The Massachusetts Association of 766 Approved Private Schools (maaps) was founded in 1975 as a statewide association of approved private special education schools dedicated to providing educational programs and services to students with special needs. maaps members are approved by the Mass. Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education under the state’s special education law, Chapter 766. maaps represents 87 member schools serving approximately 7000 children with special needs from Massachusetts, other states and countries