Affiliations

Special Needs Advocacy Network, Inc. 
Member, Board of Directors

For more than 25 years, the Special Needs Advocacy Network (SPaN) has provided continuing professional development and support for advocates and other professionals in the field of special education across Massachusetts. SPaN began as a grassroots effort by a small number of parents whose mission to support their own children led them to become advocates. This small group of committed pioneers evolved into a growing membership. Under a formalized board of directors, the spirit and mission of the original founders continues today. The dedication and forward thinking of its members, past and present, have combined to establish SPaN as a leader in the field of special education advocacy in Massachusetts.


Wachusett Special Education Parent Advisory Council (Wachusett SEPAC)
Co-Chair

The Wachusett SEPAC is a volunteer organization that works to support parents and guardians of children with special needs in the Wachusett Regional School District. It provides resources, workshops and connections to both parents and professionals. SEPAC Officers meet regularly with the district Special Education Administration to discuss the needs of students and to develop an understanding for the goals and approaches of special education services in the district.


Special Education Surrogate Parent Program (SESPP)  
Acting Surrogate Special Education Parent

The mission of SESPP is to promote positive educational outcomes for children and youth in state custody by providing volunteers to represent their best interests in the special education process. In accordance with the direction of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, SESPP responds to the mandates of federal special education laws which require that procedures be in place to protect the special educational rights of all children to benefit from a free and appropriate public education—including those children who are in the care or custody of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or whose parents are unknown or unavailable.


Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA)
Member

COPAA’s mission is to be a national voice for special education rights and to promote excellence in advocacy. The organization’s primary goal is to secure high quality educational services for children with disabilities. COPAA is premised on the belief that the key to effective educational programs for children with disabilities is collaboration—as equals—by parents and educators. This is the premise of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, the federal statutes that guarantee children with disabilities a free, appropriate public education.