Click on the 'Massachusetts SPED PAC's Online' and check out our updated list of SEPAC's.
The number of PAC's on web is growing, we now have over 150 PAC's online and updated over 50 PAC website addresses:

MA DOE Technical Assistance Advisory SPED 2011-2: dated Febuaray 11, 2011
Bullying Prevention and Intervention
Requires school leaders to create and implement strategies to prevent bullying, and to address bullying and retaliation promptly and effectively if they occur. The law has specific implications for the IEP process and for students with disabilities.

MA DOE Technical Assistance Advisory SPED 2011-1: dated September 20, 2010
Age of Majority
This advisory provides guidance to school districts concerning the transfer of rights under special education law when the student reaches age 18, the age of majority in Massachusetts.  The advisory address: Notification requirements, IEP Documentation requirements, and Transfer and sharing or delegation of rights.
    1. Notification requirements: The notification provided to both the parent and the student must explicitly state that all rights accorded to parents under special education law will transfer to the 18 year old student and that the parent will continue to receive all the required notices from the school district and will have the right to inspect the student's records, but will not longer make special education decisions for the adult student.
    2. IEP Documentation requirements: A statement should be included in the section on the IEP entitled "Other Information." 2 School districts are not required to provide detail on the transfer of rights, but must state that the student has been informed that the right to make decisions about his or her special education will transfer to the student when he or she turns 18.
    3. Transfer and sharing or delegation of rights: If the student chooses to share or delegate decision-making, that choice must be documented and witnessed by representatives of the school district. The student may revoke sharing or delegation of decision-making at any time. If any disagreement arises related to special education decision-making, the choice of the adult student shall prevail.

MA DOE Technical Assistance Advisory SPED 2009-2, dated January 8, 2008.
Observation of Education Programs by Parents and Their Designees for Eval uation Purposes
The legislature recently amended section 3 of G.L. c. 71B, the state special education law, to require school committees, upon request by a parent, to grant timely and sufficient access by parents and parent-designated independent evaluators and educational consultants (both of whom are referred to in this guidance as "designees") to a child's current and proposed special education program so that the parent and named designees can observe the child in the current program and any proposed program. The law, referred to in this advisory as "the observation law," limits the restrictions or conditions that schools may impose on these observations. The purpose of the law is to ensure that parents can participate fully and effectively in determining the child's appropriate educational program.

MA DOE Technical Assistance Advisory SPED 2009-1, dated Sept 3, 2008.
Transition Planning to Begin at Age 14
Beginning age 14 or sooner if determined appropriate by an individualized education program team, school age children with disabilities shall be entitled to transition services and measurable post secondary goals, as provided under the federal Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004).

We need your help.  Are you interested in volunteering your time and energy to our SEPAC?
Our special education laws and regulation requires that each school district create a district-wide parent advisory council offering membership to all parents of eligible students and other interested parties.  In our school district, we have had an activity PAC for over 8 years.  This year, however, many of our board members are resigning.  We need parent volunteers for our PAC board and active members to keep our PAC up and running.  If interested please contact Jessica Murphy, our special education director, (978) 341-2490, x8142, Jmurphy@colonial.net,Stefanie Cloutier, 978-369-7592, stefanieAC@comcast.net, and Liz Hopkinson, 978-287-5236, lhopkinson@verizon.net, both past PAC presidents.