by Common Ground | Nov 19, 2019 | Capitols
A new analysis produced by the New Jersey School Boards Association outlines issues and strategies for districts interested in doing more to support and serve students with mental health issues. The 102-page report released in early September was conceived after the...
by Common Ground | Nov 19, 2019 | Snapshot
According to Mental Health America, approximately 15% of teens are reporting some form of self-injury. 21% of students between the ages of 13 and 18 live with a mental health disorder, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). According to NAMI, 37%...
by Common Ground | Nov 19, 2019 | Capitols
A bill introduced in the New Jersey Senate this fall would allow local school districts to excuse student absences from school based on student’s mental or behavioral health. If passed the law would further require the NJDOE to work with the Commissioner of...
by Common Ground | Oct 29, 2019 | Parents, Professionals, Teachers
On any given school day, New Jersey students line up and leave the building as part of mandatory emergency drills. These drills are a good thing. Students, staff, and emergency responders need a plan and need to practice it so they are safe and ready in the event of a...
by Common Ground | Oct 29, 2019 | Capitols
The New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities (NJCDD) released a comprehensive report, School Safety Issues Affecting Students with Disabilities: A Call to Action. The report includes tangible school safety solutions for students with disabilities. While most...
by Common Ground | Oct 29, 2019 | Better IEPs
By Jennifer Kuhr Butterfoss Here are 5 things a school principal can do before, during, and after IEP meetings to leverage relationships with staff and further your bigger school-wide efforts: 1. Visit the student in class a day or two before the meeting It can feel...
by Common Ground | Oct 29, 2019 | Q&A
Q: Can I ask for time off from work to attend my child’s IEP meetings? A: Yes In August, the US Department of Labor (DOL) issued a letter clarifying that parents and guardians are allowed to use the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) intermittently to attend...
by Common Ground | Oct 29, 2019 | Parents, Professionals, Students, Teachers
There are many “myths” surrounding special education. Here are 5 we are “busting.” Myth #1: If parents say they can only attend an IEP meeting on a weekend, the school has to schedule it at that time. Fact: IEP meetings should be held at a “mutually agreed upon time...
by Common Ground | Oct 29, 2019 | Capitols
Led by New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith, R-NJ, and Senator Robert Menendez, D-NJ, Congress has authorized $1.8 billion in spending on autism in the coming years by extending the Autism CARES Act (Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support), which was...
by Common Ground | Aug 12, 2019 | Capitols
New legislation in Washington, DC would help ensure that students with disabilities have the information they need to choose the right college and get the supports they need to be successful. Respond, Innovate, Succeed and Empower (RISE), S.1585, would amend the...
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