by Common Ground | May 5, 2020 | Features
For students with disabilities — roughly a quarter million in New Jersey and 7 million nationwide — AND their parents and teachers, the COVID-19 pandemic has been scary. Because such a circumstance is unprecedented in our lifetimes, much of what we know is what we are...
by Common Ground | Feb 26, 2020 | Features
By Vasilisa Smith Roughly 7 million students in the K-12 public school system—14 percent—are identified as students with disabilities. Of these, more than 62 percent spend a large majority of their day in general education classrooms. Given the numbers, it is clear...
by Common Ground | Feb 3, 2020 | Features
By Amanda Morin Children with sensory processing issues have trouble organizing information from the senses. This means they can be sensitive to and misinterpret information from the five traditional senses: sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch. Some kids may also...
by Common Ground | Nov 19, 2019 | Features
By Anfal Muhammad Jenkins Effective family engagement is a cornerstone of positive student outcomes, especially for students receiving special education services. It is not easy to sustain, but is always rewarding for parents, schools, communities, and students...
by Common Ground | May 6, 2019 | Features, Parents, Professionals, Teachers
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA, states that “Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, and updated annually, thereafter, the IEP must include...
by Common Ground | Jan 24, 2019 | Features, Students
By Josie Badger, PhD Inclusion is Fantastic and… As an individual with a significant physical disability, I was fully included in mainstream education classes, and I believe in the academic and social importance of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). I graduated...
by Common Ground | Nov 28, 2018 | Features
Schools are filled with students who have experienced recent trauma, or whose lives include ongoing trauma. Children who are traumatized may experience considerable difficulty in the school setting. This occurs not only in terms of focus and learning, but in being...
by Common Ground | Sep 6, 2018 | Features
By Viviana Litovsky, Ph.D. Once children begin to learn how to label what they are feeling, we can teach them how to put their emotions into a proper perspective.These days, it isn’t hard to find someone who feels “stressed out.” The pace and volume of stimulation...
by Common Ground | Jun 13, 2018 | Features
“Most schools are not fully prepared to support students with autism, sensory disabilities, medical and mobility disabilities, and other unique challenges in emergency situations.” In an age of increased emphasis on school safety and security, evacuation...
by Common Ground | Mar 26, 2018 | Features
State regulations (New Jersey Administrative Code Title 6A, Chapter 16 (NJAC 6A:16) Programs to Support Student Development) requires school districts to “develop, adopt, disseminate and implement a code of student conduct that establishes standards, policies and...
by Common Ground | Jan 22, 2018 | Features
By Maria Docherty and Lauren Agoratus, M.A. With the increased focus in the United States on charter schools and the use of vouchers to support student attendance at private schools, more and more parents of students with disabilities are asking questions about how...
by Common Ground | Sep 11, 2017 | Features
Medicaid is a successful government-operated, single-payer health program established in 1965 as part of Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society.” The nation’s largest single source of health insurance, Medicaid covers one out of five Americans with very low income- more than...
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