Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Logo
The Department has moved to 135 Santilli Highway in Everett. The Department's office and Licensure Welcome Center are open. The new location has free parking and is a short walk from the Wellington station on the MBTA's Orange Line.
Special Education

Parent Information


Special Education/IDEA

  • U.S. Department of Education Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
    Website which brings together IDEA information and resources from the Department and grantees.

  • Access for All
    Created by the Office of Digital Learning at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, this web page offers guidance and resources for Massachusetts schools and families in providing assistive technology and accessible instructional materials to students with disabilities.

  • Guidance for Parent Advisory Councils
    This guidance document was designed to ensure that every special education parent advisory council operating in the state understands the capacity and potential that they have to collaborate with the school community to influence special education programs and policies in their district.

  • A Parent's Guide to Special Education
    Written collaboratively by the Federation for Children with Special Needs and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, "A Parent's Guide to Special Education" was developed to serve as a resource for parents and the organizations that serve them.

    Parent's Guide to Special Education In Massachusetts Logo
    Parent's Guide to Special Education and accompanying online, interactive module
    This online, interactive guide has been developed as a complement to the Parent's Guide to Special Education (Parent's Guide). The Parent's Guide and accompanying module was developed to assist families in understanding the Special Education process and the supports and services that children with disabilities need to succeed in school. Both the Parent Guide and module highlight Massachusetts' special education systems. The Parent's Guide and module were designed for families who have children with disabilities and agencies who support them.
  • A Parent's Guide to Selecting A Special Education Advocate in Massachusetts
    Written collaboratively by the Federation for Children with Special Needs and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, "A Parent's Guide to Selecting A Special Education Advocate in Massachusetts" was developed to assist parents in choosing an advocate in the Special Education process when needed.
  • Notice of Procedural Safeguards (Parent's Rights Brochure)
    English and Translated Versions
    The Parent's Rights Brochure is designed to assist the parent in understanding the special education process, and the rights of the parent's when their child has been referred for or is receiving special education services.

  • Disability Definitions and Related Links
    Definitions of each of the Massachusetts disability categories, and resources for each disability.

  • Best Practices in Early Childhood Transition
    Written collaboratively by the Department of Early Education and Care, the Department of Public Health, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, "Best Practices in Early Childhood Transition" was developed to serve as a guide for families as their children transition from Early Intervention Services into a preschool program.

Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act

Massachusetts Organizations/Resources

National Organizations/Resources

  • New England INDEX
    New England INDEX, a project of the UMass Medical School located at the Shriver Center, provides information about programs and agencies, physicians, dentists, and consultants that serve people with disabilities. INDEX also coordinates the Mass Network of Information Providers (MNIP), a multi-agency collaboration that provides telephone information and referral at over 50 sites across the state (800-642-0249).

  • ECTA Center: For Families
    ECTA Center: For Families: provides resources to help you help your child develop and learn, explains how early childhood supports and services can help your child, and gives you ways to share your family's experiences to benefit others.

  • IDEA Resource Center
    IDEA Resource Centers: provides information and technical assistance to families of infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.

Last Updated: March 15, 2023

 
Contact Us

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149

Voice: (781) 338-3000
TTY: (800) 439-2370

Directions

Disclaimer: A reference in this website to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.