Advocates seek to close special-education achievement gap

Keith P. Jones was keynote speaker at the Federation for Children with Special Needs annual conference yesterday. Jones, who has cerebral palsy, has spent years pushing for changes in educational policy and public attitudes toward the disabled. (David Kamerman/Globe Staff)

Parents and advocates say schools need to do more to educate children with disabilities to reach the same standards as their peers, according to those attending an annual conference focusing on those with disabilities. "What is the vision of our community? Ultimately, the lifeblood of our community is a healthy, educated, well-motivated, highly engaged [populace]," said keynote speaker Keith P. Jones. "We cannot do that if we chronically undereducate, chronically undermotivate, chronically underprepare a whole segment of our [populace]." The Boston Globe