Barriers to Educational Justice

In 2021, the response to the educational disparities, systemic inequalities, and stressors on families that were worsened by the pandemic, the Special Needs Advocacy Network sponsored the Northeastern University School of Law project “Getting the Right IDEA in Special Education: Striving for Educational Justice in Massachusetts“.

The year-long effort undertaken by the 17 law school students supervised by a law professor with the assistance of a special education attorney, engaged stakeholders from both sides of the IEP table. It leveraged talent at a local and national level to examine and give context to the status of Special Education in Massachusetts.

The findings of this study stimulated change led by grassroots organizations and the State. More work is yet to be done. The opportunities yet to be realized from this report, and resolving other barriers to educational justice, are the focus of the Special Needs Advocacy Network’s Systemic Advocacy Committee. If you are passionate about seeing change come to fruition and/or want to learn more about how Systemic Advocacy works, please volunteer for the committee by emailing [email protected].