by Common Ground | Jun 13, 2018 | Capitols
Under new guidelines at the US Department of Education that went into effect in March, 2018, the Office for Civil Rights can dismiss reports if “a complaint is a continuation of a pattern of complaints previously filed with OCR by an individual or group against...
by Common Ground | Jun 13, 2018 | Capitols
Students with disabilities continue to struggle to make progress in math and reading, according to a new report issued by the National Center for Education Statistics. Known as the ‘Nation’s Report Card,’ nearly 585,000 students at over 28,000 schools across the...
by Common Ground | May 25, 2018 | Capitols, Uncategorized
Legislation introduced this spring by State Senator Teresa Ruiz (D-29), Chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, would establish a new way for districts to identify students with learning disabilities and find them eligible for special education services. Current...
by Common Ground | May 22, 2018 | Capitols
A group of New Jersey democratic lawmakers have introduced a bill that would require the NJDOE to develop and maintain a comprehensive searchable website concerning educational programs and resources available to special education students. The website’s purpose is to...
by Common Ground | Apr 20, 2018 | Capitols
A new advocacy guide, “School Discipline in New Jersey: A Toolkit for Students, Families and Advocates,” has been released by Education Law Center (ELC) and Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ). The guide provides comprehensive and practical...
by Common Ground | Apr 12, 2018 | Capitols
The Center for American Progress has issued a report finding that preschoolers with disabilities are significantly more likely to be suspended or expelled from preschool or childcare programs than their non-disabled peers. While they account for only13 percent of the...
by Common Ground | Jan 22, 2018 | Capitols
Nine months after the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled on the rights of students with disabilities, the USDOE has published a guidance paper. The nine-page Q&A document distills key points in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District. It...
by Common Ground | Jan 22, 2018 | Capitols
As part of a larger effort to reduce rules and regulations deemed unnecessary, the Trump administration has proposed a two-year delay of a new rule that would require states to take a stricter approach to identifying whether local school districts have wide racial or...
by Common Ground | Jan 22, 2018 | Capitols
Earlier this fall, the USDOE rescinded scores of policy documents that outline the rights of students with disabilities as part of the Trump administration’s effort to eliminate regulations it deems superfluous. A total of 72 documents — 63 from the Office of Special...
by Common Ground | Jan 22, 2018 | Capitols
On his final days in office, NJ Governor Chris Christie signed into law a measure that establishes requirements for use of restraint and seclusion on students with disabilities in special education. The bipartisan bill, which was passed unanimously in both houses of...
by Common Ground | Sep 11, 2017 | Capitols
Governor Christie has signed a measure (S1474) that requires teacher preparation programs to include instruction or clinical experience in special education, and for students with disabilities endorsement to include credit hours in autism spectrum disorders. The bill...
by Common Ground | Sep 11, 2017 | Capitols
In June, the State Board of Education voted to adopt a resolution supporting new state guidelines to assist schools in teaching social and emotional skills. Social and emotional learning (SEL) refers to the process by which children and adults acquire and effectively...
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