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This month marks five years since the Michigan Parent, Advocate & Attorney Coalition (MiPAAC) was founded—five years of building community, amplifying voices, and advancing systems change to ensure equitable education for all students with disabilities across Michigan. What began as a grassroots network of parents and advocates has grown into a statewide coalition of more than 400 members, united around a shared mission: to create a high-quality, inclusive education system where every student can thrive.
A milestone year of advocacy and impact
MiPAAC’s fifth anniversary carries special significance—it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the landmark federal law that guarantees students with disabilities the right to a free appropriate public education. Together, these anniversaries symbolize both how far we’ve come and the work still ahead to protect and uphold the civil rights of students with disabilities in every Michigan community.
This month, we also celebrated a landmark achievement:
On October 30, 2025,the Michigan Special Education Finance Reform Blueprint was released. This comprehensive, Michigan-built roadmap proposes a fair, transparent, and student-centered funding model that supports students with disabilities based on what they need, not where they live.
“Michigan has long promised opportunity for all students, but for hundreds of thousands of students with disabilities, those promises remain unfulfilled,” said Heather Eckner, Director of Statewide Education at the Autism Alliance of Michigan and one of the MI Blueprint project leads. “This Blueprint turns those promises into action by creating a system that finally funds services based on student needs, not ZIP codes.”
As MiPAAC member and Blueprint collaborator Marissa Brizzolara shared:
“My child is not more deserving of an accommodation than another student with comparable support needs based on his address, and that is essentially what is happening right now. There is just not a defense for allowing that to continue.”
Marissa’s words capture the heart of MiPAAC’s mission—to make special education equitable, transparent, and accountable so that every child in Michigan can learn, grow, and succeed regardless of where they live.
Advocacy in Action
Since its inception, MiPAAC has served as a driving force in Michigan’s special education landscape. Through collaboration, coalition-building, and policy advocacy, our members have:
- Empowered families to navigate complex systems and assert their rights.
- Brought the voice of lived experience to state-level decision-making tables.
- Helped shape landmark reforms to funding and accountability structures.
- Built a community rooted in shared purpose and collective power.
Our coalition’s strength has always been in our shared purpose.
As Heather Eckner reflects:
“Always know your WHY. This is it. Being able to engage in transformative work that has impact on a population scale is mine. It’s what drives me to continue to be a positive disruption to systems that discount, exclude, and push out those who are our most vulnerable. Our strength is in our shared aims—let’s keep lighting those fires to disrupt barriers by bridging & building our advocacy power TOGETHER.”
Celebrate with us at the 2025 Special Education Advocacy Summit
To mark this milestone, MiPAAC will host a three-day Summit in Lansing, December 1–3, 2025, a unique opportunity to connect, learn, and take action alongside advocates, parents, and policymakers from across Michigan.
Register here: https://mipaac.org/special-education-advocacy-summit/
From the Schoolhouse to the Statehouse
Three Days of Impactful Programming
Monday, December 1 – Community Reception @ Lansing Brewing Company
Kick off the Summit by connecting with fellow advocates, parents, and partners in a casual networking setting.
Tuesday, December 2 – Special Education Day at the Capitol @ Anderson House Building, Lansing
Meet with legislators to raise your voice for equitable special education funding–coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Wednesday, December 3 – Advocacy Summit & Benchmark Report Release @ Lansing Community College
A full day of learning, strategy, and collaboration featuring the debut of Michigan’s first-ever Special Education Benchmark Report—a new tool to track progress, ensure accountability, and guide the next phase of reform.
Join us at the 2025 Special Education Advocacy Summit. Be part of the momentum as we write the next chapter in Michigan’s journey toward equity, inclusion, and accountability.
Shaping the next chapter
As MiPAAC enters its sixth year, our progress stands as a testament to the power of collective action. Together, we’ve tackled challenges, shared our stories, and amplified the voices of those too often left unheard. We remain steadfast in advancing equity, inclusion, and accountability in Michigan’s education system—and our work is far from over.
Growing our impact
With over 400 members strong, MiPAAC continues to amplify the family voices of students with disabilities across Michigan. If you’re passionate about advocacy and want to be part of a community driving real change, join our movement!
http://mipaac.org/join-mipaac/
As we celebrate five years of collective action, we also reflect on the insights gained from One Year Later – Reflections on the SEE Survey & Advocacy Priorities, which guide our ongoing efforts to address the most pressing needs identified by families and advocates.
Together, we can build momentum, create lasting change, and make a difference in the lives of students and families statewide.
#MiPAAC #SpecialEducationAdvocacy #DisabilityEducationJustice #EquityInEducation #IDEA #MiBlueprint #AdvocacyInAction