Just Added: DESE Commissioner, Pedro Martinez

Please join us for the 2026 MA SPECIAL EDUCATION SUMMIT on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at the Sheraton Boston Needham Hotel, where we've just added DESE (Department of Early & Secondary Education) Commissioner, Pedro Martinez!

Special Guest, Pedro Martinez, Commissioner of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), will speak regarding the current landscape of Special Education in Massachusetts. Mr. Martinez is the 25th DESE Commissioner for Massachusetts, and has spent more than two decades in systems leadership, including 12 years as a superintendent and former head of Chicago Public Schools.

This comprehensive, day-long conference focuses on Navigating Inclusive Education with Purpose, featuring keynote speaker, Jennifer Elizabeth Brunton, a renowned neurodivergent expert and best-selling author of The #Actually Autistic Guide to Advocacy. Jennifer's book will be available in our onsite book store and a book signing is scheduled.

Who Will Attend

The MA SPED Summit brings together over 250 MAAPS private school and MA public school special education practitioners, administrators, consultants, parents, and neurodivergent self-advocates from across Massachusetts and New England to discuss practical strategies for navigating inclusive education that can be immediately implemented.

SPEAKERS FROM:

Cardinal Cushing Centers, Crossroads Continuum, Full Spectrum Mama, Hubspot, Integrated Center for Child Development, Ivy Street School, League School for Autism, Littleton Public Schools, MERGE Inclusion Consulting, Spectrum Solutions, The Guild for Human Services, The Learning Center for the Deaf, The Wolf School, and Tufts University.

Sponsor or Exhibit

Exhibitor tables and sponsorship packages are available. To view the options, click here to SPONSOR or click here to EXHIBIT.

SCHEDULE AT-A-GLANCE

7:30 - 8:30: Registration & Bookstore Opens, Coffee with Exhibitors, Breakfast Buffet

8:30 - 8:45: Welcome & Opening Remarks

8:45 - 9:45: Jennifer Brunton Keynote Presentation

10:00 - 11:00: Session 1

11:15 - 12:15: Session 2

12:15 - 1:00: Lunch

1:00 - 1:20: DESE Commissioner, Pedro Martinez

1:30 - 2:30: Session 3

2:45 - 3:45: Session 4

3:45 - 4:00: Closing Remarks, Certificate Distribution, and Book Signings

SESSION TOPICS:

• What Does Neuroinclusive Education Look Like?: Best Practices for Creating Meaningful Learning and Active Engagement for Neurodivergent Students
• Barriers and Facilitators for Addressing Sex Education for Autistic Individuals: A Systematic Review
• The Wolf School Immersion Model©: An Integrated Approach to Educating Complex Learners
• No More Adapting Down: Designing SEL Instruction Centering Students with Multiple Disabilities
• PBL That Works: Making Project-Based Learning Accessible, Authentic, and Inclusive for Students with Moderate Disabilities
• Time In: Interdisciplinary Teamwork for Restraint Reduction Using Sensory Rooms: An Ongoing Journey
• Belonging Is The New Inclusion: Understanding The Elements of Authentic Belonging In School
• Transition is a Form of Grief: Empowering Neurodivergent Youth to Manage Change at Every Step
• Engaging Collaborative Practices in ABA: Centering Student Voice for Better Outcomes
• From Classroom to Community: Preparing Students with Profound Autism for the Transition to Adulthood
• Exploration of Special Interests and How They Shaped My Life
• From Exhausted to Empowered. Building Resilience and Well-being in the Classroom
• Centers That Work: Structured Learning in Sub-Separate Classrooms
• Effective Instruction for Your Transition Classroom

Sponsors & Exhibitors