Teachers Perspective: Relieving and Addressing Student Anxiety Related to Covid-19
6 Tips from Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Consultant, Jessica Minahan: Review the curriculum. Encourage colleagues to review their curriculum before assigning reading and other work. For example, if a character in a book becomes seriously ill or dies, you may...Managing Children’s Challenging Behaviors in the Midst of Coronavirus (COVID-19): Help for Parents
By: Rory Panter, Psy.D. and Rebecca Schulman, Psy.D., BCBA-D Behavior Therapy Associates | Somerset, New Jersey The last several weeks have resulted in significant changes for families, as parents and children are now spending most of their time together in the home....COVID-19 Q&A
By Adam Wilson, Esq. | Hinkle Prior & Fischer, Attorneys at Law 1) My child is turning 21 and is scheduled to graduate in June. After being out of school since mid-March, I don’t think he is ready, and his post-secondary program is not ready for him. He...Resources
USDOE Supplemental Fact Sheet: Addressing the Risk of COVID-19 in Preschool, Elementary and Secondary Schools While Serving Children with Disabilities This Supplemental Fact Sheet reaffirms the rights of students to receive educational instruction and related services...Perspective: New Jersey Needs to Fully Fund Extraordinary Costs
By Gerard Thiers Federal law requires that every eligible child with disabilities – more than 220,000 in New Jersey – receive a “free and appropriate” education. Of course, special education services are not free. While they are provided at no cost to students or...Transition Track: Get the Job, Keep the Job
Our friends at the Regional Center for Independent Living (RCIL) in New York made this fun video, Get the Job… Keep the Job! on seeking work for young people. This student production contrasts the right way — and the wrong way — to apply for a job in person,...Advocacy Tips: Field Trips and Students with Disabilities
Students can learn a lot in a classroom, but a good field trip lets them see, feel, and touch the curriculum in ways that make learning come to life. When trips are well planned, relevant, and linked to classroom instruction, students gain a better understanding of...Better IEPs: Five Strategies for Developing an Effective PLAAFP
By Denver Leigh When we talk about IEPs (Individualized Education Plans), often the goals, objectives, accommodations and modifications get all the attention. True, those four components form critical parts of an IEP; however, in my experience as both a parent and...Perspective: Students with Disabilities and School Safety
On any given school day, New Jersey students line up and leave the building as part of mandatory emergency drills. These drills are a good thing. Students, staff, and emergency responders need a plan and need to practice it so they are safe and ready in the event of a...Mythbusters: IEPs, Student Privacy, Facebook…
There are many “myths” surrounding special education. Here are 5 we are “busting.” Myth #1: If parents say they can only attend an IEP meeting on a weekend, the school has to schedule it at that time. Fact: IEP meetings should be held at a “mutually agreed upon time...Parent’s Perspective: Looking at School Placement from Both Sides of the Table
By Joanne DeSimone As an advocate, I help parents and district case managers find appropriate placement options for their students. As a special educator and parent of two children with disabilities, I use the knowledge I’ve acquired from sitting on both sides of the...NJCommonGround.org, and the Common Ground E-newsletter are projects of the NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities
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- The Right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education
- What to Do if You Suspect Your Child has a Disability Impacting Their Education
- Initial Special Education Evaluations and Eligibility
- The Individualized Education Program (IEP)
- Special Education Placement
- Q&A: What are Extended School Year (ESY) Services?
- Q&A: Dispute Resolution