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Subscribe to the AB SEPAC Newsletter – Subscribe to the AB SEPAC newsletter to receive updates regarding special education and disability-related issues impacting students in the ABRSD. This is the AB SEPAC’s primary way of reaching caregivers with news, events, and resources. Please email abrsdsepac@gmail.com with any questions. You can also follow us on Facebook.

NEW DATE 3/13 Acton-Boxborough SEPAC Business Meeting – Join the AB SEPAC on Wednesday, 3/13, at 7 p.m. over Zoom for our next business meeting. We will hear updates from the Director and Assistant Director of Special Education, discuss advocacy regarding the district’s FY25 budget gap, and talk about other issues pertaining to students with disabilities in our schools.
LINK TO MEETING AGENDA & PACKET
To join the meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87969721432
Meeting ID: 879 6972 1432

3/25 Basic Rights: Evaluation & Eligibility – On Monday, 3/25, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., the Acton-Boxborough SEPAC with the ABRSD Special Education Department will host a free online basic rights presentation from the Federation for Children with Special Needs. Topics will include referrals, evaluations, and the team meeting process, including determining special education eligibility.  Further discussion will focus on services, placement, and what to do when you receive a proposed IEP. You will also learn what to do if a student is not found eligible and the procedural due process rights for resolving disputes. Click here to register.

3/27 & 4/24 Acton-Boxborough New IEP Form Webinars – The MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has a new Individualized Education Program (IEP) form for the first time in over 20 years. Acton-Boxborough will begin implementing the new form in September 2024 as required by the state. The ABRSD Special Education Department with the AB SEPAC will host [2] recorded webinars this spring about the new MA IEP form. The first webinar on 3/27 from 3-4 p.m. will discuss what is the same about the new form. The second webinar on 4/24 from 3-4 p.m. will go over what is different about the new form. Questions can be emailed in advance to abrsdsepac@gmail.com.

To attend the webinars:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81338564818
Webinar ID: 813 3856 4818

Want to learn more in the meantime? The Lurie Center at Mass General has published this fact sheet about the new IEP form. You can view a recording of their presentation about the form here. [While the webinar highlights autism, the material is relevant to all disability types.]

*UPDATED* FY25 Budget Override, Cuts & Action Items – The AB SEPAC is tracking proposed cuts to special education and those impacting students with disabilities in potential Acton tax override scenarios. The Superintendent presented the preliminary FY25 “A” and “B” budgets at the 1/18/24 School Committee meeting. The “A” budget has $2M in projected cuts should an Acton override pass. The “B” budget projects the full $9.5M cuts should an override fail. Passing the override is critical to the future of our schools. Those interested in getting involved in the campaign to help pass an override should visit togetherforacton.org. The override must pass the Acton town election on 4/30/24 AND at the Acton town meeting on 5/6/24. The Boxborough town meeting is on 5/13/24.

The district has a website with information about the FY25 budget. School Committee meeting recordings are available online at ActonTV. The School Committee’s Budget Saturday on 2/10/24 included a presentation regarding special education. That recording can be found here.

Acton-Boxborough FY25 Budget FAQ – The Acton-Boxborough Regional School District is forecasting a $9.5M budget gap in the coming fiscal year. Please see the district’s FY25 Budget Page for more information. In brief, there are limited new revenues coming into the district, reserves have been depleted, and costs in critical areas like health insurance have increased at an exponential rate. The SEPAC annually monitors the budget process. We have developed an FY25 FAQ document regarding special education and the budget. This will be updated as needed.

*NEW* Federal Assistive Technology Guidance – Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), every time an IEP Team meets to develop, review, or revise a student’s IEP, they are required to factor whether the child needs Assistive Technology (AT) devices and services. Here are some examples of AT by disability type. The US Department of Education has issued a new “Dear Colleague” letter and accompanying guidance with myths and facts about AT devices and services. You have the right to request an Assistive Technology evaluation to help determine what is appropriate for your student to access their education.

Autism Recommendations to the ABRSD In June 2023, the AB SEPAC sought feedback from parents/guardians of students with Autism in the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District. The AB SEPAC’s goals were to establish 1) what is currently working well for families and 2) what would help to improve programming and services for students with Autism. Many of these best practices are already incorporated in some schools and programs. The AB SEPAC seeks the broader adoption of these practices as appropriate for individual students given the wide range of needs represented in the Autism disability category. Click here to access the AB SEPAC Autism Recommendations.

Elementary IEP Progress Reporting – After years of advocacy, the AB SEPAC is happy to announce that starting in 2023-2024 all in-district elementary school students with IEPs will receive IEP progress reports three times per year, in December, March, and June. IEP progress reports are to be issued concurrently with general education report cards. Because some A-B elementary schools do not issue gen ed report cards, students in those buildings previously only received two IEP progress reports per year while others received three. This change brings consistency and equity to the process.

Save the Dates! 2023-2024 AB SEPAC Business Meetings – The Acton-Boxborough SEPAC will meet at 7 p.m. on the following Wednesdays during the coming school year: September 20 (RJ Grey library), October 18 (RJ Grey library), November 15 (Zoom), December 6 (RJ Grey library), January 17 (Zoom), February 7 (RJ Grey library), March 13 (Zoom), April 3 (RJ Grey library), May 1 (Zoom), June 5 annual meeting & officer elections (Parker Damon library).

The Zoom information for all remote meetings is the same:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87969721432
Meeting ID: 879 6972 1432

Additional meetings may be added as needed. *Why Wednesdays? As an advisory committee to the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee, AB SEPAC business meetings are scheduled to respond in a timely fashion to items before the ABRSC.

Basic Rights Webinar – Missed our annual Basic Rights in Special Education workshop? Need information now about how to navigate the special ed process or your rights as an IEP team member? You can watch a recorded version of the presentation from the Parent Training and Information Center at the Federation for Children with Special Needs here. The SEPAC has printed Basic Rights material available in English. Translated recordings are posted on the FCSN site.

Donate

      Donate through our 501(c)(3) to help us provide quality speakers, workshops, and social events for our community. To give, please send a check payable to “Friends of AB SEPAC” c/o Erica Abbruzzese, 7 Madison Lane, Acton, MA 01720. Thank you for your support!

Get Involved

  • The AB SEPAC has two email lists, one for news about upcoming events and activities, the other for direct communication between parents/guardians of children with disabilities.
  • To become more involved, please see our volunteer page.
  • For further information about the AB SEPAC, contact us at abrsdsepac@gmail.com.