NJ Special Education Law
Special needs children present many challenges for parents. Among those challenges is obtaining a proper education for your child. Lentz & Gengaro LLP has provided legal assistance to parents of disabled children in New Jersey for nearly two decades. In the state of New Jersey, students with disabilities are entitled to receive a proper education.
Special education attorneys in NJ protect your child's rights
Both the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and NJ education law state that New Jersey children with disabilities, ages three through 22, must be provided with a free and appropriate public education. This legal guarantee includes special education and related services provided at public expense. Special education is defined as instruction designed to meet the specific educational needs of a disabled child. Related services may include:
- Transportation
- Developmental services
- Corrective services
- Other necessary supportive services
Further, such services must be provided in the least restrictive environment possible.
An obligation to identify and provide
NJ school law requires New Jersey school districts to identify students who need special education services and evaluate those students for eligibility. Children with disabilities may be defined as individuals from age three to 22 with one or more of the following conditions, including but not limited to:
- Cognitive delays
- Autism
- Traumatic brain injury
- Specific learning disability
- Hearing impairment
- Speech or language impairment
- Visual impairment
- Serious emotional disturbance
- Orthopedic impairment
In addition to having one or more of the above conditions, there must also be evidence that your child's disability adversely affects his or her educational performance. An experienced NJ education attorney can offer assistance in determining your child's eligibility.
Once your disabled child is determined as eligible, an individualized education program (IEP) is developed which details the education services that your child is to receive. A skilled NJ education law attorney can help ensure that the IEP is implemented immediately and that annual and/or necessary reviews occur as needed.
Special laws for special needs
Both state and federal special education laws have detailed time periods for provided services and legal remedies through which dissatisfied students may obtain due process. Every child in America is entitled to an education and if your child has been denied, we can help. For assistance and more information about New Jersey's special education laws, contact the NJ education law firm of Lentz & Gengaro LLP online or call 973-669-8900 today.
