by Common Ground | Nov 4, 2013 | Capitols
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has signed two bills addressing reading disabilities: one that will make it easier to identify students with dyslexia, and another intended to improve the training teachers get. Dyslexia is a brain-based learning disability that is...
by Common Ground | Nov 4, 2013 | Capitols
A new proposal introduced in Washington would allocate federal dollars to develop a national plan to help students with disabilities transition to adulthood. The measure, S-1259, introduced by New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez, would amend the Public Health Service...
by Common Ground | Nov 4, 2013 | Capitols
In June, the U.S. Education Department has released a “Dear Colleague” letter to reiterate that school districts are responsible to provide instruction in Braille to students who are blind or visually impaired, unless a school team determines that it is...
by Common Ground | Nov 4, 2013 | Teachers
By Glenn Martins A “one size fits all” approach to planning will not work when considering the needs of students with disabilities.It’s not merely a question of if your school could be affected by a disaster; it’s quite possibly a matter of...
by Common Ground | Nov 4, 2013 | Snapshot
The White House estimates that the sequester will result on $85 billion in automatic spending cuts. New Jersey will lose approximately $11.7M in federal funding for primary and secondary education. 15,000 fewer students will be served as a result of the sequester 60...
by Common Ground | Nov 4, 2013 | Parents
By: Lyn Pollard “By far the biggest challenge that I observe my kids facing at school isn’t academic. It’s just being accepted for who they are and how they learn, communicate and play by their peers…”I had to name the most challenging thing that I feel my...
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...
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