by Common Ground | Apr 5, 2024 | Courts
A U.S. District Court has upheld the ruling of a New Jersey Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) that transportation to and from the corner bus stop, rather than to and from the child’s front door, did not result in denial of a free appropriate public education and did not...
by Common Ground | Apr 4, 2024 | Q&A
An act concerning emergency planning for students with disabilities in school settings was signed in January 2024 by Governor Phil Murphy. The bill clarifies the ways in which students with disabilities – specifically, those with an IEP, 504 Plan, or Health Plan –...
by Common Ground | Apr 4, 2024 | Courts
The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is investigating an Essex County school district to determine whether they discriminated on the basis of race and disability when placing African American students into a self-contained therapeutic...
by Common Ground | Apr 4, 2024 | Capitols
In a rare “turn around,” the NJDOE has rescinded a controversial proposal to cut funding to state approved specialized schools serving students with complex disabilities. In January, NJDOE proposed more than 200 changes to NJAC 6A:23A, Subchapter 18, which...
by Common Ground | Feb 22, 2024 | Features, Parents, Professionals
IDEA, the nation’s special education law, is designed with one goal in mind: to ensure that children with disabilities receive an appropriate education to address their needs. The law covers children from birth through age 21. One part of IDEA—Section 619—funds...
by Common Ground | Feb 22, 2024 | Better IEPs, Parents, Professionals
The State of New Jersey has very clear expectations for preschoolers with disabilities. In fact, Indicator 7 in our state’s performance plan measures the percent of preschool children aged 3 through 5 with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) who demonstrate...
by Common Ground | Feb 22, 2024 | Capitols
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Education say 55% of preschoolers with disabilities receive special education services in classrooms separate from their peers. In a joint policy statement, they called for more young children with...
by Common Ground | Feb 22, 2024 | Capitols
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,...
by Common Ground | Feb 22, 2024 | Capitols
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...
by Common Ground | Feb 22, 2024 | Capitols
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...
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