Autism Alliance of Michigan Statement on FY24 School Aid Budget The Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) applauds the $310 million special education increase in the state’s record-breaking school aid budget. The increase prioritizes equitable education and brings the total special education budget over $2 billion, an important step toward investing in the future of our […]

AAOM engaged Public Sector Consultants to administer survey Data includes interview and small-group discussion responses from individuals with autism, advocates and subject matter experts representing K-12 organizations Media Advisory Autism Alliance of Michigan Education Stakeholder Engagement: A Qualitative Analysis & Summary of Stakeholder Interviews The Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) partnered with Public Sector Consultants […]

Citing a pattern of failures, federal education officials are issuing new guidance pressuring states to improve their oversight of special education programs. Ed Department Tells States to Step Up IDEA Compliance The 45-page document released this week by the U.S. Department of Education outlines steps that states should take to enhance their monitoring of IDEA and ensure […]

How the States Stack Up: 2023 IDEA State Determinations from The Advocacy Institute The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires ED to annually assign every state a “rating” on its implementation of IDEA, based on the state’s performance on its State Performance Plan (SPP). The 2023 determinations are based on performance for fiscal year […]

Autism Alliance of Michigan — Comments to Proposed Amendments to Michigan ESSA Plan Public Comment on Proposed Revisions to the Michigan ESSA Plan Dear Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice: The Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) respectfully submits our commentsrelated to the proposed revisions to the Michigan ESSA Plan. AAoM is a statewide nonprofit with a mission […]

PRESS RELEASE: U.S. Department of Education Confirms Michigan Graduation Rate for Students with Disabilities among Worst in the Nation Leaving high school with a diploma is the capstone event of any student’s K-12 career. For IDEA-eligible students, this should be the goal. Yet for too many Michigan students with disabilities, accomplishing this goal is not […]

What Does the Perez Supreme Court Decision Mean for Students? Contributed by: Dorene Philpot, Esp. There is big news in the special education world due to a recent ruling (March 2023) from the U.S. Supreme Court involving a deaf Michigan child, which reversed a Sixth Circuit decision. In Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools, (Docket 21-887, […]

PRESS RELEASE: Michigan Slow To Comply With Federal Education Law The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (the current version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the nation’s Federal education law,) imposes a cap on the percentage of students with disabilities who can take the Michigan’s alternate assessment, known as the MI-Access. Specifically, students taking […]