Special Education Parent Advisory Council

*What is the Special Education Parent Advisory Council?*

*Special Education Parent Advisory Councils (SEPACs) are a requirement of the Massachusetts Special Education Regulations. Each school district is required to have a Parent Advisory Council on Special Education. We are a system-wide organization of Amherst, Pelham, and Amherst Regional parents/guardians of school aged children (preschool -grade 12) with disabilities and other interested individuals. We work in partnership with our schools and administration to promote an innovative educational environment where children with disabilities have equal access to educational opportunities and that our schools are safe, nurturing, challenging learning environments for ALL children. We assist schools and families in reducing the frustrations that parents can experience when they first stumble into special education, by providing informational handouts, educational workshops, and informal discussion meetings to focus on continually improving educational opportunities to our children. As a SEPAC, we can network resources and provide assistance to other parents in accessing information about the special education process. For more information Check out our website at: www.arps.org/sepac/ To receive our E-Newsletter, Highlights in Special Education, send us an email to arpssepac@arps.org