Our Mission

Massachusetts Advocates for Children’s mission is to remove barriers to educational and life opportunities for children and youth.

We envision a Massachusetts where all children and youth, particularly those who face the greatest barriers, have an equitable opportunity to learn, to grow, and to thrive.

Our Commitment to Racial Equity

Removing barriers to educational and life opportunities for all children is and always will be MAC’s mission and guiding force. Inseparable from each barrier we seek to remove is the deeply ingrained racism woven throughout every aspect of society, including within educational institutions. MAC uses a racial equity lens to guide our work and ensure our advocacy has a racially equitable impact.

How We Work

MAC Listens

A voice for children. We start at the ground level. We carefully review over 1,000 helpline calls per year, provide individual case advocacy, and meet with key stakeholders to understand the barriers that children face in education.

MAC Acts

Actions speak louder. After MAC has determined priorities for systemic advocacy, we work tirelessly to organize our parent and professional networks. With their help, we advocate for reform that improves educational opportunities for children.

MAC Persists

Our work is never done. MAC's persistence ensures that laws are followed and that children's rights are protected. Our multi-strategic approach to advocacy changes conditions for many children, while also helping one child at a time.

Collaborations

By working collaboratively, we are able to access the voice of those affected by complex problems, identify the best strategies and solutions, create change, and maximize our impact. MAC plays a leadership role in coalitions and networks:

Our Story

In 1969, the Director of the Roxbury Multi-Service Center, Hubie Jones, started noticing some troubling trends in schools. An increasing number of parents were being told that their children should not return to school. Hubie created the Task Force on Children out of School and released a report revealing 10,000 or more children were either being systematically excluded from Boston’s public education system or warehoused in classrooms or schools that provided inferior or custodial care. The report led to the first bilingual and first special education laws in the nation. Since then, MAC has established itself as an essential child advocacy and education reform organization in Massachusetts.

Our Founder

“We do not merely have a social responsibility to assure that our children and youth have decent life chances and prosper. We have a sacred obligation to do so.”

-Hubie Jones