The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) regulates private special education schools like the one your son or daughter attends. These regulations affect everything from services and staff, to facilities and finance.
On June 7, the State Board of Education adopted 82 pages of new fiscal code for special education schools that serve roughly 10,000 children with disabilities so severe and complex that public schools cannot provide an appropriate education to them. The implementation date of this code is slated for June 30, giving schools just 17 business days to review the new rules and make necessary changes to come into compliance.
We need more time.
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UPDATE: JUNE 27, 2017
Through a bi-partisan budget resolution, the New Jersey Legislature has called for a one year delay in the implementation of these rules. ASAH thanks leaders in Trenton for taking steps to protect children with severe disabilities.
NOW, WE MUST LET THE GOVERNOR KNOW THAT THIS IMPORTANT DELAY SHOULD NOT BE VETOED.
NEWS RELEASE: PARENTS, ADVOCATES CALL ON GOVERNOR TO SUPPORT DELAY IN SPECIAL EDUCATION RULES
Services for Children with Autism and Other Severe Challenges at Risk
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URGENT ACTION ALERT
CONTACT THE GOVERNOR TODAY TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR BUDGET RESOLUTION 1163
WHEN: NOW!! Not later than Friday, June 30
HOW:
1) call: 609-292-6000
2) E-mail: use this form: http://www.nj.gov/governor/contact/
STEP 1 – TOPIC: Education
STEP 2- SubTopic – Special Education
SUBJECT LINE: Support Budget Resolution 1163
3) Tweet: @govchristie #support1163 #specialeducation Support budget res 1163 to delay fiscal code for private special education schools.
WHAT TO WRITE/SAY: (you can copy and past this message)
Dear Governor Christie:
I am the parent of a child with severe disabilities who is placed by my school district at a state approved private special education school.
I am writing to you to urge you to support Budget Resolution 1163, which delays for one year the implementation of new fiscal code designed to reduce funding for more than 150 state-approved private special education schools.
Click here to learn more: http://www.asah.org/media/Call_to_action.mp4
This month, the State Board of Education adopted 82 pages of complex fiscal code for special education schools that serve roughly 10,000 children with disabilities so severe and complex that public schools cannot provide an appropriate education to them. The implementation date of this code is slated for July 1. This gave schools just 17 business days to review the new rules and make necessary changes to come into compliance.
Governor, my child’s school needs more time for a careful transition.
I urge you to support budget resolution 1163 calling for a one-year delay in the implementation of the fiscal code affecting state approved private special education schools for students with disabilities.
The State Board of Education has adopted more than 80 pages of new accounting rules that will devastate private schools, and make it very hard for them to operate. Some schools may be forced to close.
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Parents’ Perspectives on Special Education
The rules affect areas such as pension, healthcare, travel, hiring and staff training, tuition-setting, debt, and audits, to name a few. These rules will DIRECTLY affect services to children.
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HERE’S THE BOTTOM LINE:
We are urging leaders in Trenton to delay the adoption of these new rules.
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ASAH has opposed these rules and has asked leaders in Trenton to delay action, but WE ARE NOT ALONE. Look at all the organizations that asked the State Board to delay:
- ASAH
- Advocates for Children of NJ (ACNJ)
- Autism New Jersey
- The Alliance for the Betterment of Citizens with Disabilities
- The Arc of New Jersey
- NJ Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies
- New Jersey Coalition for Special Education Funding Reform
- The United Way of Central Jersey
CLICK HERE FOR ‘GETTING TO THE TRUTH’
Our Fact Sheet developed following the February 1 State Board meeting.
CLICK HERE TO READ OUR UPDATED TALKING POINTS on the proposed code revision
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MEDIA COVERAGE
NJTV aired the following segment on concerns over the proposed code changes.
Public Hearings on Charters and Private Schools
NJ Spotlight, John Mooney, January 4, 2017.
Special Education Schools Alarmed at DOE Proposals
NJ Spotlight: re NJTV coverage, John Mooney, January 4, 2017.
A Call to Action
Brick Shorebeat, Kimberlee Rutan McCafferty, January 17, 2017
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UPDATE: JUNE 5, 2017
The NJBOE is poised to approve the fiscal code proposed in November, virtually unchanged from their original proposal. Nearly 900 parents, advocates and organizations submitted comments and testimony, the vast majority in opposition to the code, and expressing grave concern in more than 170 different areas.
In spite of these comments, the NJDOE made a single change in the area of Food Services:
Excess expenses for food services are STILL non-allowable (cannot be part of tuition) except for where they are solely attributable to substitutions to meals when the disability restricts the child’s diet.
CLICK HERE to read the comments and the Department’s responses.
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UPDATE: MAY 3, 2017
On May 3, advocates testified before the State Board of Education, once again asking them to STOP, or at least DELAY the implementation of these damaging regulations. The rules are published in the New Jersey Register. Click here to read the most recent version, as well as comments of nearly 200 educators, parents and organizations that oppose the changes. There is still a lot of confusion about what these rules mean and how they will be implemented.
These rules are likely to be adopted on June 7th, for implementation on July 1, 2017. This gives private schools only 14 business days to prepare to implement sweeping fiscal and program changes. We cannot overstate how disruptive this will be to special education schools, the vast majority of which also provide services all summer. NJ needs a more planful approach, and more time for implementation.
While the official comment period is over, it is not too late to have your voice heard.
UPDATE: APRIL 5, 2017
Today, the State Board of Education took testimony on the proposed code changes that will affect private special education services. Each one of the 18 people who testified on the code spoke in opposition, and urged that the state board refuse to adopt it. There were no supporters of the code.
ASAH leadership and members of several schools were there, along with Autism New Jersey and The New Jersey Coalition for Special Education Funding Reform. By far, the most compelling testimony came from the 8 family members who spoke. Many fighting emotions as they spoke, mothers, fathers and even an older brother described how private special education has been life-altering. They described the well trained, credentialed staff and the need for a full range of intensive related services. They implored the Board of Education to reject the proposal.
Members of the Board appeared to be moved by the testimony. All expressed deep concern for the issues raised and agreed to look further into the issues.
Watch this website for more news.
CLICK HERE to read the testimony of Gerry Thiers on behalf of ASAH given at the April 5th Board Meeting.
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UPDATE: FEBRUARY 1, 2017
More than 30 families and their children with severe disabilities squeezed into the public meeting of the New Jersey State Board of Education on Wednesday, February 1. Joined by nearly 80 other special education advocates and leaders from state organizations, they jammed the lobby of the New Jersey Department of Education in opposition to new state rules that would put special education services for the state’s most vulnerable students at risk.
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RESOURCES:
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- CLICK HERE to download talking points on the proposed code revision.
- GETTING TO THE TRUTH – ASAH Fact Sheet developed following the February 1 meeting of the NJ State Board of Education.
- CLICK HERE to read or download NJDOE’s proposed code as a PDF.
- CLICK HERE to download ASAH’s most recent testimony (April 5) to the NJ State Board of Education regarding the proposed fiscal code as a PDF.
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ABOUT PRIVATE SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOLS IN NEW JERSEY
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- Private schools serve more than 11,000 children ages 3-21 who have complex and severe disabilities including autism, aspergers, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, learning disabilities, bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety, medical and chromosomal conditions, and more.
- Federal and state laws require that all students with disabilities receive an appropriate special education at no cost to parents.
- Public school districts place students with disabilities in private schools when the in-district programs cannot meet a child’s needs.
- Public schools pay tuition; rates are set annually by the NJDOE.
- Private schools are heavily regulated by the NJDOE.
- Many private schools in New Jersey are tax-exempt charitable organizations established for the benefit of the students they serve; others are family-owned and operated businesses.
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Questions? Need more information?
Call ASAH 609-890-1400
www.asah.org
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