by Common Ground | Sep 24, 2012 | Teachers
1. When Entering the Room and Starting Class… If seats are not assigned, allow your student to choose where to sit. Do not pick a seat for him/her. Do not take out your student’s materials (pen, homework, etc.) or open his books for him/her (unless he has...
by Common Ground | Sep 24, 2012 | Courts
Earlier this year, Newark public schools settled a decade-long, class action federal lawsuit brought by parents of children with disabilities. The case was filed in 2001 on behalf of six students with disabilities whose parents were seeking special education and...
by Common Ground | Sep 23, 2012 | Capitols
The U.S. Department of Education has rescinded an offer it made to school districts last summer that would have allowed them to cut special education spending in exchange for a lesser financial penalty than in the past. The federal “maintenance of effort”...
by Common Ground | Sep 22, 2012 | Capitols
“If a parent seeks an independent evaluation in an area not assessed as part of the initial evaluation or a reevaluation, the school district shall first have the opportunity to conduct the requested evaluation.”This spring, the U.S. Department of...
by Common Ground | Sep 21, 2012 | Parents, Professionals, Q&A, Teachers
An assistive technology (AT) device is used to maintain or improve the functional capabilities of a student with a disability. An assistive technology service assists in the selection, acquisition, or use of an AT device, and incorporates evaluations, modifications,...
by Common Ground | Sep 20, 2012 | Snapshot
School Completion Rates New Jersey ranks #1 in the nation in the percentage of students who graduate. New Jersey’s gradation rate is estimated at 87 percent, above the national average of 73 percent. In New Jersey, 69 percent of black students complete high...
by Common Ground | Sep 19, 2012 | Features
“One exciting trend in the AT marketplace is the use of off-the-shelf consumer electronics in the classroom to assist students with a wide range of learning differences.”By Brian S. Friedlander, Ph.D. From iPads to iPhones, we are living in a world in...
by Common Ground | Apr 16, 2012 | Snapshot
Approximately one in every five children will have a tic at some point in their development. Eye blinking is the most common first tic. Over 23% of children in special education classes have tics. Tourette syndrome is much more common in males than in females. The...
by Common Ground | Apr 16, 2012 | Letters
Dear Editor: Now is an historic time in New Jersey education. Parents—including parents of students with disabilities—should be aware of the opportunity to fundamentally transform New Jersey’s public school education system to the benefit of all students, including...
by Common Ground | Apr 16, 2012 | Parents, Professionals, Q&A, Teachers
“Children with apraxia often have family members who have a history of communication disorders or learning disabilities. This observation and recent research findings suggest that genetic factors may play a role in the disorder.” Apraxia of speech (called...
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