Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex and Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator McKnight
SYNOPSIS
Requires any draft Individualized Education Program (IEP) and list of excused IEP team members be provided to parent or guardian at least two business days prior to annual IEP team meeting.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the Individualized Education Programs for special education students and supplementing chapter 46 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Whenever a school district prepares a draft Individualized Education Program (IEP) for a special education student prior to the annual review of the student’s IEP, the school district shall, at least two business days prior to the annual IEP team meeting, provide the student’s parent or guardian with a hard copy of:
(1) the draft IEP; and
(2) a list of the names of any IEP team members who are seeking excusal from participation in the IEP team meeting, accompanied by any excused IEP team member’s input with respect to the programs and services for which the member is responsible. The list provided pursuant to this paragraph shall be in addition to any requests for consent for excusal that are included with the notice of the IEP team meeting date and participants that is provided in accordance with federal and State law and regulation.
b. The draft IEP provided to a parent or guardian pursuant to subsection a. of this section shall include the word “DRAFT” in a prominent location on each page of the document.
c. A school district shall include written notice with the draft IEP provided pursuant to subsection a. of this section advising the student’s parent or guardian of the following:
(1) the programs and services proposed in the draft are preliminary recommendations for review and discussion;
(2) the draft is being provided to give the parent or guardian an opportunity to review the recommendations and be better able to engage in a full discussion of the programs and services proposed for the student’s IEP at the annual IEP team meeting; and
(3) the parent or guardian may provide input and feedback as to the programs and services proposed in the student’s IEP.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that in the case of a school district that prepares a draft Individualized Education Program (IEP) prior to the annual review of the student’s IEP, the school district is to, at least two business days prior to the annual IEP team meeting, provide the student’s parent or guardian with a hard copy of: (1) the draft IEP; and (2) a list of the names of any IEP team members who are seeking excusal from participation in the IEP team meeting, accompanied by any excused IEP team member’s input with respect to the programs and services for which the member is responsible. This list is to be in addition to any requests for consent for excusal that are included with the notice of the IEP meeting date and participants that is provided in accordance with federal and State law and regulation. This draft IEP is also required to include the word “DRAFT” in a prominent location on each page of the document.
The bill requires school districts to include written notice with the draft IEP that advises the student’s parent or guardian of the following: (1) the programs and services proposed in the draft are preliminary recommendations for review and discussion; (2) the draft is being provided to give the parent or guardian an opportunity to be better able to engage in a full discussion at the annual IEP team meeting; and (3) the parent or guardian may provide input and feedback as to the programs and services proposed in the student’s IEP.