Educators & SEPACs

The Federation for Children with Special Needs is offering Positive Solutions for Families,  an evidence-based program that trains early childhood professionals – public school preschools, Head Start, family child care, center-based programs, 

The Federation for Children with Special Needs is excited to share that we have received a new three-year grant from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary  Education (DESE). This grant will allow us to launch the Inclusive Leadership Academy, a program that helps school leaders build strong, inclusive practices that support all students. 

By Wendi Hoffer and Colleagues 

The A.P.P.L.E. Institute (Advanced Parent & Professional Leadership Education) is a free, virtual program designed to help family leaders and members of Special Education Parent Advisory Councils (SEPACs), school and district administrators, and community members form strong, collaborative teams to improve outcomes for students. 

By Leslie Leslie, MassPAC Project Director

MassPAC members - Districts and SEPACs - have a new ticket to learning: a monthly calendar with access to weekly FCSN Basic Rights workshops and other special education topic presentations.

By Adam Chapman, Woburn SEPAC President

On the last Saturday of November, the City of Woburn transforms its center into a winter wonderland for its annual Festival on the Common. From horse-drawn carriage rides to hot cocoa, ice sculptures to tree lighting, youth choirs to the Mayor reading 'A Visit from St. Nicholas', the event is a seasonal delight for citizens.

By Ruth M. Diaz

Inclusion in education is part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which guarantees that students with disabilities receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) tailored to their unique needs in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). LRE requires that students with disabilities be educated alongside their nondisabled peers with appropriate supports and services whenever possible.