Governor Healey just signed legislation removing outdated, offensive language from Massachusetts state law and replacing it with person-first language that reflects how we should see and speak about people with disabilities. Nothing about services or eligibility changes. This is about dignity, and in my work with families, I know firsthand how much the words used to describe children shape the way they're treated. Massachusetts got this one right, and it's worth paying attention to.

Massachusetts has failed to ensure local school districts are providing special education students with the services and protections they are entitled to under federal law, the US Department of Education has concluded in a long-awaited review.

In a report made public Tuesday night, the Department’s Office of Special Education Programs identified 10 ways the state Education Department is not complying with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the federal law guaranteeing disabled students the right to a free and appropriate public education. Those range in scope from parents not being told the full extent of their rights to students languishing for months without needed support.

by Mandy McLaren, Boston Globe Article from 2/13/25