09/18/2025
From Decoding-Dyslexia MA Facebook group
🚨important Action ‼️
Sample email /letter 📧📝 or 📱 phone conversation for advocacy to pass House Bill- H.4217:
Hello Representative (INSERT),
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing today to ask for your support to sign on as a co-sponsor to Bill H.4217, “An Act to ensure fair due process in special education disputes.” Representative Sullivan-Almeida filed the bill, and thus far it has been joined by Representative Moore, Durant, and Howitt.
This legislation is critically important for families across the Commonwealth:
Fair Burden of Proof: It establishes that in due process hearings before the Bureau of Special Education Appeals (BSEA), the school district—not parents—must carry the burden of proof. This ensures that parents and guardians are not forced to shoulder the unequal responsibility of defending against school district decisions with limited resources.
Equitable Access: The bill creates a special Equitable Access Commission to study and address barriers faced by pro se litigants, especially parents with disabilities, low-income families, non-native English speakers, and families unfamiliar with the U.S. educational system.
Accountability: By requiring that the burden be met by a preponderance of the evidence, the bill ensures that school districts are held accountable for their educational decisions and that all students are guaranteed a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) without discrimination or harassment.
Immediate Impact: Declared as an emergency law, the bill emphasizes the urgency of these protections and the need to preserve public convenience and fairness in special education disputes without delay.
Families navigating the special education system often face immense barriers, and this bill provides a path toward a more just, transparent, and equitable process. I urge you to join as a co-sponsor and help advance this critical legislation for Massachusetts students and families.
Thank you for your leadership and support on this issue. I welcome any questions you may have regarding this bill and the experiences of families whose lived experiences stimulated this bill.
