Current Legislation - November 15, 2012

SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGAM STABILITY:   A-2739 (Benson, Wagner)/S-1949 (Greenstein, Sweeney).  This legislation, Liam’s Law, directs the State Board of Education to promulgate regulations requiring school districts to develop a plan to establish stability in special education programming, particularly when it comes to location of service, curriculum and staffing.   NJEA supported this bill, which was approved 4-0 by the Senate Education Committee with amendments and is now on second reading in the Senate.

RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION: S-2189 (Ruiz) passed in the Senate Education Committee and now is on second reading in the Senate.  This bill directs the Commissioner to establish an initiative to support and encourage the use of a Response to Intervention (RTI) framework by school districts.  IDEA permits districts to use RTI to identify students with specific learning disabilities.  NJEA supported this bill.

WORLD AUTISM DAY:  SJR28 (Greenstein, Ruiz) passed in the Senate Education Committee and is on second reading in the Senate.  This joint resolution would declare the second day of April of each year as "World Autism Awareness Day" to raise awareness of autism in our State and around the world.  The United Nations has declared this day as "World Autism Awareness Day."  NJEA supports this resolution.

DISABILITY AWARENESS HISTORY MONTH:  SJR31 (Weinberg, Ruiz) passed in the Senate Education Committee and is now on second reading in the Senate.  This Joint Resolution would designate October of each year as “Disability History and Awareness Month” and encourages instruction concerning disabilities in public school.  NJEA supported this resolution.