by Common Ground | Nov 19, 2019 | Capitols
A bill introduced in the New Jersey legislature would require school buses that transport students with disabilities to be equipped with certain safety features including a GPS, two-way communication such as a cell phone, and a video camera to monitor safety of the...
by Common Ground | Nov 19, 2019 | Capitols
A California congressperson has introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that offers a path to extra money for schools with special education expenses that are three or more times the average cost per student. H.R. 4673, the IDEA High Cost Pool Funding...
by Common Ground | Nov 19, 2019 | Q&A
Editor’s note: The New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education Policy and Procedure has completed its piloting of Facilitated IEP meetings, and the option is now available statewide for school districts and parents. This Common Ground...
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...
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