Massachusetts leaders tour New England Center for Children

Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll toured the New England Center for Children in Southborough on June 24, 2026, alongside state education officials to review autism teaching, research and school partnerships. The visit comes as the Healey administration pushes special education reform and considers how to support students with profound autism as they age out of school-age services.

Why it matters: - The visit put state leaders inside one of Massachusetts’ most established autism education centers at a moment when special education policy is under pressure. - NECC’s model could inform how the state supports students with autism, especially those who need services beyond age 22. - The tour highlighted a broader state focus on funding special education and protecting disability services.

What happened: - Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll toured The New England Center for Children in Southborough, Massachusetts, on June 24, 2026. - Driscoll was joined by officials from the Executive Office of Education, the Department of Early Education and Care, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. - The tour focused on NECC’s teaching, research and technology for children with autism. - Driscoll said the visit showed “how powerful NECC is for children with autism” and underscored the challenges families face and the educational solutions available in Massachusetts.

The details: - NECC President and CEO Jessica Sassi said the center’s teaching methods, research and professional development have a strong impact on students and educators. - State officials learned about NECC’s graduate-level teacher training program. - The training program prepares future teachers in best practices intended to benefit students in Massachusetts and beyond. - Officials also discussed NECC’s public school partnership program. - The partnership program provides consulting, behavioral principles and technology to support student progress and independence. - Driscoll was joined by Amy Kershaw, commissioner of the EEC; Tim Keane, director of residential and placement services at the EEC; Alana Davidson, deputy chief of staff and director of communications at the EOE; Jannelle Roberts, director of the Office of Approved Special Education Schools at DESE; and Elizabeth Becker, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of 766 Approved Private Schools. - Driscoll and the Healey administration have advanced special education reform in Massachusetts, including Executive Order No. 656, which created a statewide strategy to support adults with profound autism. - State leaders have identified the transition at age 22, when students age out of school-age special education services, as one of the biggest gaps in the system. - Driscoll has said the administration wants to prioritize state funding, even amid federal budget pressure, to defend special education line items and other disability supports.

Between the lines: - The visit signals that Massachusetts officials are looking at private and partner-school models as they weigh how to close service gaps for students with autism. - NECC’s mix of classroom instruction, research, teacher training and consulting gives state leaders a working example of a more integrated support system. - The administration’s focus on the post-22 “cliff” suggests the policy debate is shifting from school access alone to continuity of care and adult supports.

What's next: - State officials are likely to continue reviewing special education options as the administration advances its broader disability strategy. - NECC will keep promoting its teacher training, public school partnerships and autism education programs in Massachusetts and abroad. - The state’s funding and policy decisions will determine how much of NECC’s model can be scaled or adapted elsewhere.

The bottom line: - The tour connected Massachusetts’ special education agenda with a local autism education model that state leaders may look to as they try to improve outcomes for students with complex needs.