State Backs Off On Changes in Special-Ed Regulations
The following is an article from NJspotlight.com, here is a link to the article:
Proposed new code encountered strong opposition from advocates, families
The Christie administration has pulled back from its hotly contested plans to change special-education requirements for school districts and families, leaving current regulations in place for now.
The state Board of Education will meet in an emergency session on Friday to take the unusual step of vacating its preliminary approval of the proposed changes, then voting to extend the current regulations.
Without the vote, the regulations would have expired without any new regulations to replace them.
The decision came in the face of strong opposition to the proposed changes, which were billed as a move to free up districts from some of the strict requirements for programs and staffing to educate the state’s 210,000 students with disabilities.
One of the most controversial proposals would have loosened required qualifications for serving as a student’s case manager, a critical conduit for families in coordinating a child’s services.… Read the rest