For Children Inc

Programs: Program 1: children's law support project (clsp) and the trauma and learning policy initiative (tlpi)a. The children's law support project includes the following components that are central to the exempt purpose of mac:1. Provision of statewide legal advocacy on priority issues affecting low income children and legal support to the network of civil legal aid organizations in massachusetts. 2. The helpline for parents and others to call and seek legal advice and technical assistance for children whose educational needs and rights are being denied. 3. Recruitment and support of pro bono attorneys and education advocates to represent parents or provide trainings on education matters related to special education or school discipline. 4. The trauma and learning policy initiative (tlpi), a joint project with harvard law school, to enable children affected by trauma to succeed in school. B. These are the long term goals of the overall project:1. To promote a comprehensive children's legal agenda to address the interrelated needs of children through systemic advocacy, and collaborate with other organizations to further this work and avoid duplication of services. 2. To provide excellent in-house legal advice and representation to low income families. 3. To provide technical assistance, mentoring, training and information updates to pro bono and legal services attorneys4. To ensure that children impacted by family violence and other overwhelming experiences succeed in school 5. To assure that each school in massachusetts will adopt a safe and supportive schools flexible framework to develop both a school-wide infrastructure and individual supports for students and educators. C. Highlights for the year- mac's trauma and learning policy initiative (tlpi) has had a major impact on education reform: locally, tlpi is providing technical assistance five schools around the state that are piloting the inquiry-based process to create safe and supportive trauma-sensitive schools. Preliminary results from an evaluation by an independent research team have been positive. Statewide, tlpi is co-chairing with the state education department (dese) the safe and supportive schools commission to create the framework and conditions for schools around the state to become safe and supportive. Nationally and internationally, tlpi was invited to present about the impact of trauma on learning at a white house conference on girls of color and at a unesco conference in bangkok on designing schools for children who do not have access to education. Our school discipline coalition joined with tlpi to advocate with dese under the new federal education law (essa) that the additional state indicator of school quality focus on school climate and culture. The coalition also identified a loophole in the new school discipline law and advocated with the state education department (dese) that "emergency removals" are included in out-of-school suspension statistics. The coalition monitored dese to assure they produce a guidance available to schools about reducing the use and accurately reporting emergency removals. Mac convened other civil legal aid advocacy organizations to respond to impending federal budget cuts and other harmful regulations and laws anticipated to come out of the new federal administration that are likely to affect children. Our initial priority was to address the impact on immigrant children. We convened through the education law task force a new statewide subgroup to coordinate efforts to support children with disabilities in spanish-speaking families. The group will also identify systemic issues impacting these children and develop a strategic response. As co-chair of the safe and supportive schools commission, tlpi played a lead role in helping to revise, update, and refine the first edition of the new safe and supportive schools framework. This first version, which integrates trauma-sensitivity, social/emotional learning, and positive behavior supports, was then sent to dese for their review. Tlpi worked closely with dese to draft the proposed final report of the safe and supportive schools commission. The report contains 6 recommendations for continued funding, making school culture be included in the state formula for education funding, and a public campaign for safe and supportive schools. Tlpi launched its online learning community as an online resource for educators and others engaged in the work of creating and advocating for trauma sensitive schools. There are currently 613 members, who represent a wide range of education professionals including administrators, educators, school counselors and psychologists as well as district level leadership from schools in 44 states. Tlpi successfully advocated for safe and supportive schools funding at $400, 000, which includes funds for dese to hire a full time staff person devoted to carrying out the provisions set forth in the law. The language provides for continuation of the safe and supportive schools grant program as well as statewide and regional conferences, expert technological assistance in upgrading the usability of the online self-assessment tool and an evaluation of the grant program.

program 2: disability education justice initiative (deji) a. The disability education justice initiative includes the following components that are central to the exempt purpose of mac:1. The autism special education legal support center2. Statewide special education, with its priority focus on transition planning and services and also including activities to protect and expand the rights of children with disabilities and their families. B. These are the long term goals of the overall project:1. To promote policies and practices that enhance education, potential, inclusion, and successful transition to adult life for children with disabilities through a collaboration of diverse stakeholders. 2. To play a leadership role as statewide advocate protecting and expanding special education rights for children with disabilities3. To provide parents, particularly those isolated by language and cultural barriers, of children with autism information about state-of-the-art services and programs available to fully meet the individual needs of students with autism spectrum disorder, based on a presumption of competence. 4. To provide medical professionals and educators with information enabling them to use special education laws and procedures that ensure provision of educational opportunities which reflect competency and potential of children with asd; 5. To insure that children with autism receive special education services and supports necessary to reach their full potential in all areas impacted by their disability, including academic, communication, social, emotional, and vocational development; and6. To increase public awareness and understanding of the potential and competency of individuals with autism, targeting policy makers, educators, service providers, as well as the general public. C. Highlights for the year provided legal assistance and advice to over 1200 parents (through mac's helpline) experiencing difficulty obtaining necessary special education services for their children with disabilities (one-third of the calls had children with autism), with almost a quarter of these parents from latino and other immigrant communities. Provided legal representation and intensive legal technical assistance to over 60 children with disabilities whose families called mac's helpline, with almost 40% of the families from latino, haitian, asian, african, and other immigrant communities. Provided additional workshops and advocacy support to parents concerned for children with autism in lawrence, and as a result the district established inclusion as the primary overarching goal for its new five year strategic plan, with a commitment from the receiver to hire inclusion experts needed to address the segregation of children with autism. Provided specialized workshops for approximately 1000 parents, medical professionals, and educators, training significantly higher numbers this year with the new curriculum focused on the autism omnibus act. Launched two new autism center webinars, reaching more families and professionals who are unable to attend live workshops with over 200 people registered. Our proyecto acceso a la educaci n especial responded to 95 helpline calls, provided legal representation for seven (7) children, 10 trainings for 68 parents and two (2) trainings for 60 professionals. Led a campaign leading to enactment of a new law requiring state medicaid coverage of non-dedicated aac devices and software, including tablets such as ipads, directly addressing the state's refusal to implement the provisions of the autism omnibus act. Led advocacy efforts with the state office of medicaid to fully implement coverage of aba services, with 900 children receiving aba services in the first nine months, working closely with the autism insurance resource center (airc), massachusetts law reform institute (mlri), and other organizations. Enabled over 250 students with autism or intellectual disabilities to participate in college through advocacy efforts resulting in a funding increase and final appropriation of $1. 4 million to increase access to higher education for older youth with autism and intellectual disabilities (id). This initiative now supports 16 colleges and universities (more than half of the 29 public institution of higher education in massachusetts), including mt. Wachusett community college, and 59 school districts. Bridgewater state university launched the state's first pilot to include students with intellectual disabilities and autism in dormitory living this fall. Initially two students are fully included in residence life as well as academic classes and campus life. Advocated effectively for state regulations and guidance providing comprehensive competencies for the new state autism endorsement for special education teachers to help increase school district capacity to meet the complex needs of students with autism. Successfully advocated for a new state policy addressing provision of high quality transition services needed to improve post-secondary outcomes emphasizing the importance of providing community-based services on job, college, and other sites. Successfully supported two young adult leader fellows to develop critically important advocacy and employment skills. The fellows provided youth, parents, educators, and legislators with vital information about the potential of individuals with autism; one of our fellows developed a series of youtube videos focused on self-advocacy for youth, families, and professionals. Http://massadvocates. Org/premiering-teachings-val designed a new project to provide transition advocacy and supports to the somerville public schools. Advocated successfully for state funding to support the children's autism medicaid waiver, resulting in a level funding (total $4. 5 million) to provide in-home and community services for approximately 280 children. Advocated with a broad-based statewide coalition to add another $7 million to the state's special education "circuit breaker" fund. Drafted a state policy advisory addressing provision of transition services in the community with nondisabled peers, reflecting the preferences, strengths, and interests of individuals with autism and other disabilities. Mac then worked with dese to review multiple redrafts. The final state advisory incorporates many of mac's recommendations.

program 3: boston school reform initiative and boston special education a. The boston school reform and boston special education initiatives include the following components that are central to the exempt purpose of mac:1. Advocacy with the boston public schools (bps) to provide equity and excellence in education to all children, so that all students, particularly those who are low-income, racially diverse, limited english speaking and with disabilities, can succeed. 2. Advocacy with the boston public schools to improve services and supports for students with disabilities. B. These are the long term goals of the overall project:1. To significantly reduce racial/ethnic and program achievement and opportunity gaps in bps. 2. To develop parent and community leadership from boston's diverse communities to join advocacy efforts and take action on education reform matters. 3. To improve bps special education services and supports so that children with disabilities will have better educational outcomes and will be prepared for further education, employment and/or independent living. C. Highlights for the year mac and a group of transition experts provided a set of iep transition recommendations to boston public schools, and this information was utilized in drafting a memo entitled, transition services: where and how to document community based services in the iep. Mac's b-set project reorganized into a "collective impact" model of systems change to begin implementation of the action plan to improve post-secondary career and employment pathways for boston youth with disabilities. Nearly 60 organizations including major city, state and community stakeholders are working together. Among the activities of the ogs are: planning an employment pipeline for up to 30 seniors with disabilities who will graduate in 2017 but don't have plans to go to higher education; completion of the six-part training on how to effectively serve youth with hidden disabilities; holding of a conference for boston afterschool programs on including children with disabilities; planning to conduct a survey of disability offices in public colleges statewide; exploring inclusion in union-based apprenticeship programs; and exploring system navigation tools for parents, youth and front line staff. Boston school committee created an achievement and opportunity gap task force, appointing mac's boston school reform project as a member. The task force issued a report with recommendations that was accepted by the boston school committee. The task force then began to monitor implementation of the plan. Mac joined other civil rights organizations in calling for the us attorney's office to investigate claims of racial bias and discrimination at the boston latin school, one of boston's three exam schools. Additionally, mac is serving on the exam schools admission policy work group, which is reviewing the current admission's policy, student demographics, and best practices in other elite public schools and will make policy recommendations to result in more diversity at the three prestigious exam schools in boston, including boston latin school. With input from and negotiation with members of the code of conduct advisory council (cocac), including mac senior staff, the boston school committee voted to approve a revised code of conduct. Subsequently, mac and cocac have been working with bps administrators on implementation.

somerville special education advocacy project (sseap)the organization transitioned to a smaller, "phase ii" of the project. Goals1. Continue the new fellowship to train somerville parents to become special education advocates. Report1. The volunteer advocate learned special education advocacy and assisted with responding to helpline calls and preparation of legal representation.