The Massachusetts Federation of the Council for Exceptional Children is pleased to welcome you to our website. Here you will find important information about MACEC as well as events, resources, and information related to children with specialized educational needs. Please email us at massachusettscec@gmail.com.
Urge Your Representative to Sign the IDEA Full Funding Letter to President Obama
Ask your Representative to join a bi-partisan group of lawmakers in urging President Obama to increase funding for IDEA in his FY 2015 budget proposal, which is expected next month. Led by Congressmen Polis (D-CO), Huffman (D-CA), McKinley (R-WV), and Harper (R-MS) this letter recognizes that Congress has failed to fulfill its pledge to fully fund IDEA and presses President Obama to get IDEA on a path to reach full funding in ten years.
Please join CEC in advocating for more funding for IDEA by asking your lawmaker to sign this letter!
Ask your Representative to join a bi-partisan group of lawmakers in urging President Obama to increase funding for IDEA in his FY 2015 budget proposal, which is expected next month. Led by Congressmen Polis (D-CO), Huffman (D-CA), McKinley (R-WV), and Harper (R-MS) this letter recognizes that Congress has failed to fulfill its pledge to fully fund IDEA and presses President Obama to get IDEA on a path to reach full funding in ten years.
Please join CEC in advocating for more funding for IDEA by asking your lawmaker to sign this letter!
Nomination for the Transition Specialist Endorsement Review PanelWorking in collaboration with Massachusetts Advocates for Children, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is establishing a Review Panel as the process by which candidates can demonstrate their prior experience, knowledge and skills as a transition specialist. As a result, the Department is seeking candidates for appointment to the Transition Specialist Endorsement Review Panel and ask that you nominate qualified candidates for appointment. Submit Nominations using this form. For more information, visit the DESE page here.
AAC Language & Conversations: Make It Fun And Interactive!
How often do you observe AAC users who perform beautifully in therapy, only to sit passively in classrooms and social situations? This quick-paced, interactive session will support students in using core vocabulary for authentic purposes, with peers, and using repetition with variation. Strategies include: RPM-GO (rehearse, practice, model – GO), combining core vocabulary and literacy, and scaffolding communication with engaging apps. Social Scripts ensure that augmented communicators - even those with limited access skills - can achieve interactions that are frequent, motivating, self-initiated, varied, ongoing, with multiple turns, and with a range of partners, including peers. For additional information about this event and for registration details, please download this document.
How often do you observe AAC users who perform beautifully in therapy, only to sit passively in classrooms and social situations? This quick-paced, interactive session will support students in using core vocabulary for authentic purposes, with peers, and using repetition with variation. Strategies include: RPM-GO (rehearse, practice, model – GO), combining core vocabulary and literacy, and scaffolding communication with engaging apps. Social Scripts ensure that augmented communicators - even those with limited access skills - can achieve interactions that are frequent, motivating, self-initiated, varied, ongoing, with multiple turns, and with a range of partners, including peers. For additional information about this event and for registration details, please download this document.
NATIONAL CEC ELECTIONS APPROACHING!
The election for executive board members of the Council for Exceptional Children will soon be underway. Ballots are sent via electronic and snail mail. Cast an informed ballot by reading candidates bio-sketches for each position at the CEC elections page HERE!
The election for executive board members of the Council for Exceptional Children will soon be underway. Ballots are sent via electronic and snail mail. Cast an informed ballot by reading candidates bio-sketches for each position at the CEC elections page HERE!
Massachusetts Transitions Licensure Endorsement Guidelines Published.
The need for special education teachers and vocational rehabilitation counselors to gain practical experience in working with transition-age students and to understand the transition process from school to work and adult life is an integral component of the Transition Specialist Endorsement. Diverse and varied field-based experiences build upon the knowledge and skills acquired in the coursework, and provide the range of practical experience necessary to learn about local school/district college and career readiness initiatives, other agencies and community-based systems critical to the transition planning process.
Read the complete guidelines HERE:
The need for special education teachers and vocational rehabilitation counselors to gain practical experience in working with transition-age students and to understand the transition process from school to work and adult life is an integral component of the Transition Specialist Endorsement. Diverse and varied field-based experiences build upon the knowledge and skills acquired in the coursework, and provide the range of practical experience necessary to learn about local school/district college and career readiness initiatives, other agencies and community-based systems critical to the transition planning process.
Read the complete guidelines HERE:
Massachusetts Autism Commission Final Report Now Available!
The Special Commission Relative to Autism was established by Legislative Resolve and approved by Governor Deval Patrick on April 22, 2010. The Mission of the bipartisan Commission was “To investigate and study current support and services, identify gaps and make recommendations for strategies that will support the development of appropriate, collaborative and timely supports and services across the lifespan of individuals on the [autism] spectrum.”
The mission charged the Commission to focus on:
GET THE FULL AND ABBREVIATED REPORTS HERE!
The Special Commission Relative to Autism was established by Legislative Resolve and approved by Governor Deval Patrick on April 22, 2010. The Mission of the bipartisan Commission was “To investigate and study current support and services, identify gaps and make recommendations for strategies that will support the development of appropriate, collaborative and timely supports and services across the lifespan of individuals on the [autism] spectrum.”
The mission charged the Commission to focus on:
- Best practices
- Increased coordination among state agencies
- Maximization of federal reimbursement and other resources
- Approaches to better serve individuals on the spectrum and their families
GET THE FULL AND ABBREVIATED REPORTS HERE!
Support Special Education Licensure Endorsement initiatives!
AN ACT TO INCREASE CAPACITY TO ADDRESS THE
COMPLEX NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM
House Bill 344
Lead sponsor: Representative Bradley
The endorsement will address the specific competencies needed for teachers to address the complex and unique needs of students with autism. Starting in 2016, IEP Teams for students with autism would include a teacher with an Autism Endorsement to ensure that the school can fully address the complex communication, behavioral, sensory, social, and academics needs of youth in the least restrictive environment.
GET THE FACT SHEET FROM MASSACHUSETTS ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN HERE!
Springfield 9th Grade English Teacher Named 2014 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year
SPRINGFIELD – A Springfield Central High School English language arts teacher, who went off to college aspiring to become a screenwriter but instead discovered her calling to teach, today was honored with the state's top award for educators. Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester used the occasion of Tuesday's National Teacher Day to name Anne Marie Bettencourt as the 2014 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year. Bettencourt, who lives in Hatfield, is the state's 52nd recipient of this award and automatically becomes the state's candidate for the National Teacher of the Year Program.
"Anne Marie’s passion and commitment exemplify the kind of teacher that should be in every classroom in the Commonwealth," said Governor Deval Patrick. "Her dedication to teaching is an inspiration. Teachers like Anne Marie understand the stake we have in the next generation, and are why our students lead the nation.”
Read the whole story in this Massachusetts DESE press release: http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=7441
"Anne Marie’s passion and commitment exemplify the kind of teacher that should be in every classroom in the Commonwealth," said Governor Deval Patrick. "Her dedication to teaching is an inspiration. Teachers like Anne Marie understand the stake we have in the next generation, and are why our students lead the nation.”
Read the whole story in this Massachusetts DESE press release: http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=7441
CEC National Conference
Save the date for the CEC 2014 Convention & Expo in Philadelphia, the premier professional development event for special and gifted education. Thousands of special education teachers, administrators, researchers, professors and students from around the world will discuss pressing issues and share information in areas such as Common Core State Standards, administration, autism, co-teaching and collaboration, emotional and behavior disorders, instructional strategies for math, reading, and science, policy, technology and response to intervention. The CEC Convention & Expo offers hundreds of educational sessions conducted by leading experts and endless opportunities to network with others working with children and youth with exceptionalities and their families. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about new and pending legislation and explore cutting-edge products and services in the exhibit hall. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW! IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Tell Congress to Protect Education Funding!
We want to show Congress that the needs of our children are important to us by flooding the hill with messages asking Congress to stop cuts to education and other programs that are vital to children and youth with disabilities, their families and the professionals who work with them.
How Can You Help? Send a letter to your members of Congress, and then click over to CEC's Resources page to make your voice heard. CEC has sample tweets, Facebook posts, an op-ed and sample email text. Send a letter and tell your friends and colleagues about the need to stand up for children and youth with disabilities TODAY! NCLD's Score Card for Massachusetts
NCLD's Score Cards Released NPR's recent story about adults with disabilities |
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