by Common Ground | Apr 11, 2012 | Courts
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal of a California school district ordered to provide compensatory tutoring to a teen with learning disabilities. The case, Compton Unified School District v. Addison, involves a tenth-grade student who had failed...
by Common Ground | Apr 5, 2012 | Features, Parents, Professionals, Teachers
By: Dr. Meir Flancbaum As a teacher, you can serve as the child’s “coach,” when he implements strategies in the classroom. Sam is a bright, considerate, athletic middle school student, but he dreads going to school. Throughout his day, unintended movement and noises...
by Common Ground | Nov 15, 2011 | Snapshot
Two and a half million students — or about 5% of all students in public schools — are identified as having learning disabilities (LD) in 2009 and are eligible for assistance under IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In the last decade, the number of...
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...
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