pixel

Home

  • Little girl drawing

    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.

Question mark iconLight bulb iconSpeech bubble iconCalendar icon

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


  • 24/25 CALENDAR RELEASED

    Check out our calendar of events for 2024/2025 schoolyear. Register to join these free online learning opportunities.
  • LRE MONITORING 

    A new LRE Monitoring Process rolls out this year to 9 ISDs and DHSS, and will include a Parent Focus Group in partnership with the Parent Advisory Committee.

Facebook Feed

Special Education Mediation Services free services include✅ communication and collaboration skills training✅ meeting facilitation✅ mediation to resolve a disputeLearn more about how Special Education Mediation Services facilitation and mediation services can support collaborative conversations.Wednesday, October 23 at 5:30pmCollaborative Communication in Special Education-The Who, What, When, How of Special Education Mediation ServicesRegister attinyurl.com/kcz66w7wThen SEMS joins us again on October 30th for "How to Prepare for and Participate in Mediation or Facilitation". Register at tinyurl.com/3wuet8c7 ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
IEP - A Closer LookWednesday, October 23, 20243:30 to 5:00 PMThis workshop will help you take a more in-depth look at the core areas of the IEP and prioritize your greatest concerns. You will learn how to address concerns through the IEP process and improve your ability to have productive conversations.Presented by Stephanie Nicholls of Michigan Alliance for Families.Part of the Paving the Way to Self-Determination series with Disability Network Southwest MichiganRegister at events.zoom.us/ev/AqpOvFs4gKVCgtmrNMX1kUvNFGAK_MYsqaNAwfQTM2OMZF2Zc1me~Aj7I28yZG27GILn-Xa5wYxmzRA...Learn more about this series at bit.ly/MI-pavingtheway ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
Parents of children with disabilities can advocate for change by sharing their knowledge and experience in policy-making decisions.Are you a parent of a young child looking to lend your voice, knowledge, and experience to committees that support young children with disabilities, but not sure where to start?Michigan Alliance for Families is offering our Building Parent Leadership Skills in Early Childhood Series starting on November 1. By attending this series, you will learn about leadership opportunities and develop your leadership style and skills.Four Fridays from 9:30am-10:30am. Register at tinyurl.com/BPLSfall2024 Full details, easy registration, and more events at www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/upcoming-events/ ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook
People who have difficulty expressing themselves may require an alternative way to communicate. Communication systems, strategies, and tools that replace or supplement natural speech are known as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). 💬 Monday October 21 - Intro to AAC and Resources with Michigan Disability Rights Coalition. Register at tinyurl.com/26ptk5wwThis workshop will discuss AT in the Individualized Education Program (IEP):• Developing a well-written Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance (PLAAFP) statement to include the difficulties the student is experiencing• Establishing goals to address difficulties• Creating an implementation (follow-through) planFor full details and more webinar topics, visit the calendar page on our website at www.michiganallianceforfamilies.org/upcoming-events/ ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

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, David Emenheiser.