Nearly a year after the NJDOE backed away from sweeping changes to state special education code, the Department has put forth a modest proposal to make technical changes to the code.
The changes, which were submitted to the State Board of Education, are mostly technical in nature – some simply correcting punctuation or grammar. The most notable was the addition of new language to define the term “dyslexia” as a reading disorder, a regulatory requirement needed to bring the code into alignment with a high-profile package of bills signed by the Governor last earlier this year that required districts to screen young students for dyslexia and other reading disorders, and to train teachers in identifying and addressing the disorders.
Leaders at the NJDOE agreed to hold off on major changes, pending the outcome of a state task force on special education that has been charged with reviewing a variety of issues. The 17-member task force, appointed by Governor Christie and the Legislature, convened its first meeting in July and is required to submit recommendations within 6 months.
