What Effective Systems Change Looks Like — and How Michigan Can Get There
This is post #3 in the MiPAAC: Reimagining Special Education Series
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November 26, 2025
In our last post, we explored why support alone isn’t enough in special education. Today, we focus on what system-changing allyship actually looks like — and how it can transform outcomes for Michigan students with disabilities.
Effective allyship in special education shifts the question from:
“How can I help this student or family?”
to
“How do we fix the system that made help necessary in the first place?”
System-changing allies:
Confront root causes — including chronic underfunding, inaccessible instruction, inequitable discipline, and lack of accountability. Challenge policies that create barriers to inclusion and access to appropriate services. Advocate for transparent data that illuminates inequities instead of hiding them. Lift up lived experience — not as anecdotes, but as critical evidence for reform. Build coalitions uniting families, advocates, educators, and policymakers to drive meaningful change. Push for outcomes that matter — not just paperwork compliance. Design processes where parents and educators are true, empowered partners in shaping policy and practice.
These are not performative gestures.
These are deliberate actions that shift condition for millions of students — creating systems where families don’t have to fight for the supports their children are legally guaranteed, and where educators are empowered to deliver instruction that truly meets student needs.
MiPAAC, powered by the Autism Alliance of Michigan, we are committed to driving these system-level reforms across Michigan:
Funding aligned with actual student needs Transparent, actionable data Authentic family partnership Policies that prioritize outcomes over compliance This is what real allyship looks like — and this is how we get closer to fulfilling IDEA’s promise for every child in Michigan.