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Special education in Massachusetts

What Massachusetts calls special education, how long each step takes, who to call, free help, paying for services, and how the state scores.

Special education in Massachusetts

Special education is called
Special Education
The IEP meeting
Team meeting
Eligibility team
Team
Evaluation timeline
30 school days. Evaluation within 30 school days of consent; Team meeting on eligibility and IEP within 45 school working days of consent (603 CMR 28.04)
IEP timeline
Proposed IEP within 45 school working days of consent
Transition planning starts
14 (being checked)
Rights transfer to the student at
18
Developmental delay category
3 to 9 (child count)
Dyslexia law
yes: G.L. c.71 s.57A and 2023 DESE early literacy screening regulation: K-3 screening twice yearly incl. dyslexia risk
State categories
State categories include neurological impairment, communication impairment, sensory impairment, health impairment

Find your district and schools

421 districts and charter districts. 121 special education schools and 73 public charter schools.

Get your Hall PassSchools in MassachusettsServices for children in Massachusetts (on Disability Atlas)

The state office and your options when you disagree

State special education office
Procedural safeguards (your rights notice)
Mediation
State complaint
Due process

Free help for families

Parent centers

Disability rights agency

Advocacy groups in Massachusetts

Paying for it

Medicaid for children
MassHealth
CHIP
MassHealth (CHIP is part of MassHealth)
Apply
Medicaid for children with disabilities, whatever the family's income
yes: Kaileigh Mulligan Program (TEFRA)
Schools bill Medicaid for health services
yes
Autism insurance law
yes. no cap stated; limits cannot be less than for physical conditions
Scholarship or ESA for students with disabilities
none

How school, Medicaid and insurance fit together

How Massachusetts scores

First edition. These grades are new (November 2026) and the weights may still change. Texas graduation data is being confirmed with the state.

State of Schools

C+

Rank 11 of 51

State of Support

B

Rank 13 of 51

Combined

B-

Rank 5 of 51

PillarGrade
Following the lawA-
Learning togetherD+
ResultsB+
School fundingC-
Family protectionsC
Options and transitionD+

IDEA determination 2026: Meets. How we grade.

Sources for this page are listed in the SPED Atlas research tables (state terms, state help, paying for it). Items marked "being checked" are waiting on a primary source.

Last reviewed: November 2026. Rules, programs and phone numbers change. Check with the office named on this page. Report outdated or wrong information.