by Common Ground | Dec 12, 2016 | Capitols
In a five page letter to governors and state education officials the U.S. Secretary of Education has called on schools to stop using physical punishment to address behavior issues. Calling school-sponsored corporal punishment an “ineffective” and...
by Common Ground | Dec 12, 2016 | Snapshot
According to U.S. Census data, 2.5 million children were homeless in 2013. According to the National Center on Family Homelessness, there were nearly 17,000 homeless children in New Jersey during the 2012-13 school year. That is roughly the entire population of...
by Common Ground | Oct 26, 2016 | Letters
School Psychologists and Mental Health: Early Intervention and Treatment From Sol B. Heckelman Among the many important and enlightening articles to be found over the years in CommonGround, the Sept 2016 issue featured Mental Health and Special Education: Early...
by Common Ground | Oct 25, 2016 | Courts
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider a case that will set the national standard for the education of students with disabilities. At issue is the level of benefit that school districts are required to provide. The court will consider the question of whether...
by Common Ground | Oct 25, 2016 | Capitols
The United States Department of Education (DOE) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued a “Dear Colleague” letter reminding school districts of their obligations to students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) under Section 504 of the...
by Common Ground | Oct 25, 2016 | Teachers
by Jennifer Taylor and Michael Edward A good working relationship between a teacher and a paraprofessional is essential to a supportive classroom that helps students learn both academically and behaviorally. Teachers are classroom leaders responsible for the...
by Common Ground | Oct 25, 2016 | Features
by Janet Renda “It is vital to consider the role of the Paraprofessional as potentially temporary” One-to-one paraprofessionals are often considered highly desirable in special education settings as a means of ensuring that a student with a significant...
by Common Ground | Sep 4, 2016 | Snapshot
Around 20% of the world’s children and adolescents have mental disorders or problems. (WHO) Neuropsychiatric disorders are among the leading causes of worldwide disability in young people. (WHO) Approximately 50% of students aged 14 and older with mental illness drop...
by Common Ground | Sep 4, 2016 | Capitols
Legislation to establish a Response to Intervention initiative (RTI) within the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) has been signed by Governor Christie. The bipartisan measure (S-496 and A-2566) was co-sponsored by a long list of education leaders and...
by Common Ground | Sep 4, 2016 | Capitols
A bi-partisan measure introduced by leaders in the Senate and Assembly would require the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) to train teachers and administrators, and monitor districts on bias and discrimination in special education classification. If passed...
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