Governor Chris Christie signed a bill into law that is designed to provide stability in Special Education programming. The measure (A-2739 /S-1949) stemmed from parental concerns that students with disabilities were subject to continued transfer of schools and locations, leading to abrupt changes in their educational programs.
The State Board of Education must now promulgate regulations to require school districts to develop a plan to establish stability in special education programming. Under the provision of the new law, the plan shall take into account the consistency of the location, curriculum, and staffing in the provision of special education programs and services. The regulations must also require that, when developing an individualized education program (IEP) for a student who is prone to regression, the IEP team must consider, among other factors, the consistency of the location of services and that the parent’s preference of location be given primary consideration against other factors when determining in-district special education placements.
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