Autism Alliance provides public comment to the State Board of Education on the Special Education Experience Survey (March 11, 2025)
Autism Alliance of Michigan Public Comment
State Board of Education
March 11, 2025
Read here: 2025.0311 Autism Alliance Public Comment_State Board of Ed_Special Education Experience Survey
Good afternoon board members, Superintendent, and department staff.
The Autism Alliance Education pillar advances a Whole Child vision for Michigan by catalyzing advocacy and engagement activities to move an equitable education agenda for children and youth with special education needs focused on funding reform, appropriate identification, access to interventions, system accountability, and decreasing disparities.
I am here before you again this month to continue providing public comment on the relevant findings of the Special Education Experience (SEE) Survey which serves to elevate lived experience, identify system barriers, and amplify the voices of parents and students with disabilities who have engaged with the special education system in Michigan to inform collective advocacy efforts. bit.ly/AAOM-SEE
Today’s board agenda item related to Strategic Education Plan Goal 5: Increase the Percentage of Students that Graduate High School – Focusing on Graduation Rates aligns with the Autism Alliance’s vision for education in working to move Michigan to become a Top 10 state in preparing students with disabilities for the most independent life possible through accessible, high-quality, and inclusive education opportunities.
The Autism Alliance’s strategic framework has set a 10-year goal to advocate for systemic improvements that will result in the high-school graduation rate for students with disabilities to be on par (the same as) their nondisabled peers.
Based on review of the outcome data and trends over time, we have a lot of work to do in Michigan.
While we applaud the recent announcement of record high graduation rates, sadly, families of students with disabilities do not see this achievement as a shared one.
While the state’s graduation rate for students without disabilities was 86 percent, the rate for students with disabilities was just 61 percent – a gap of 25 percentage points.
Regarding students with disabilities, Michigan has the opportunity to improve one of the lowest graduation rates and largest graduation rate gaps of any state in the nation. This stark statistic (Michigan has third lowest graduation rate in nation for students with disabilities) was reported in the Detroit News in July 2023.
As the overall student population in public schools has been in decline, the proportion of students being found eligible to receive special education services has increased – this is a consistent trend both nationally and in Michigan (with autism being one of the fastest growing prevalence areas). As of last school year, 217,569 students (14.6%) were counted under the special education population. These are just the students who were identified. We hear from families almost daily of the challenges and barriers they face to school districts upholding their affirmative obligation under the ‘Child Find’ mandate to locate and evaluate children suspected of having disabilities in order for them to receive the services and supports they need.
From https://www.mischooldata.org/special-education-data-portraits-disability
This is a call to action – Michigan must do better for students with disabilities.
We need strong leadership in our state willing to confront honest information about the evidence of outcomes for ALL students in our public schools. And, we need the courage to act with a sense of urgency.
The Autism Alliance of Michigan calls all state leaders and policymakers to address the dismal graduation rate of students with disabilities.
Recommended activities include:
- Establish aggressive multi-year graduation goals designed to close the gap between students with disabilities and those without disabilities;
- Institute an early warning system to better identify and address the needs of students with disabilities;
- Provide additional resources to the state’s parent center and disability organizations to support parent-focused activities.
We want Michigan to move from the bottom to the top in special education access, opportunities, and outcomes. In order to do that, we must align efforts toward reimagining how our system serves kids with disabilities from PreK through post-secondary.
Read the SEE Survey report here: bit.ly/AAOM-SEE
View the March 11, 2025 Michigan State Board of Education meeting –
public comment is at the start of the afternoon session:
- Michigan State Board of Education Meeting for March 11, 2025 – Morning Session
- Michigan State Board of Education Meeting for March 11, 2025 – Afternoon Session
About the Autism Alliance of Michigan
The Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) is a 501(c)(3) organization serving as a trusted ally and partner for thousands of families across the state. AAoM’s mission is to lead efforts to raise expectations and expand opportunities for people connected to autism across their lifespan. The organization’s Education pillar drives initiatives that address systemic barriers to education, focuses on student-centered advocacy, and educates families on related topics – working towards its goal to make Michigan a top 10 state for special education outcomes. For help finding resources, providers and information contact our AAoM Navigators at 877-463-2266 (AAOM) or email at navigator@aaomi.org. More information about AAoM’s Education pillar can be found at www.autismallianceofmichigan.org/education-initiatives.
###
Are you a parent, advocate, or attorney dedicated to student-centered advocacy?
Join MiPAAC! mipaac.org/join-mipaac