Massachusetts Advocates For Children Inc

MASSACHUSETTS ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN, INC. ("MAC") IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO REMOVING BARRIERS TO EDUCATIONAL AND LIFE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH. WE DO SO BY ADVOCATING FOR AND PARTNERING WITH STUDENTS AND FAMILIES; TRANSFORMING SCHOOL CULTURES TO BE INCLUSIVE, SAFE AND SUPPORTIVE; AND CREATING SYSTEMIC CHANGE SO ALL CHILDREN AND YOUTH CAN LEARN, REACH THEIR POTENTIAL, AND THRIVE. WE FOCUS OUR ADVOCACY ON CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO FACE SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS, INEQUITIES, AND/OR DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF THEIR ECONOMIC STATUS, DISABILITY, RACE, ETHNICITY/CULTURE, IMMIGRATION STATUS, ENGLISH LEARNER STATUS, AND/OR TRAUMATIC LIFE EXPERIENCES.

PROGRAM 1: CHILDREN'S LAW SUPPORT PROJECT (CLSP) AND THE TRAUMA AND LEARNING POLICY INITIATIVE (TLPI)A. THE CHILDREN'S LAW SUPPORT PROJECT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS THAT ARE CENTRAL TO THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF MAC:1. PROVISION OF STATEWIDE LEGAL ADVOCACY ON PRIORITY ISSUES AFFECTING LOW INCOME CHILDREN AND LEGAL SUPPORT TO THE NETWORK OF CIVIL LEGAL AID ORGANIZATIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS.2. THE HELPLINE FOR PARENTS AND OTHERS TO CALL AND SEEK LEGAL ADVICE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR CHILDREN WHOSE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND RIGHTS ARE BEING DENIED.3. RECRUITMENT AND SUPPORT OF PRO BONO ATTORNEYS AND EDUCATION ADVOCATES TO REPRESENT PARENTS OR PROVIDE TRAININGS ON EDUCATION MATTERS RELATED TO SPECIAL EDUCATION OR SCHOOL DISCIPLINE.4. THE TRAUMA AND LEARNING POLICY INITIATIVE (TLPI), A JOINT PROJECT WITH HARVARD LAW SCHOOL, TO ENABLE CHILDREN AFFECTED BY TRAUMA TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL.B. THESE ARE THE LONG-TERM GOALS OF THE OVERALL PROJECT:1. TO PROMOTE A COMPREHENSIVE CHILDREN'S LEGAL AGENDA TO ADDRESS THE INTERRELATED NEEDS OF CHILDREN THROUGH SYSTEMIC ADVOCACY AND COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO FURTHER THIS WORK AND AVOID DUPLICATION OF SERVICES.2. TO PROVIDE EXCELLENT LEGAL ADVICE AND REPRESENTATION TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES. 3. TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, MENTORING, TRAINING AND INFORMATION UPDATES TO PRO BONO AND LEGAL SERVICES ATTORNEYS4. TO KEEP CHILDREN IN SCHOOL AND LEARNING AND REDUCE THEIR RISK FOR ENTERING THE "SCHOOL-TO-PRISON" PIPELINE BY REDUCING SCHOOL EXCLUSIONS AS A FORM OF SCHOOL DISCIPLINE. 5. TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN IMPACTED BY THE TRAUMA OF FAMILY VIOLENCE AND OTHER ADVERSE EXPERIENCES SUCCEED IN SCHOOL 6. TO ASSURE THAT SCHOOLS IN MASSACHUSETTS WILL CHANGE THEIR CULTURE TO BECOME SAFE, SUPPORTIVE AND TRAUMA SENSITIVE.

PROGRAM 2: DISABILITY EDUCATION JUSTICE INITIATIVE (DEJI)A. THE DISABILITY EDUCATION JUSTICE INITIATIVE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS THAT ARE CENTRAL TO THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF MAC:1. THE AUTISM SPECIAL EDUCATION LEGAL SUPPORT CENTER TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL CASE ADVOCACY, PARENT AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND SYSTEMIC ADVOCACY THAT IMPROVES EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM.2. STATEWIDE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY TO PROTECT AND EXPAND THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES.3. ADVOCACY TO IMPROVE SPECIAL EDUCATION TRANSITION SERVICES, INCLUDING THE BOSTON SPECIAL EDUCATION TRANSITION (B-SET) PROJECT, THE MASSACHUSETTS INCLUSIVE CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT INITIATIVE (MAICEI) TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO PUBLIC COLLEGES TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE SEVERE AUTISM OR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, AND THE YOUNG ADULT LEADERS FELLOWSHIP.4. PROYECTO ACCESO A LA EDUCACIN ESPECIAL TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL CASE ADVOCACY, PARENT AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND SYSTEMIC ADVOCACY TO BENEFIT LATINO FAMILIES (MANY OF WHOM ARE IMMIGRANTS) OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM AND OTHER DISABILITIES.5. THE SOMERVILLE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY PROJECT TO IMPROVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES FOR SOMERVILLE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. B. THESE ARE THE LONG-TERM GOALS OF THE OVERALL PROJECT:1. TO PROMOTE POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT ENHANCE EDUCATION, POTENTIAL, INCLUSION, AND SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO ADULT LIFE FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH A COLLABORATION OF DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS. 2. TO PLAY A LEADERSHIP ROLE AS STATEWIDE ADVOCATE PROTECTING AND EXPANDING SPECIAL EDUCATION RIGHTS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES3. TO PROVIDE PARENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE ISOLATED BY LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL BARRIERS, OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM INFORMATION ABOUT STATE-OF-THE-ART SERVICES AND PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO FULLY MEET THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, BASED ON A PRESUMPTION OF COMPETENCE.4. TO PROVIDE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND EDUCATORS WITH INFORMATION ENABLING THEM TO USE SPECIAL EDUCATION LAWS AND PROCEDURES THAT ENSURE PROVISION OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES WHICH REFLECT COMPETENCY AND POTENTIAL OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM;5.TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN WITH AUTISM RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS NECESSARY TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL IN ALL AREAS IMPACTED BY THEIR DISABILITY, INCLUDING ACADEMIC, COMMUNICATION, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND VOCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT; AND6. TO INCREASE PUBLIC AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE POTENTIAL AND COMPETENCY OF INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM, TARGETING POLICY MAKERS, EDUCATORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC.7. TO INCREASE SELF-ADVOCACY SKILLS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE WITH AUTISM OR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.

PROGRAM 3: RACIAL EQUITY AND ACCESS PROJECT (REAP) AND BOSTON SPECIAL EDUCATION A. THE REAP AND BOSTON SPECIAL EDUCATION INITIATIVES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS THAT ARE CENTRAL TO THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF MAC:1. ADVOCACY WITH THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS (BPS) TO PROVIDE EQUITY AND EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION TO ALL CHILDREN, SO THAT ALL STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE LOW-INCOME, RACIALLY DIVERSE, LIMITED ENGLISH SPEAKING AND WITH DISABILITIES, CAN SUCCEED. 2. ADVOCACY WITH THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO IMPROVE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. B. THESE ARE THE LONG-TERM GOALS OF THE OVERALL PROJECT:1. TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE RACIAL/ETHNIC AND PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENT AND OPPORTUNITY GAPS IN BPS.2. TO DEVELOP PARENT AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP FROM BOSTON'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES TO JOIN ADVOCACY EFFORTS AND TAKE ACTION ON EDUCATION REFORM MATTERS. 3. TO IMPROVE BPS SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND SUPPORTS SO THAT CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WILL HAVE BETTER EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES AND WILL BE PREPARED FOR FURTHER EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND/OR INDEPENDENT LIVING.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES: SOMERVILLE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY PROJECT (SSEAP)A. GOALIMPROVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES FOR SOMERVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENTS.B. HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE YEAR-SUPPORTED IDENTIFIED LATINX PARENTS TO CONVENE MONTHLY MEETINGS OF SPANISH-SPEAKING FAMILIES IN SOMERVILLE REGARDING SPECIAL EDUCATION.-SUPPORTED THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOMERVILLE PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL