by Common Ground | Jun 28, 2013 | Features
By Michael C. Selbst, Ph.D., BCBA-D Like reading and math, social skills can be taught.Many children with social skills difficulties and pragmatic and social language needs require support and instruction throughout the summer months in areas such as...
by Common Ground | Jun 28, 2013 | Courts
A federal appeals court has ruled that a school district’s failure to include the parent of a student with disabilities in an individualized education plan (IEP) meeting in which the student’s placement was changed violated IDEA. The case involves an...
by Common Ground | Jun 28, 2013 | Courts
A federal appeals court has ruled that a school district’s use of a time-out room for an elementary school student with disabilities did not violate the student’s constitutional rights. The case involves an Oklahoma boy who was repeatedly placed in a...
by Common Ground | Jun 28, 2013 | Courts
A New Jersey Administrative Law Judge has ruled that a school district is not required to provide extracurricular activities and transportation in order for a student to develop social skills. The case involves a 12-year-old boy with Down syndrome who was placed in a...
by Common Ground | Jun 28, 2013 | Courts
The New Jersey commissioner of education has issued a ruling that ensures that parents cannot be held liable for the cost of educating their child, even when that child lives in a group home and the parents move out of state. The case involves a child with multiple...
by Common Ground | Jun 27, 2013 | Capitols
This spring, U.S. Representative Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) introduced bipartisan legislation to support students’ positive development and academic success through social and emotional learning. The Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning Act of 2013 (HR 1875) would...
by Common Ground | Jun 27, 2013 | Capitols
New Jersey Education Commissioner Chris Cerf has upheld two charges of bullying under the state’s tough new anti-bullying act. Both incidents took place in 2011 and involved middle-school students. In the first case, a sixth-grader from Middlesex County insulted...
by Common Ground | Jun 27, 2013 | Capitols
A bi-partisan measure approved by the New Jersey General Assembly would ban a growing practice that has school boards offering “merit pay” bonuses to school superintendents who reduce out of district special education placements. The bill, A-3997, was...
by Common Ground | Jun 26, 2013 | Capitols
Bipartisan legislation to establish a task force to improve the funding, delivery, and effectiveness of special education programs and services in New Jersey was signed into law earlier this spring by Governor Christie. The legislation was introduced in response to an...
by Common Ground | Jun 26, 2013 | Capitols
Following months of opposition on the part of special education advocacy groups, the State Board of Education voted to withdraw plans to revise sections of the state’s special education code. Last fall, the New Jersey Department of Education proposed major...
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