The Advisory Council also will provide advice and feedback on matters related to the memorandum of understanding entered into by the Chief Administrative Magistrate and the Commissioner with the input of the Director; compliance data; the range and types of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms; mechanisms and resources for providing trainings; hearing and mediation data; mechanisms for improving access for pro se parents and outreach to families who are non-English speaking; and mechanisms to ensure that the Bureau is appropriately maintained and operated both as a separate subdivision of the Division and independent of the Department.
Public Comment Procedures
The Bureau of Special Education Appeals Advisory Council (Council) welcomes public comment on matters within its purview. Accordingly, the Council makes available a maximum 15-minute period at its regular meetings for persons in the audience to address the Council for no longer than 3 minutes. Written material of any length may be submitted and will be distributed to Commission members for their consideration.
Agendas for upcoming Council meetings are generally posted 5 days before the meeting on this page. Persons wishing to speak are strongly encouraged to submit their request before the day of the meeting; contact information is provided below. If time permits, the Council co-chairs will allow members of the public who have not contacted the Council in advance to speak in the public comment period; these individuals must sign in prior to the start of the meeting. The co-chairs may limit the number of speakers due to time constraints and may increase or reduce the time allocated per speaker.
Requests to address the Council, written testimony, and other inquiries may be transmitted as follows:
- Email: ALA-BSEAAdvisoryCouncil@mass.gov
- Phone or posted mail: BSEA Advisory Council, c/o Office of Representative Lipper-Garabedian, 24 Beacon St., Room 167, Boston, MA 02133; Phone: 617-722-2810 (voice mail of Legislative Aide Haley Tobin)
