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NJ Spotlight--Feds Order NJ to Come Up with Better Way to Resolve Special-Ed Disputes
New Jersey has been given three months to improve its much-criticized process for settling disputes involving students in special education
New Jersey’s judicial system for resolving special education disputes has itself been long in dispute over arguments that it takes too long, costs too much, is biased toward districts, or is biased toward families.
John Mooney | May 28, 2019
NJ Spotlight--The Five Sticky Budget Issues Governor and Lawmakers Must Resolve
The final countdown to the state’s budget traditionally begins after Memorial Day. Here we are — and here are the five biggest issues Gov. Phil Murphy and legislators must sort out by June 30
John Reitmeyer | May 28, 2019
Star Ledger--N.J. could soon require comprehensive eye exams for new students. But eye doctors are opposed.
The state Assembly on Thursday sent Gov. Phil Murphy a bill that would require every student entering public school in New Jersey to sit for a comprehensive eye exam in a push for early detection of vision problems.
The measure (A4310) says any student six years old or younger starting a public preschool, public school or head start program must provide proof of a comprehensive eye exam.
Samantha Marcus | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com| NJ Advance Media for NJ.com| Posted May 24, 2019
Star Ledger--N.J. students must learn about sexual abuse and how to protect themselves under new proposed law
The bill has been years in the making.
New Jersey may soon become the latest state in the U.S. to require its schools teach students at all grade levels about the danger of sexual abuse now that the long-debate proposal is finally headed to the governor’s desk.
Brent Johnson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com| Updated May 24, 2019; Posted May 24, 2019
Education Week--Should School Boards Take Up Abortion, Immigration, and Other Social Issues?
The Los Angeles district's school board has passed an unusual resolution to "stop the bans" on abortion, thrusting the district directly into the heart of a searing national debate about abortion—an issue the U.S. Supreme Court could choose to address in the near future.
The resolution, passed as a special order of business May 21, is a clear rebuke to Alabama lawmakers, who recently passed a law banning nearly all instances of abortion in that state with no provisions made for victims of rape or incest, and to other states that have moved to curb abortion.
Stephen Sawchuk on May 23, 2019 4:37 PM
Politics K-12 (Education Week)--Groups Tell Washington to Make Teacher Diversity a Priority. But How, Exactly?
A host of groups are pressing the federal government to address teacher diversity—but the number of levers lawmakers and Beltway leaders can pull is limited.
This week, two different coalitions sent letters to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate education committees asking them to keep educator diversity in mind when considering legislation. And one of the coalitions also asked U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to do the same when coming up with education regulations.
Andrew Ujifusa on May 23, 2019 4:02 PM