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County
Level Coordination
of Special Education
Services
Issues/Needs
Special
education costs
continue to
escalate dramatically,
with limited
increases in
state and/or
federal aid
to support these
costs. These
rising costs
create severe
strains on local
district budgets
and taxpayers.
New
Jersey has over
600 local school
districts, many
of which are
very small.
It is inefficient,
expensive, and
often impossible
for each small
district to
employ specialized
staff to offer
the full range
of services
that may be
needed by only
a few students.
Special
education students
have a broad
continuum of
abilities and
needs, from
minor speech
or learning
disabilities
to profound
cognitive impairments.
School districts
must provide
and/or have
access to a
continuum of
services to
meet those varied
needs, but the
state lacks
a coordinated
system to help
districts access
all of the needed
services in
each county.
No
Child Left Behind
requirements
for special
education students
and teachers
pose extreme
challenges for
school districts
and create new
pressures to
ensure that
students with
disabilities
are placed in
high-quality
programs that
maximize their
potential to
achieve the
state’s
rigorous academic
standards.
A
large percentage
of students
with disabilities
in New Jersey
are placed in
private schools
for handicapped
students and
other separate
facilities.
While these
placements are
often the first
choice of parents,
the state and
school districts
face pressures
to reduce the
number of students
placed in separate
facilities.
Goals
A
coordinated
system to provide
a wide range
of high-quality
placement/service
options in each
county that
meet the broad
continuum of
students’
educational,
medical, and
developmental
needs with programs
and services
that reflect
"best practices"
in special education.
Mechanisms
and strategies
to promote inclusion
of students
with disabilities
in regular education
settings, as
appropriate
for the students’
unique needs
and abilities.
Improved
coordination
of special education
services to
reduce duplication
and promote
cost-efficiency.
Strategy
Designate/establish
an entity in
each county
to coordinate
special education
services
County
special services
school districts
are established
in 8 counties
(Atlantic, Bergen,
Burlington,
Cape May, Gloucester,
Mercer, Salem
and Warren)
Educational
Services Commissions
(Camden, Essex,
Hunterdon, Middlesex,
Monmouth/Ocean,
Morris, Passaic,
Somerset, Sussex,
and Union) and
Jointure Commissions
(Southern Bergen,
Morris/Union,
and Bayshore)
are established
in 11 of the
remaining 13
counties.
The
existing special
services districts,
educational
services commissions
and jointure
commissions
should be authorized
to provide coordinated
special education
services within
their counties.
Cumberland
and Hudson counties
do not currently
have a countywide
entity to provide
coordinated
services. These
counties would
require establishment
of a new entity,
designation
of another existing
entity (county
vocational school
district or
local district),
or joint services
with an adjacent
county.
The
county entity
would have the
following responsibilities:
Provide
programs for
students with
severe and low-incident
disabilities.
Such programs
could be offered
in central facilities
of the county
entity or in
local district
facilities.
Provide
shared special
education services
that help local
districts meet
student needs
in a cost-efficient
manner. Such
services may
include child
study team services,
therapy services,
staff development,
assistive technology,
legal and mediation
services, etc.
Provide
coordinated
transportation
services for
special education
students throughout
the county.
The county unit
would be permitted
to provide additional
transportation
services, such
as coordinated
non-public transportation.
Collect
data regarding
available special
education programs
and advise local
school districts
on all available
placement options
including those
provided by
other local
districts in
the county
Reduce
duplication by
consolidating
the 11 Regional
Day Schools (currently
contracted out
to various entities)
under the county
special education
entity.
Mechanisms
Legislation
to expand the
missions of
the existing
county special
services school
districts, educational
services commissions
and jointure
commissions,
to establish
new countywide
entities in
Cumberland and
Hudson counties,
and to consolidate
the Regional
Day Schools;
A
small amount
of state funding
is needed to
establish/expand
county units
to meet the
educational
needs of students
in their county
and provide
fiscal stability
for a new coordinated
system that
will produce
substantial
local district
cost savings;
or
Incentive
grants that
enable several
counties to
pilot a coordinated
special education
services model.
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