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.
Special Education Advisory Council Documents
Child First Memo
Child-First Practice When Serving Students with Disabilities in Educational Setting
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.
| Name | Title | Institution |
|---|
| Dr. Louis Abbate | Executive Director | Willie Ross School for the Deaf, Massachusetts Association of Approved Private Schools designee |
| Ms. Jane Buckley | Supervisor, Transition Team | Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, MRC designee |
| Ms. Ann Capoccia | Coordinator, Child and Adolescent Division | Department of Mental Health, DMH designee |
| Mr. Peter Cirioni | State Coordinator | Office for the Education of Homeless Children & Youth, Department of Elementary & Secondary Ed., ESE designee |
| Mr. Richard Cotell | Parent Representative | Needham, MA |
| Dr. Perry Davis | Former Superintendent | MA Association of School Superintendents, & New England School Development Council |
| Ms. Mary Dennehy-Colorusso | Procedural Safeguard Coordinator (Early Intervention) | Department of Public Health, DPH designee |
| Ms. Jennie DunKley | Parent Representative, Council Chair | Easton, MA |
| Ms. Alison Fraser | Parent Representative | Marlborough |
| Ms. Nicole W. Grazado | Special Education Team Chairperson | Marblehead Public Schools |
| Ms. Gail Havelick | Director, Benefits Training & Technical Assistance | Department of Public Health, DPH designee |
| Ms. Carla B. Jentz | Executive Director | Massachusetts Administrators for Special Education, ASE representative |
| Ms. Christine Kenney | Director of Educational Services | Department of Youth Services, DYS designee |
| Ms. Betsey H. McKeon | Director of Special Education | Massachusetts Urban Project, Designee |
| Ms. Mary Murray | Alternate | Department of Youth Services, DYS designee |
| Ms. Evelyn Nellum | Policy Specialist | Department of Early Education and Care, DEEC designee |
| Dr. Alec Peck | Associate Dean | Boston College |
| Mrs. Susan E. Rasicot | Director of Special Education | Foxborough Regional Public Charter School |
| Dr. Patricia Schram | Parent Representative; Council Vice-Chair | Brookline, MA |
| Ms.Julie Sinclair | Director of Special Projects Representative | Federation for Children with Special Needs |
| Ms. Susan Stelk | Director of Education | Department of Children and Family Services DCF designee |
| Ms. Nancy Sullivan | Executive Director | The Education Collaborative (TEC), Massachusetts Organization of Educational Collaboratives designee |
| Ms. Shelby Walker | Parent Representative | Georgetown, MA |
FY2010-2011 Meeting Schedule
| Date | Location | Time | Agenda | Minutes |
|---|
| October 11, 2011 | Best Western, Royal Plaza Hotel
181 Boston Post Road, Marlborough, MA | 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM |  |   |
| November 8, 2011 | Best Western, Royal Plaza Hotel
181 Boston Post Road, Marlborough, MA | 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM | | |
| February 14, 2012 | Best Western, Royal Plaza Hotel
181 Boston Post Road, Marlborough, MA | 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM | | |
| May 8, 2012 | Best Western, Royal Plaza Hotel
181 Boston Post Road, Marlborough, MA | 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM | | |
Contact Information
For further information, including meeting agendas/minutes, please contact:
Matthew W. Korobkin
Liaison to the Special Education Advisory Council
781-338-3374
last updated: May 3, 2012
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State Government · State Services 
