By-Laws

MassPAC Home SEPAC Basic Toolkit Following the Rules Under Massachusetts law, SEPACs "shall establish by-laws regarding officers and operational procedures" By-laws are rules that define how your group operates. A formal structure or framework for conducting SEPAC business can help your SEPAC be effective in an orderlyRead more

Advising the District

MassPAC Home SEPAC Basic Toolkit     Additional Ways - How parents can get involved to advise their communities!Identifying Issues/Member SurveysAdvising the School Committee/Annual Reports A SEPAC is primarily an advisory group. The members represent a broader group of people (all parents of children receiving special education servicesRead more

Advising the School Committee/Annual Reports

Massachusetts regulations state that the SEPAC should “advise the School Committee on matters that pertain to the education and safety of students with disabilities”.  Building a relationship with the School Committee is very important.  The SEPAC should develop a plan to attend School Committee meetings and/or assign

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Identifying Issues/Member Surveys

A SEPAC needs to have a good pulse on the state of special education in the school district. To learn what the concerns are among parents, many SEPACs conduct a “needs assessment” to identify the greatest areas of need and to assist the SEPAC to meet its

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Additional Ways – How parents can get involved to advise their communities!

MassPAC Home SEPAC Basic Toolkit    Task ForceLocal Boards of HealthPTA/PTOMunicipal Commission on DisabilitySchool CommitteeSchool Site CouncilDESE Advisory Councils TASK FORCE Task forces are time-bound and outcome-focused groups that are convened to support an organization or district’s mission, strategic objectives or program activities. Parent voice would beRead more

Parent Testimonies

Parents have said… “My son is not just a typical teenager; everything is extreme.” Pathways for Parents (PFP) can make referrals to organizations that educate, encourage and support parents through challenging times. “Parents don’t know what they don’t know.” PFP informs and guides parents to access information,

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Foster, Kinship and Adoptive Parents

Pathways Home The Pathways for Parents Program at the Federation for Children with Special Needs provides support to many community organizations, as well as directly to parents and families who receive services from the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF).  Our mission is to support effectiveRead more

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Culturally-appropriate resources for Grandfamilies: Latino Grandfamilies: Helping Children Thrive Through Connection to Culture and Family African American Grandfamilies: Helping Children Thrive Through Connection to Culture and Family American Indian & Alaska Native Grandfamilies: Helping Children Thrive Through Connection to Culture and Family

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Family Advisory Committee

Pathways Home Family Advisory Committee (FAC) The Federation's Pathways for Parents Coordinator is a member of the Department for Children and Families’ Family Advisory Committee (FAC), which advises the DCF commissioner’s office. FAC is a statewide group of community representatives who have experience with DCF, including parents,Read more