by Common Ground | Jul 26, 2017 | Courts
Earlier this year, the Justice Department reached a settlement with a south Jersey school district under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The agreement resolves allegations that the district violated the ADA by refusing to allow a student with...
by Common Ground | Jul 26, 2017 | Students
By Jordyn Zimmerman “They told me I’d never go to college but I just finished my freshman year — what about all the other students with autism?” A few years ago, I was on track to receive a modified high school diploma. I was spoken to using basic English with minimal...
by Common Ground | Jul 26, 2017 | Features
By Amy Golden, M.S., BCBA Research confirms that becoming as independent as possible often substantially impacts future success in all aspects of life, so as a student moves through adolescence, it is essential for the educational team and the family to place...
by Common Ground | Jun 5, 2017 | Capitols
Federal funding for services to the nation’s 6 million students who receive special education saw a modest boost under a bipartisan agreement approved by Congress in late April. The agreement was rushed in order to avert a government shutdown. Grants to states under...
by Common Ground | Jun 5, 2017 | Capitols
In early May, the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve deep cuts to Medicaid when they passed the American Health Care Act. The measure is intended to ‘repeal and replace’ The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”)....
by Common Ground | Jun 5, 2017 | Parents
Sometimes, learning happens OUTSIDE of school. In this special edition of Parents’ Perspective, we offer advice on learning to go to the dentist: By Dr. Christina R. Carter The thought of seeing a dentist can be overwhelming for both parents and patients, but it does...
by Common Ground | Jun 5, 2017 | Q&A
The NJ Department of Education (NJDOE) Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is presently piloting a new program of IEP Facilitation. The initiative is in four districts in NJ-Hamilton, Elizabeth, Cherry Hill, and Plainsboro, and will be launched statewide in...
by Common Ground | Jun 5, 2017 | Parents, Professionals, Students, Teachers
The College Board has overhauled its request process for testing accommodations, making it easier for eligible students to receive the support they need on College Board assessments. Beginning January 1, 2017, the vast majority of students who are approved for and...
by Common Ground | Jun 4, 2017 | Features
By Sussan, Greenwald & Wesler Does your child crash into walls? Does he cover his ears in a crowded amusement park or shy away from birthday parties? Does she seem insensitive to pain, or overly sensitive to sound or light? When children have difficulty...
by Common Ground | May 2, 2017 | Features
By Elizabeth W. Barnes Children with special needs are guaranteed a “free, appropriate public education” (FAPE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). When Congress enacted IDEA in 1975, the goal was to address the “perception...