The Special Education Advisory Council
The Special Education Advisory Council is a group of parents and professionals charged by federal special education law and the State to provide policy guidance with respect to special education and related services for children with disabilities within the Commonwealth. Its responsibilities include:
- advise the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on unmet needs within the State in the education of children with disabilities;
- comment publicly on proposed rules and regulations involving special education;
- advise the ESE in developing evaluations and corrective action plans;
- assist in the coordination of services to children with disabilities.
Federal law requires that a majority of the members of this Council be parents of children with disabilities or individuals with disabilities.
Council Members
The Special Education Advisory Council is composed of members recommended by the Commissioner and appointed by the Board of Education. Appointment to the Council is for a three-year term, and no member may serve more than two terms. Over half of the voting members are individuals with a disability or a parent of a child with a disability. Membership is presently comprised of local education officials, teachers, and representatives from higher education, charter schools, special education schools, and organizations that provide transition services to children with disabilities. A reasonable balance of business, civic, labor, and professional groups, and geographic areas, is currently maintained.
| Louis Abbate | MA Association of Approved Private Schools (MAAPS) |
| James Aprea | MA Office on Disability |
| Jane Buckley | MA Rehabilitation Commission |
| Alexandra Buckmire | Boston Renaissance Charter Public School |
| Patricia Cameron | Department of Early Education and Care |
| Peter Cirioni | MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education - Office for the Education of Homeless Children & Youth |
| Jennie DunKley | Parent Representative |
Robin Foley
CHAIR | Federation for Children with Special Needs and Parent Representative |
| Alison Fraser | Parent Representative |
| Stephen Gannon | MA Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative |
| Amie Ashley Hane | Parent Representative |
| Gail Havelick | MA Department of Public Health |
| Tracy Johnston | Parent Representative |
| Carla B. Jentz | MA Administrators for Special Education |
| Christine Kenney | MA Department of Youth Services |
| Therese Murphy-Miller | MA Department Of Developmental Services |
| Alec Peck | Boston College |
Patricia Schram
VICE CHAIR | Children's Hospital, Boston and Parent Representative |
| Susan Stelk | MA Department of Children and Families |
FY2009-2010 Meeting Schedule
| Date | Location | Time |
|---|
| Tuesday, December 8, 2009 | Hogan Campus at Holy Cross College in Worcester Worcester, MA | 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
State Special Education Steering Committee |
| Tuesday, February 9, 2010 | Hogan Campus at Holy Cross College in Worcester Worcester, MA | 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday, May 11, 2010 | Hogan Campus at Holy Cross College in Worcester Worcester, MA | 9:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
Meetings this year will take place at the Hogan Campus Center at the College of the Holy Cross.
There are 4 Special Education Advisory Council meetings that will be held on the second Tuesday of the month: October 13, 2009, November 10, 2009, February 9, 2010 and May 11, 2010, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The Massachusetts Special Education Steering Committee meeting –which includes the SAC- will take place on Tuesday, December 8, 2009, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. This meeting will also be at the College of the Holy Cross.
Contact Information:
For further information, including meeting agendas/minutes, please contact:
Derek Washington
Liaison to the Special Education Advisory Council
Telephone 781-338-3380
Fax 781-338-3371
last updated: November 13, 2009
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State Government · State Services 
