by Common Ground | Sep 27, 2024 | Capitols
Q: What is KASSA? KASSA, Keeping All Students Safe Act, is a proposed federal bill designed to restrict the use of these controversial seclusion and restraint practices in educational settings. First introduced in 2010, the bill and its subsequent iterations have...
by Common Ground | Sep 27, 2024 | Courts
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined arguments in a case (Pitta v. Medeiros) looking at whether parents have the right to video recordings of meetings with their child’s school district about special education services. The case involves the Massachusetts father of a...
by Common Ground | Sep 27, 2024 | Courts
The New Jersey State Supreme Court has ruled that students with disabilities are entitled to a free public education even after they earn a General Education Development (GED). The case involves a teen with disabilities who was denied a request to re-enroll in a...
by Common Ground | Sep 27, 2024 | Snapshot
In the context of special education, “seclusion rooms” may be referred to by various euphemisms that can sometimes obscure their purpose. These terms can vary in meaning and intent, and their use may depend on the specific practices of a school or...
by Common Ground | Jun 12, 2024 | Features
School buses are more than just vehicles to transport students; they are extensions of the educational environment where students spend a considerable amount of time. For students with disabilities, especially those with a 504 Plan or an Individualized Education...
by Common Ground | Jun 12, 2024 | Better IEPs
Transportation is a related service as defined by 34 CFR §300.34(c)(16) of the IDEA regulations. It can include travel to and from school and between schools; travel in and around school buildings; and specialized equipment such as specially modified vans, buses,...
by Common Ground | Jun 12, 2024 | Courts
The courts have said a local school district is responsible and accountable for a safe ride. In 2002, a landmark Pennsylvania case (Susavage v. Bucks County Schools, Intermediate Unit No. 22, et al.) defined the responsibility of school districts and Individualized...
by Common Ground | Jun 12, 2024 | Capitols
The New Jersey Legislature passed, and New Jersey Governor Murphy signed into law, a bill modifying New Jersey’s Open Public Records Act, known as OPRA. OPRA guarantees the public’s right to some government records. The changes further restrict the...
by Common Ground | Jun 12, 2024 | Capitols
A U.S. District Court judge has approved a settlement in a class action lawsuit between the New Jersey Department of Education and 5,000 families of New Jersey students receiving special education services. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states...
by Common Ground | Apr 5, 2024 | Features
By David B. Rubin and Ellen S. Bass As a school board member, you know your job is not to run the schools but to see that they are well run. To do so, you perform critical oversight functions like selecting the superintendent, formulating district policies, and...
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