No. 53
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator ANGELA V. MCKNIGHT
District 31 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Designates May of each year as Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Awareness Month in New Jersey.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
A Joint Resolution declaring May of each year as Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Awareness Month.
Whereas, Under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a student with a disability is guaranteed access to a free, appropriate public education. The law details the procedures that states and school districts must undertake to meet their obligations under the law; and
Whereas, Under the IDEA, if a child is deemed eligible to receive special education services, school officials are required to, in cooperation with a childs parent or guardian, develop an individualized education plan (IEP) for that child; and
Whereas, A childs IEP contains critical details about the education that the child will receive, including: a statement of the childs present levels of academic achievement and functional performance; measurable annual goals and a description of how a childs progress towards achieving those goals will be measured; details of the special education and related services that the child will receive; any individual accommodations that will be needed to measure the childs academic achievement and functional performance; and, for special education students, generally beginning at the age of 16, measurable postsecondary goals related to training, education, employment, and independent living skills; and
Whereas, In order to ensure a students success, it is imperative that parents remain actively engaged in the development and implementation of a childs IEP. However, due to the legal complexities and unfamiliar terms associated with the process, some parents may encounter difficulties when interacting with school district personnel; and
Whereas, The parents of the more than 200,000 New Jersey students with an IEP serve as advocates for their children. To do so effectively, they need to be well informed about the procedures associated with establishing an IEP, as well as the special education students and their parents rights; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. May of each year is designated as Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Awareness Month in New Jersey to increase the publics understanding of the development and implementation of a students IEP.
2. This joint resolution
shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This joint resolution designates May of each year as Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Awareness Month in New Jersey. The purpose is to increase public understanding of the development and implementation of a special education students individualized education plan under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.