Autism Alliance of Michigan Public Comment State Board of Education October 14, 2025   Modernizing Special Education Finance Through the MI Blueprint:  An Imperative for Michigan Good afternoon, Board members, Interim Superintendent, and Department staff.  I’m Heather Eckner, and I serve as the statewide director of education for the Autism Alliance of Michigan. The Autism […]

Autism Alliance of Michigan Public Comment State Board of Education September 9, 2025 RE: Strengthening Special Education Through Complaint Reform & Systemic Solutions: Upholding Rights and Rebuilding Trust Good afternoon, board members, Superintendent, and department staff.  The Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) appreciates the opportunity to again provide public comment.  AAoM’s Education pillar advances a […]

Autism Alliance of Michigan Public Comment State Board of Education September 9, 2025 RE: Strengthening Special Education Through Complaint Reform & Systemic Solutions: Upholding Rights and Rebuilding Trust Good afternoon, board members, Superintendent, and department staff.  The Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) appreciates the opportunity to again provide public comment.  AAoM’s Education pillar advances a […]

August 18, 2025 Michigan Department of Education 608 W. Allegan Street P.O. Box 30008 Lansing, MI 48909 Read here: 2025.0818 Autism Alliance__Imperatives for selecting the State Superintendent RE: Imperative for the Selection of a Transformative State Superintendent Dear Members of the Michigan State Board of Education: On June 25, the Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) […]

Autism Alliance provides public comment to the State Board of Education calls for End of Harmful Seclusion and Restraint (August 12, 2025) Autism Alliance of Michigan Public Comment State Board of Education August 12, 2025 Read here: 2025.0812 Autism Alliance Public Comment_State Board of Ed_Seclusion and Restraint RE: Ending Harmful Seclusion and Restraint in Michigan […]

Commentary | It’s time to fund Special Education based on what students actually need by Dr. Scott Koenigsknecht August 5, 2025 As a parent of a child with a disability, a longtime educator, and an advocate for students with disabilities, I’ve seen firsthand how Michigan’s current special education funding system falls short. It falls short […]

Opinion | What Michigan needs in its next superintendent of public instruction by Heather Eckner July 7, 2025 As the Michigan State Board of Education selects our state’s next superintendent of public instruction, we find ourselves at a pivotal crossroads. With more than 1.4 million students across more than 800 public school districts, Michigan’s education […]

June 25, 2025 Michigan Department of Education 608 W. Allegan Street P.O. Box 30008 Lansing, MI 48909 Read here: 2025.0625 Autism Alliance Priorities and Considerations for State Superintendent RE: Priorities and Considerations for the Next State Superintendent Dear Members of the Michigan State Board of Education: On behalf of the Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM), […]

Autism Alliance provides public comment to the State Board of Education calls attention to Dropout Crisis for Students with Disabilities (June 10, 2025) Autism Alliance of Michigan Public Comment State Board of Education June 10, 2025 Read here: 2025.0610 Autism Alliance Public Comment_State Board of Ed_Students with Disabilities_Dropout Crisis  Good afternoon board members, Superintendent, and […]

Parents on Policy: Raising Our Voices, Driving Real Change at Mackinac and Beyond On May 29, 2025, parents, advocates, educators, and organizers gathered virtually for the 4th Annual Parents on Policy Town Hall, held alongside the Mackinac Policy Conference. This year’s theme, “The Equation for Impact: Bringing Parent Voices to the Mackinac Policy Conference”, captured […]