by Common Ground | Sep 12, 2011 | Parents
By Lisa Shields After a child is born, parents focus on the “milestones:” Sitting up. Crawling. First Words. Walking. For parents of kids with disabilities, milestones hold their luster. We become less interested in the “time line” than we are in the actual...
by Common Ground | Aug 1, 2011 | Uncategorized
Common Ground, the publication that is increasing the dialogue among stakeholders in New Jersey’s special education system, is on its way to being online soon!
by Common Ground | Jun 1, 2011 | Features, Parents, Q&A, Teachers
By Ira M. Fingles, Esq., and Elizabeth M. Roberts, Psy.D. Under federal law, a student with disabilities is entitled to special education and related services until age 21, or until the student accepts a diploma – whichever comes first. The decision about when a...
by Common Ground | Jun 1, 2011 | Features, Parents, Teachers
The Symptoms of TBI The symptoms of TBI vary and depend on a number of factors, such as the severity of injury, the location and extent of injury in the brain, the child’s age and many other factors. There are, however, many common symptoms presented by students with...
by Common Ground | Jun 1, 2011 | Capitols
The U.S. Department of Education announced it would award nearly $20 million in grants to higher education institutions to help prepare special education personnel to improve services and results for children with disabilities. $13.5 million will help current and...
by Common Ground | Jun 1, 2011 | Capitols
Earlier this winter, the U.S Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs released a memo reminding states that a response-to-intervention (RTI) process cannot delay the initial evaluation for special education services of a child suspected of having...
by Common Ground | Jun 1, 2011 | Capitols
The New Jersey Department of Education issued a policy memo clarifying the need for goals and objectives for students with disabilities who are educated in general education programs. The memo underscores the need for IEP teams to develop goals and objectives based on...
by Common Ground | Jun 1, 2011 | Capitols
The New Jersey Department of Education has commissioned a $174,000 study to determine how fairly the state’s new school funding formula supports districts as they meet the needs of certain high cost students. The School Funding Reform Act (SFRA) called for the study...
by Common Ground | Jun 1, 2011 | Capitols
The U.S. Department of Education has awarded two consortia of states grants to develop the next generation of alternate assessments for students with severe cognitive disabilities – considered to represent about 1 percent of all students with disabilities. As part of...
by Common Ground | Jun 1, 2011 | Capitols
New Jersey is among eight states to receive a waiver from the U.S. Department of Education to reduce the amount of state financial support provided to local districts for special education in the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Under IDEA, states must maintain the same level...