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Autism Alliance of Michigan presents public comment on Why Michigan must Act on Special Education Finance Reform (Dec 2025)

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. […]

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Michigan’s First Special Education Benchmark Report Reveals Statewide Gaps and a Path Forward

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

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Special Education Day – December 2, 2025

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).

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AAoM and MiPAAC — Honoring the Legacy and Impact of IDEA at 50

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

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Autism Alliance submits public comments on Michigan’s Waiver Request to Exceed 1% Cap on Alternate Assessment in 2025-26

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

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A Call to Action — Celebrating IDEA’s 50th Anniversary by Driving Change

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

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From Awareness to Action — How Families, Advocates, and Educators Can Drive Change Together

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

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What Effective Systems Change Looks Like — and How Michigan Can Get There

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.

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Why Systems Change — and What Makes It Effective

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

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Effective Allies in Special Education Don’t Just Offer Support — They Change Systems

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

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Autism Alliance of Michigan presents Public Comment on National Assessment Governing Board Committee and Quarterly Board Meeting (Nov 2025)

Autism Alliance of Michigan Public Comment Angela Scott, Chief Data Officer: National Assessment Governing Board Submitted via email: Angela.Scott@ed.gov November 13, 2025 Read here: Autism Alliance of Michigan Makes Public Comment on NAEP Agenda for November Meeting RE: Public Comment on National Assessment Governing Board Committee and Quarterly Board Meetings (Federal Register Document 2025–19704) Dear Ms.

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MiPAAC @ 5 Years: Advocacy in Action

Are you a parent, advocate, or attorney dedicated to student-centered advocacy? Join MiPAAC! mipaac.org/join-mipaac 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

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Michigan Unveils Blueprint for to Build a Fair, Student-Centered Special Education Funding System

Developed under legislative direction, the Michigan Special Education Finance Reform Blueprint offers a Michigan-made roadmap for fair, transparent, and needs-based funding that better supports students with disabilities. LANSING, Mich. — October 30, 2025. Michigan’s special education system has long been underfunded and inequitable, leaving students with disabilities and their schools without the resources they need.

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One Year Later – Reflections on the SEE Survey & Advocacy Priorities

One Year Later – Reflections on the SEE Survey & Advocacy Priorities Elevating lived experience, identifying system barriers, and amplifying voices of parents & students with disabilities Special Education Experience (SEE) Survey: Report to the Community On October 24, 2024, the Autism Alliance of Michigan (AAoM) released the Statewide Special Education Experience (SEE) Survey: Report

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Autism Alliance of Michigan presents public comment calling for the Modernizing Special Education Finance Through the MI Blueprint (Oct 2025)

Autism Alliance of Michigan Public Comment State Board of Education October 14, 2025 Read here: 2025.1014 Autism Alliance Public Comment_State Board of Ed_MI Blueprint 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

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Autism Alliance of Michigan offers public comment to State Board of Education on Complaint Reform and Systemic Solutions (Sept 2025)

Autism Alliance of Michigan Public Comment State Board of Education September 9, 2025 Read here: 2025.0909 Autism Alliance Public Comment_State Board of Ed_State Complaints 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

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Autism Alliance shares Imperatives for selecting the State Superintendent (August 2025)

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)

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Autism Alliance Public Comment to the State Board of Education calls for End of Harmful Seclusion and Restraint (August 2025)

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  Access: 2025 AAoM_Policy Brief_Seclusion & Restraint RE: Ending

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Michigan Advance | Commentary – It’s time to fund Special Education based on what students actually need (August 2025)

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

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Bridge Michigan | Opinion – What Michigan needs in its next superintendent of public instruction (July 2025)

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

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