2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of modern special education. In 1975, Congress passed what’s now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.
Throughout the year, Boston 25 News is celebrating the achievements of students and educators. We’re also highlighting the challenges and barriers that still exist in our state for young people with special needs.
Advocates say the number of students with autism in Massachusetts has more than doubled in the last 10 years.
Schools and school districts are working to understand and meet each student’s needs. For students on the autism spectrum, the needs are varied. Some students with autism don’t thrive in a typical school setting. Districts work hand-in-hand with area collaboratives for student who might need another option.
Boston 25′s Kerry Kavanaugh recently visited Pilgrim Academy in Plymouth, part of the area collaborative serving the South Shore.
6th grader John Luciano was her tour guide. To say John was proud to show off his classroom would be an understatement.
The markers of success are built into the routine for this classroom of students with autism, visible reminders of what than accomplish even if they make a mistake.
“And feels kind of nice to just know that even if you go down, you can always rise back up,” Luciano told Kavanaugh.
That’s an important reminder for any student, especially those who are neurodivergent and, before they landed at Pilgrim Academy, struggled just to get through the day.
“I just couldn’t envision myself, like, having a future, at all, if any,” said 11th grader Francisco Kasameyer-Kelly.
He says it was around 7th grade when his typical school setting was triggering anxiety and panic attacks. The right fit for his education was a game changer.
“I can just hold a conversation with anyone randomly,” he told Kavanaugh. “All these other minor things that other people don’t worry about that I used to dread having to do a normal school.”
Francisco told Kavanaugh he has both an autism diagnosis and ADHD.
“It’s not just their needs from being on the autism spectrum,” says Lauren Mathisen, Director of Clinical and Therapeutic Services for the Plymouth Area Collaborative.
Mathisen says students often have a variety of needs.
“Students that come from difficult families or who have suffered trauma, who have comorbid disabilities,” she said. “We have students who also have social emotional difficulties and behavioral struggles.”
But when their needs are met — success is sweet.
“It allows for a great deal of understanding and compassion, as I have experienced very the same struggles that they have at one point or another,” says former student, Dan McMahon. McMahon now works at Plymouth Academy as education support professionals.
So does former student Elijah White.
“It’s like being in the middle of a mirror. You see both sides. You see where the adults come from where the students come from,” said White. “Yeah, there’s tough days. Yeah. We push through.”
“I try to let them know that they are not alone,” said McMahon,
And they’re not alone in a supportive community. Just ask John Luciano.
“Like if somebody got hurt, somebody can help them up. If somebody is not doing good at work, somebody has to help them with the work,” said Luciano.
As the need for more specialized education grows on the South Shore and across the state, many collaboratives say physical space is in short supply.
“So that’s one of our biggest needs, is finding space,” said Mathisen.
The Pilgrim Academy can serve students Kindergarten through Grade 12. Currently Mathisen says they don’t have a Kindergarten or Grade 1 cohort because of the current lack of room. Another challenge as communities work to find the best fit for all students.
“Coming to this school and being able to confidently be who I want to be, it’s kind of opened up that passageway for me to walk through,” said Kasameyer-Kelly.
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