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Parents and Guardians are crucial to the special education process, but not all students with disabilities have a parent or guardian who is able to participate. Special Education Parent Surrogates fill the parent/guardian role on the IEP team and amplify the student’s voice in the special education process.

If you are experienced as a parent advocate, or would like to make a difference in the life of students with disabilities, consider applying to become a special education surrogate. Training and supervision are provided by the Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN).

Learn more from FCSN>>

On October 19, 2017, the SE PAC hosted a round table with the Office of Student Services (OSS).  Three representatives of Office of Student Services, led by Jean Spera, met with parents and caregivers. Topics covered included: recent MCAS results, the quality and size of physical spaces where special education programs are housed, the programs for children with language based learning disabilities and for children on the autism spectrum, supports for inclusion. Jean Spera reiterated the power of parent and caregiver advocacy and referenced the successful advocacy of the SE PAC in the district wide planning process.

Three representatives of Office of Student Services, led by Jean Spera, met with parents and caregivers. Updates from OSS:

• The SE PAC will be contacted soon about participation in the hiring of a permanent Deputy Superintendent for OSS
• In the meantime, OSS intends to continue the work started by Dr. Greer and maintain stability for students, families and teachers
• CAST (Universal Design) is being piloted in Morse school

Issues raised by attendees and OSS responses:

Children on IEPs are scoring far lower than any other sub group on MCAS.

JS responded that the school committee is discussing setting targets for all students and sub groups. Also, this is the first time CPS has a mandate from the superintendent on inclusive education and support from above. It’s a starting point to motivate action planning at the district level.

Children on IEPs are learning in sub-par physical spaces (example of special education students working in hallways)

JS agrees that space is a significant problem in the district and recommends that families advocate with building principals for appropriate spaces for special education programs.

Language based learning disabilities

Multiple parents asked about the language based learning disabilities program (why so few children are enrolled, why the space provided is inadequate, why there is no middle school program, why we don’t have better screening to identify children in need of services). One parent asked for a task force on language based learning difficulties in Cambridge.

JS responded that a program review will be done in the future and that parent advocacy is important. She indicated that a strong program was in place and that it may need to be nurtured. She also said that some parents do not want their children in the program and try to get their children out of the system instead. Screening would provide valuable information. Last year CPS trained 20 staff in Tier 1 Orton-Gillingham. This year there is a cohort doing the Tier 2 practicum.

How can parents and the SE-PAC strengthen to support OSS?

The barrier used to be at the level of OSS but appears to be at the building level now. JS commented that the SE-PAC’s advocacy on the district plan was helpful.

Inclusion

Some parents indicate that the general education side of the co-teaching teams are not prepared to educate students with disabilities and need additional Professional Development. Some general education teachers want to do better but do not feel they have the resources to meet the needs of all of their students.

JS mentioned that buy in from the school level administration is key for this. In response, one parent stated that the district should insist that everyone get on board with inclusion or be asked to leave.

Curriculum

Math curricula can be chosen at the teacher level. This is problematic because our children are likely to move from school to school. We should be advocating for citywide curriculum.

OSS wants to be involved in curriculum selection and was included in the selection of the math curriculum. OSS was not aware that the math curriculum was optional.

Lack of progress

If a child is not successful and is getting everything CPS offers, we cannot accept a lack of progress.

OSS replied that the goal is grade level standards but we have to meet students where they are. There are minimal barriers to resources, and teams have the option to make recommendations. The team chairs need to be aware of all the options they have.

The Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) sub separate program

Behavior management is trumping learning in the ASD programs. Many children are not accessing the curriculum.

OSS responded that there was a program review and that changes are underway. ACE curriculum and Teach Town will be implemented starting in November.

Out of district placements

A lot of money is being spent. Why can’t we improve our programs to meet the needs of these children? As we think about inclusion, how are we thinking about out of district placements?

JS said that the district has explored creating in district programs for some of these children, for example medically fragile children. CPS does not have enough children to fill a cohort in many cases. Also, space is a problem.

Advocacy

The suggestion was made that the SE PAC needs a platform with our points, and we need to sign off on them and train, workshop, organize.

Participants take home a three-ring binder, organizational supplies, and lots of ideas on ways to bring order to the mountains of paperwork related to their child’s medical and educational needs.

Sat, October 14, 2017
12:30 – 3:30 PM
Cambridge Citywide Senior Center
806 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139

 

Cambridge SE-PAC launched a new website during the 2017-18 School year. While some historical information and meeting minutes were moved from our previous website, much of it was not moved to the new format. Events and announcements before September 2017 are not comprehensive and do not include many valuable projects and programs organized by SE-PAC members.

We hope the new format makes up for these omissions.

Date: June 7, 2017
Location: Cambridge Rindge & Latin School

On Saturday, June 13, 2015 we held our annual meeting and election of SEPAC Officers.

Congratulations to the following individuals who were elected to represent the PAC for the 2015-16 school year.

Karen Dobak, Co-Chair

I am the mother of two children. My son is 22 and recently aged out of his IEP, having been diagnosed with PDD when he was 2.5 years old. At the time, Cambridge did not have self-contained classrooms for children on the autistic spectrum and did not value inclusion. While facing Cambridge’s refusal to provide significant services, and his doctors’ insistence that intensive early services were essential to his long-term prospects, I was forced to become an expert in education law. I became involved in the PAC, and played a role in getting Tom Hehr and the Department of Education in Washington DC to evaluate CPS’s implementation of the IDEA, which led to significant changes in how children with disabilities are educated in Cambridge.

My son was out-placed in a year-round school prior to first grade. After high school and until he turned 22 my son was on an IEP for transition planning and attended community college while working in the community. He is now attending community college independently. Seeing the progress my son has made as a result of his education and services has made me even more committed to ensuring that all children receive the education they need.

My daughter is 11 and has been diagnosed with multiple complex learning needs, including medical, neurological and speech language needs, as well as learning disabilities and was out-placed at the end of second grade.

This past year, as a Co-Chair of the PAC, I have enjoyed assisting other parents who are experiencing similar struggles that I have experienced. This year I will continue to work with the PAC to keep the focus on all children with disabilities to ensure they all meet their dreams and potential in adulthood.

Julie Viens, Co-Chair

I have three children, ages 18, 12 and 9, and have navigated the special education system on behalf of my children for 6 years. In this time, I’ve learned how to obtain appropriate assessments, services, and placement related to issues around mood disorders, sensory processing, ADHD, and anxiety.

My family has experience with special education in the general education environment, with home schooling, and with out-of-district placements. C-PAC has been a lifeline for me, and I first assumed the position of C-PAC officer in order to give back and offer practical and emotional support to other families, especially those new to the system.

Professionally, I am Site Director and Research Coordinator at a local childcare center. In this role, I also enjoy and value my work with the Early Childhood Alignment Grant Leadership Team, a CPS initiative.

Pamela Blau, Secretary

My family lives in North Cambridge and we have two children. Our daughter is a 6th grader at the Amigos School. Our son is an 8th grader who was at the Haggerty School for elementary school and then at Vassal Lane  Upper School. He is now outplaced to a school that can better serve his complex learning profile.

I have been Vice Chair of C-PAC for the past year and have been involved with the PAC for 9 years. Our family  has benefitted greatly from the advice and support I have received from fellow members.

Over the past two years the leadership of C-PAC has worked closely with the leadership of OSS to make changes  in special education and general education in Cambridge in order to better serve children with special needs. Much has  been accomplished but there is a long way to go.

I am committed to continuing this collaborative work as well as to helping individual parents get support and navigate the system in order to get their children the best  education. Professionally, I am a therapist with a private practice in Cambridge.

 

On Wednesday, May 28, 2014 from 6:30-8:30PM, Cambridge SE-PAC held our annual meeting and election of officers at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School, 159 Broadway. Congratulations to the following individuals, who were elected to represent the PAC during the 2014-15 school year.

Pia Marrella Cisternino (Co-Chair) lives with her husband and three children in West Cambridge. Professionally, she is a speech language pathologist. In 2012, Pia founded the Twice Exceptional Parents’ Support Group, and she continues to facilitate monthly meetings of the group. Pia served as a C-PAC Officer for school year 2013-14, alongside  Karen Dobak, Melissa Preston Bulyko, and Zina Gomez-Liss.

Karen Dobak (Co-Chair) has been an active member of C-PAC since her 21-year-old son was diagnosed with PDD when he was 2.5 years old. Her daughter, who is 10 and has a diagnosis of PDD-NOS, epilepsy and dyslexia, has received special education services since she was in Kindergarten at the King Open School. Karen’s daughter is currently in an 11-month program out of district, and her son receives services through CPS and a program at Mass Bay Community College.

Julie Viens (Co-Chair)  has three children, ages 17, 11 and 8, and has experience helping her children navigate the education system while struggling with learning, sensory integration, and emotional/behavioral challenges. Julie’s family has experience with special education in the general education environment, with home schooling, and with out-of-district placements. Julie describes C-PAC as a “lifeline” and assumes the position of officer with the intent of offering practical and emotional support to other families. Professionally, Julie is working on preliminary licensure credentials to work as a teacher with preK-2, elementary, and students with moderate disabilities; and works as a substitute teacher for CPS.

Pamela Blau (Vice Chair) has two children: a daughter at the Amigos School and a son at Vassal Lane Upper School who has an IEP for dyslexia and ADHD.  Professionally, Pamela is a therapist in private practice in Cambridge.  She has  been involved with CPAC for 8 years, and says that she has learned much from other parents about how to navigate the special education system and support her son. Her goal as a new C-PAC officer is to pass on some of what she has learned to others.