Watch This – School’s Out: Special Education During COVID-19
A virtual roundtable exploring how to serve the needs of special education students in a changed landscape. While this video is longer than our usual Watch This features, this NJ Spotlight virtual roundtable is a must see. With remote learning having become the norm...Better IEPs: Five Strategies for Developing an Effective PLAAFP
By Denver Leigh When we talk about IEPs (Individualized Education Plans), often the goals, objectives, accommodations and modifications get all the attention. True, those four components form critical parts of an IEP; however, in my experience as both a parent and...Q&A: School Observations
By Melissa Powers, Esq. The do’s and don’t’s of school observations are tricky; it is an area of law that is underdeveloped and incredibly fact sensitive. As you read the Q&A, keep in mind that schools often err on the side of being too restrictive and protective,...What You Need to Know About Transition Assessment
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA, states that “Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, and updated annually, thereafter, the IEP must include...Student’s Perspective: Josie Badger
By Josie Badger, PhD Inclusion is Fantastic and… As an individual with a significant physical disability, I was fully included in mainstream education classes, and I believe in the academic and social importance of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). I graduated...Trauma and the Educational System
Schools are filled with students who have experienced recent trauma, or whose lives include ongoing trauma. Children who are traumatized may experience considerable difficulty in the school setting. This occurs not only in terms of focus and learning, but in being...From the Capitol: Special Education Rules on Disproportionality Delayed
The Trump administration has delayed for two years the implementation of an Obama-era rule designed to prevent students from certain backgrounds from being wrongly placed in special education, halting the so-called “significant disproportionality” rule. Under the...From the Capitols: Bill Would Redefine “Learning Disability” in New Jersey
Legislation introduced this spring by State Senator Teresa Ruiz (D-29), Chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, would establish a new way for districts to identify students with learning disabilities and find them eligible for special education services. Current...Q&A: Endrew F. Supreme Court Case: Strengthening The Voices of Families at IEP Meetings
Many parents have had an experience similar to the one faced by Endrew F.’s parents, in which their child’s IEP goals don’t vary each year and there is lack of progress. BY DIANA AUTIN, MARIA DOCHERTY AND LAUREN AGORATUS, M.A. The recent Supreme Court case, Endrew F....NJCommonGround.org, and the Common Ground E-newsletter are projects of the NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities
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- The Right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education
- What to Do if You Suspect Your Child has a Disability Impacting Their Education
- Initial Special Education Evaluations and Eligibility
- The Individualized Education Program (IEP)
- Special Education Placement
- Q&A: What are Extended School Year (ESY) Services?
- Q&A: Dispute Resolution