FROM THE CAPITOL: School Safety Planning for Students with Disabilities
In January, Governor Murphy signed legislation, P.L. 2023, c. 212 (A1174/S2057) concerning emergency planning for students with disabilities in school settings. The bill clarifies the ways in which students with disabilities—specifically, those with an IEP, 504 Plan,...
FROM THE CAPITOL: USDOE Warns Schools Not To Overlook Assistive Technology In IEPs
With new guidance, the U.S. Department of Education is pushing schools to ensure that all students with disabilities have the assistive technology they need and the supports to use it effectively. The agency issued a “Dear Colleague” letter and a 24-page...
FROM THE CAPITOL: Governor Murphy Announces Nomination of Kevin Dehmer as Education Commissioner
Kevin Dehmer was sworn in in mid-February to serve as the next Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education (DOE), succeeding Acting Commissioner Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan. Dehmer spent more than 15 years at the New Jersey Department of Education, during...
Does Your Student Have a Reading Disability?
What Parents and Educators Need to Know About Reading Assessment Assessing students for reading disabilities is a crucial step in ensuring they receive appropriate support and intervention. Early and accurate assessment can provide valuable insights into a student’s...
Q&A: Key Terms in Reading Disabilities
Q: What is Decoding? A: Reading decoding is a fundamental skill in the process of reading. It refers to the ability to translate written words into spoken language. When readers decode, they use their knowledge of letter-sound relationships to recognize and pronounce...
BETTER IEPs: Developing SMART IEP Goals for Students with Reading Disabilities
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) drive services and supports for students with reading disabilities. Students must learn to decode words, recognize vocabulary, and understand what they have read. Before setting IEP goals, it is vital to assess the student in...Snapshot: Learning and Attention Disabilities
According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), one in five students (11.2M) in the US have learning and attention issues. According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, students with learning disabilities are three times more likely to...From the Courts: Appeals Court Upholds Use of a Taser on a Student With a Disability
The mother of a Texas teen with intellectual and emotional disabilities has lost a federal lawsuit she filed following the tasing of her son. The suit charged that the school district and school resource officer (SRO) violated the teen’s civil rights under the...From the Capitol: New Jersey Department of Education Releases New Guidance on Autism Program Quality Indicators
In early fall, the NJDOE released an updated version of The Autism Program Quality Indicators-Revised (APQI-R). The 116-page guidance document is meant to serve as a resource for educators in developing, implementing, and evaluating quality programming for all...NJCommonGround.org, and the Common Ground E-newsletter are projects of the NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities
.
.
- 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