by Common Ground | Apr 5, 2024 | Courts
A U.S. District Court has upheld the ruling of a New Jersey Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) that transportation to and from the corner bus stop, rather than to and from the child’s front door, did not result in denial of a free appropriate public education and did not...
by Common Ground | Apr 20, 2023 | Parents, Professionals, Special Ed Basics, Teachers
Common Ground is committed to informing families and guardians about parental rights and special education advocacy. In this and upcoming editions we will share a series of basic and important special education topics on the rights, responsibilities, administrative...
by Common Ground | Feb 3, 2020 | Capitols
The USDOE, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) issued additional guidance on the role of parental involvement in placement decisions, and in particular, the decision about how far from home a child with disabilities can be educated. The guidance came in...
by Common Ground | Aug 12, 2019 | Capitols
Last spring, leaders in Washington, DC gave New Jersey just three months to change the state’s judicial system for resolving special education disputes. The US Department of Education has found that NJ’s current process involving the Office of Administrative Law (OAL)...
by Common Ground | Jan 24, 2019 | Capitols
Last fall, Michigan educator Laurie VanderPloeg was appointed to lead the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. She brings nearly 40 years of experience to the position, including many...
by Common Ground | Sep 11, 2017 | Capitols
The Office of Special Education Programs, OSEP, issued a response last year to a letter seeking clarification on a school district’s options when a parent brings an attorney to an IEP meeting without giving the district prior notice. The letter addressed two...
by Common Ground | Sep 23, 2012 | Capitols
The U.S. Department of Education has rescinded an offer it made to school districts last summer that would have allowed them to cut special education spending in exchange for a lesser financial penalty than in the past. The federal “maintenance of effort”...
by Common Ground | Sep 22, 2012 | Capitols
“If a parent seeks an independent evaluation in an area not assessed as part of the initial evaluation or a reevaluation, the school district shall first have the opportunity to conduct the requested evaluation.”This spring, the U.S. Department of...
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