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    Michigan Alliance for Families:

    Your free guide to special education.

    Michigan Alliance for Families provides information, support, and education for families who have children and young adults (birth to 26 years of age) who receive (or may be eligible to receive) special education services. This website can help you with finding information on special education issues as well as disability specific information.

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Special Education Resources

Answers about your child's special education program

Disability Information

Information about your child's disability

Support

Hear from one of our Parent Mentors

Upcoming Events

Find an online workshop or view a recording

Need help navigating the special education system? Talk to a parent who's been there.

Connect directly with one of our local parent mentors to address your family's needs. Their perspective can not only help you navigate the system, but they can also help you be more involved in your child's education. All Michigan families are able to access an extensive collection of electronic or printed resources, informational support and referrals to local community resources. To get in touch with a Michigan Alliance for Families staff member,  Contact Us.

News & Updates

  • UPDATES AND EVENTS

    Know someone who might be interested in receiving our e-newsletter and event notifications? Share this link: https://tiny.one/MAFNews. 

  • NEW VIDEO

    Students with disabilities have options when it comes to post-secondary education! Check out our latest video College Planning with an IEP .

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Michigan Alliance for Families

6 hours ago

Michigan Alliance for Families
🕡October 20 @ 6:30PMFAPE in the LRERegister at tinyurl.com/5n6h4efuSpecial education is not a place - it is a set of supports. In Michigan, we start with knowing that all students are general education students first. Students with disabilities are full members of their school communities, not guests in the general education classroom.The law requires that to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities must be educated with their peers who are nondisabled. Removal to special classes or separate schooling should occur only if a student's needs cannot be met in the regular classroom, even with the use of supplementary aids and services. The parent is an essential member of the IEP team who makes this decision.Register to join us on October 20 for FAPE in the LRE. This online workshop will dive into two foundational concepts of IDEA and how they apply to your child.tinyurl.com/5n6h4efuVisit our website to see our full schedule of upcoming events. www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/upcoming-events/ ...

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Michigan Alliance for Families

11 hours ago

Michigan Alliance for Families
𝗙𝗔𝗣𝗘 and 𝗟𝗥𝗘 - two core principles ensuring the educational rights of children and youth with disabilities. Register to join us tonight, Tuesday October 20 for 𝗙𝗔𝗣𝗘 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗥𝗘. This online workshop will dive into two foundational concepts of IDEA and how they apply to your child. tinyurl.com/5n6h4efu𝗙𝗔𝗣𝗘Free Appropriate Public Education is foundational in IDEA. Every child who is eligible for special education has a right to FAPE in the Least Restrictive Environment. Schools provide FAPE through the programs and services agreed upon in the IEP. FAPE must meet the student’s unique needs and provide educational benefit.The purpose of special education is to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a FAPE that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.Free — Special education and related services provided by public schools at no cost to parentsAppropriate — An education that meets the child’s education and disability-related needs through an IEPPublic — A right to receive an education provided by the public school system, including public charters schoolsEducation — An education that prepares all children for their future including postsecondary education, employment, and independent livingEvery child who is eligible for special education has a right to a Free Appropriate Public Education.Parents need to understand the important words that impact their child's special education services. Follow this page as we help decode this alphabet soup.Learn more about FAPE and other special education matters on our website www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/FAPEThis video explanation can be viewed on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/shorts/2qrmQviQ4sg 𝗟𝗥𝗘Special education is not a place -- it is a set of supports. In Michigan, we start knowing that all students are general education students first. Students with disabilities are full members of their school communities, not "guests" in the general education classroom.The law requires that to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities must be educated with their peers who are nondisabled. Removal to special classes or separate schooling should occur only if a student's needs cannot be met in the regular classroom, even with the use of supplementary aids and services. The parent is an essential member of the IEP team who makes this decision.Parents need to understand the important words that impact their child's special education services. Follow this page as we help decode this alphabet soup.Learn more about LRE and other special education matters on our website www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/lre-placementThis video explainer can be viewed on our YouTube channel youtube.com/shorts/1Kk0KorWnjs ...

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Michigan Alliance for Families

24 hours ago

Michigan Alliance for Families
We work with Wayne State University Center for Urban Studies to evaluate our project to see how our services are helping families and what could be improved.Watch your email for an online survey with the subject line: Center for Urban Studies / MAF Parent Follow Up Survey 2026.Completing the survey is voluntary and confidential. Thank you for helping us gather data. ...

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Michigan Alliance for Families

1 day ago

Michigan Alliance for Families
🕡October 19 at 6:30PM Epilepsy at School: Advocacy, Learning, and Mental Health with Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan Register at tinyurl.com/mshkyhh9Join Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan on October 19 to learn how epilepsy may impact students in the classroom, explore strategies for partnering with schools, and discover ways to support both educational success and mental health. We'll discuss accommodations, communication with school teams, and practical approaches to creating a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment for students with epilepsy.Register for Epilepsy at School: Advocacy, Learning, and Mental Health at tinyurl.com/mshkyhh9 ...

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Michigan Alliance for Families

1 day ago

Michigan Alliance for Families
Special Education Mediation Services free services include✅ communication and collaboration skills training✅ meeting facilitation✅ mediation to resolve a dispute📍On November 2 at 7PM, explore the process in detail at How to Prepare for Mediation and Facilitation. Register at tinyurl.com/mr3eww4b 📍SEMS joins us again on November 19 at 10AM for a webinar on Collaborative Communication in Special Education. Register at tinyurl.com/4xrhxjdj 🔗See our full lineup of webinars at www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/upcoming-events/ ...

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IDEAs that Work

Funding Statement

Michigan Alliance for Families is a Michigan Department of Education IDEA Grant Funded Initiative. Michigan Alliance for Families is our state's federally funded Parent Training and Information Center. The contents of this website were developed under a grant from the US Department of Education, H328M200015. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the US Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project Officer, Anna Macedonia.

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