by Common Ground | Jun 16, 2023 | Better IEPs, Parents, Professionals, Q&A, Students, Teachers
By Jason Krasnow Q: What does the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) say about student involvement in the IEP process? A: The IDEA requires that students aged 14 and older be invited to attend their IEP meetings. Younger students do not need to be...
by Common Ground | Apr 20, 2021 | Capitols, Features, Parents, Professionals, Teachers
On March 3, NJDOE issued a broadcast memo to provide guidance to schools, students, parents/guardians of students with disabilities, advocacy groups, and other key stakeholders regarding compensatory education for students with disabilities. The changes in school...
by Common Ground | Apr 20, 2021 | Courts
Last fall, the role of non-attorney advocates in special education advocacy came under fire when the New Jersey Supreme Court issued “Opinion 56.” The 10-page opinion would have made it more difficult for advocates who are not lawyers to help parents of special...
by Common Ground | May 5, 2020 | Better IEPs
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the midst of IEP season has left parents and school districts with significant challenges in conducting regular IEP meetings. Federal law has always allowed IEP teams to meet remotely by video conference or telephone. Section...
by Common Ground | Oct 29, 2019 | Better IEPs
By Jennifer Kuhr Butterfoss Here are 5 things a school principal can do before, during, and after IEP meetings to leverage relationships with staff and further your bigger school-wide efforts: 1. Visit the student in class a day or two before the meeting It can feel...
by Common Ground | Oct 29, 2019 | Q&A
Q: Can I ask for time off from work to attend my child’s IEP meetings? A: Yes In August, the US Department of Labor (DOL) issued a letter clarifying that parents and guardians are allowed to use the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) intermittently to attend...
by Common Ground | Oct 29, 2019 | Parents, Professionals, Students, Teachers
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...
by Common Ground | Jan 24, 2019 | Better IEPs, Parents, Professionals, Students, Teachers
There are many ways to include students in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, and every student is different. Below are some essential tips to remember when encouraging student participation in IEP meetings. Speak openly with your student about...
by Common Ground | May 24, 2018 | Q&A
Many parents have had an experience similar to the one faced by Endrew F.’s parents, in which their child’s IEP goals don’t vary each year and there is lack of progress. BY DIANA AUTIN, MARIA DOCHERTY AND LAUREN AGORATUS, M.A. The recent Supreme Court case, Endrew F....
by Common Ground | Jun 28, 2013 | Courts
A federal appeals court has ruled that a school district’s failure to include the parent of a student with disabilities in an individualized education plan (IEP) meeting in which the student’s placement was changed violated IDEA. The case involves an...
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