Autism Alliance of Michigan Public Comment State Board of Education December 9, 2025 Read here: 2025.1209 Autism Alliance Public Comment_Special Education Benchmark Report and Finance Reform Good afternoon Board members, Superintendent Maleyko, and Department staff. My name is Heather Eckner and I serve as the statewide director of education for the Autism Alliance of Michigan. […]
Findings reveal uneven access and outcomes across Michigan’s special education system and establish a baseline for long-term progress. December 3, 2025 LANSING, Mich. — The Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) today released the 2025 Michigan Special Education Benchmark Report, the first statewide analysis of how Michigan’s public education system is serving students with disabilities. The […]
Special Education Day 50th Anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Publication date: December 2, 2025 Governor Whitmer proclaims December 2nd Special Education in Michigan (2025) In 1975, President Gerald Ford signed into law the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142), now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). […]
AAoM and MiPAAC — Honoring the Legacy and Impact of IDEA at 50 November 29, 2025 Today marks 50 years since President Gerald Ford signed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act — the landmark law that later became the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A Legacy We Must Protect and Strengthen Before […]
Advocacy in Action: holding systems accountable 2025.1128 AAoM Public Comment on Michigan One Percent Alternate Assessment Waiver AAoM submitted public comments via the Online Survey link provided on the MDE site (1% Participation Cap on Alternate Assessment: Information and Justification Forms), per its stated process. AAoM also submitted our organization’s comments via email (MDE-OSE-Public-Comment@Michigan.gov ) as […]
A Call to Action — Celebrating IDEA’s 50th Anniversary by Driving Change This is post #5 in the MiPAAC: Reimagining Special Education Series Are you a parent, advocate, or attorney dedicated to student-centered advocacy? Join MiPAAC! mipaac.org/join-mipaac November 28, 2025 This year marks 50 years of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) — a […]
From Awareness to Action — How Families, Advocates, and Educators Can Drive Change Together This is post #4 in the MiPAAC: Reimagining Special Education Series Are you a parent, advocate, or attorney dedicated to student-centered advocacy? Join MiPAAC! mipaac.org/join-mipaac November 27, 2025 Over the past few posts, we’ve explored why good intentions aren’t enough, why […]
What Effective Systems Change Looks Like — and How Michigan Can Get There This is post #3 in the MiPAAC: Reimagining Special Education Series Are you a parent, advocate, or attorney dedicated to student-centered advocacy? Join MiPAAC! mipaac.org/join-mipaac November 26, 2025 In our last post, we explored why support alone isn’t enough in special education. […]
Why Systems Change — and What Makes It Effective This is post #2 in the MiPAAC: Reimagining Special Education Series Are you a parent, advocate, or attorney dedicated to student-centered advocacy? Join MiPAAC! mipaac.org/join-mipaac November 25, 2025 In yesterday’s post, we shared why true allyship in special education requires more than good intentions — it […]
Effective Allies in Special Education Don’t Just Offer Support — They Change Systems This is our first post in the MiPAAC: Reimagining Special Education Series Are you a parent, advocate, or attorney dedicated to student-centered advocacy? Join MiPAAC! mipaac.org/join-mipaac November 24, 2025 In school systems, we often talk about “supporting families,” “helping students,” and “advocating […]