by Common Ground | Aug 11, 2014 | Courts
The United States District Court has upheld the decision of an Administrative Law Judge, requiring a New Jersey School district to reimburse parents for placement in an approved private school. The case involves a preschooler with severe autism for whom private...
by Common Ground | Aug 11, 2014 | Courts
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that the provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) for services in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) apply to extended school year, (ESY) services. The case involves a...
by Common Ground | Apr 22, 2014 | Features
By STAN KARP The New York Times says it’s “clearly the most important education reform in the country’s history.” But a recent Gallop poll says nearly two out of three people have never heard of it. ‘It’ is the “Common Core,” a new set of tougher curriculum standards...
by Common Ground | Apr 22, 2014 | Courts
Earlier this year, advocate groups in New Jersey entered into a settlement agreement with the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) in a seven-year-old law suit intended to help ensure that children with disabilities are educated in the “least restrictive...
by Common Ground | Apr 22, 2014 | Courts
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the “stay put” provision of IDEA remains relevant, even when a student has aged out of public school. The case involves a Hawaii student with severe disabilities, who filed for due process in order to remain at the...
by Common Ground | Apr 22, 2014 | Capitols
Leaders at the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) have clarified the responsibilities of local school districts to provide services to “highly mobile” students, such as those in foster care or homeless, children of migrant workers, and children in military families....
by Common Ground | Apr 22, 2014 | Capitols
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has signed a new law that would allow a child who has moved out of a school district as the consequence of a family crisis to remain enrolled in his or her current school until the end of the school year. The measure allows any child...
by Common Ground | Apr 22, 2014 | Capitols
Governor Christie has signed a package of bills that will benefit students with reading difficulties. Under the new requirements, young children who are showing signs of reading problems will have to be screened for dyslexia within the first few months of second...
by Common Ground | Apr 22, 2014 | Capitols
Leaders at the New Jersey School Boards Association have issued a new report calling for changes to the state’s system of special education. Entitled “Special Education: A Service, Not a Place,” the report calls for greater accountability for outcomes and...
by Common Ground | Apr 22, 2014 | Q&A
For some students, the question of when to accept a diploma is clear, but for most, it is a decision that must be carefully weighed. There is a lot of misinformation about this issue. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions: Q: What responsibilities do...
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