by Common Ground | Sep 30, 2011 | Capitols
From the Capitol – Common Ground September 2011 The state’s non-partisan Office of Legislative Services (OLS) has issued a report calling for changes in New Jersey’s special education funding system. When the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) was enacted, it...
by Common Ground | Sep 30, 2011 | Capitols
From the Capitol – Common Ground September 2011 In signing the state budget for 2011-2012, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie increased state aid to local districts by $850 million, and at the same time, used his line item veto power to trim $900 million from...
by Common Ground | Sep 30, 2011 | Capitols
NJDOE’s OSERS determined that New Jersey “needs assistance” in meeting the requirements of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) This summer, the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) issued a report...
by Common Ground | Sep 30, 2011 | Courts
Plaintiffs contend that the district’s “Automatic Autism Transfer Policy” violates state and federal law.A Pennsylvania judge will soon hear a class action case alleging that a school district is illegally moving children from one school to another based solely on...
by Common Ground | Sep 30, 2011 | Courts
The ALJ noted that the teen must “begin the process of becoming independent,” and that a 1:1 aide would make him “reliant upon someone else to take his notes, record his homework assignments, and check to make sure he has all of his books and materials.”A New Jersey...
by Common Ground | Sep 12, 2011 | Features, Parents, Professionals, Teachers
An Interview with an Expert on Bullying Provides a Thought-provoking Perspective “Bullying by teachersis enabled by a conspiracy of silence.” – Dr. Alan McEvoyBy Jean Harkness Many parents would advise a child that the only way to deal with bullies is to stand...
by Common Ground | Sep 12, 2011 | Courts
A New Jersey Administrative Law Judge has ruled that a local school district must reimburse parents for the cost of a private, out-of-district program. “The judge noted that the student’s grades took into consideration effort, and were the result of a lot of...
by Common Ground | Sep 12, 2011 | Capitols
From the Capitol – Common Ground September 2011 New Jersey’s law is the first anti-bullying law in the U.S. to set statewide deadlines for incidents of bullying to be reported, investigated, and resolved. School personnel must report incidents of bullying...
by Common Ground | Sep 12, 2011 | Teachers
By Tracy Landon and Linda Oggel Students sometimes described as lazy, unmotivated, distracted, disorganized, and chronically late may in fact be struggling with a condition know as executive dysfunction. This problem, in the frontal lobes of the brain, is one of the...
by Common Ground | Sep 12, 2011 | Parents, Professionals, Q&A, Teachers
By Ira M. Fingles, Esq. “The judge noted that the student’s grades took into consideration effort, and were the result of a lot of prompting, cueing, and modifications.”Many students have what is referred to as ‘invisible disabilities’ that manifest in...
.