I am / we are writing to express my / our great concern over the implementation of IDEIA 2004 in New Jersey.   I / we are most concerned about the many areas where the federal law will allow NJ to relax protections for parents and students and diminish our rights in this process.  My / our top concerns are the areas where federal relaxation of law will be detrimental to our child's ability to attain a free and appropriate public education.

I / we are writing to call upon you as the chief protectorates of our children to stand firm against any and all weakening of NJ special education law.  We are counting on you to hold the line against any such weakening and to turn your ear first and foremost to the parents and the advocacy organizations.  We are hoping that you recognize that the parents and the students are the most important members of the decision making process on IDEIA 2004.  We hope that you consider our input first and foremost.

We, alongside our children, are the ones who will bear the consequences of any bad special education law that might be implemented during your watch.

[ I am writing to let you know that I have signed the petition at the http://StudentAdvocate-NJ.org website. ] 

[ I am writing as a member of APIECE / SPAN / NJ IDEIA 2004 Organizing Committee / (your groups). ]

Specifically, I am most concerned about (here you can discuss points from the petition or the other points to elaborate according to your own views. )

Please be advised that I am sending a copy of this letter to the Barbara Gantwerk, Acting Commissioner, Acting Governor Richard Codey, my NJ Assembly and Senate representatives and to various advocacy organizations.  I am also placing telephone calls to my elected representatives as a follow up. 

Rest assured that special needs parents, our families and friends, the advocacy organizations and our community allies are all watching this issue quite closely and we are prepared to take the necessary steps to assure the best possible outcome to protect the strongest possible special education law given IDEIA 2004.
                                                                                                                        Sincerely,

[ If you have suggestions for improvements on sample letter, please send those to advocate@StudentAdvocate-NJ.org ]

Questions:

Why, in addition to addressing letters to the Members of the Board of Education,  should we send copies of the letters to the commissioner, Acting Governor and our local NJ elected officials?  The NJ Department of Education is ultimately accountable to Acting Governor Richard Codey, the NJ State Assembly and NJ State Senate and to us the voter.  The Department of Education should be made aware that we take our concerns over these issues quite seriously and that we are doing more than whispering in someone's ears about it.  We also need to call our elected officials into account and let them know that we are watching this issue closely and we are prepared to act in a political way should it become necessary to defend the best interests of our children with disabilities.

If I signed the petition, should that not be enough?  Are there not enough other parents to send letters?  Why should I expend the time?   By using the tools available at this website, including the petition, the sample letter and the links to other sites with a wealth of information about this issue, you can draft your letter  relatively quickly.  The letters do not need to be masterpieces - just sincere outpourings of your honestly held opinions on these matters.  Barbara Gantwerk is focusing her requests for feedback on the school districts and has mailed letters to all of the districts seeking input.  ( Click Here )  Such letters have been post mailed to every district in the state.  The districts will have opinions that are opposite ours on many of these issues.  They will draft their input "on the clock" so can afford the time and effort for elaborate calls to weaken these laws.  Ms. Gantwerk has not invited such input from us, the parents of students with disabilities.  We need a show of strength and determination as a counter balance to the expected outpouring from the districts.

Why should I consider allowing my letter to be displayed at this website?  Your letter can help other parents in formulating their letters and by being public in your addressing to the state, you will make it clear to state officials and elected officials just how important this issue is to us.  We are initiating an On-line IDEIA 2004 Public Hearing at this website.   In addition to providing opinions and letters that you share with us, we will point to other sites on the internet as they are developed with such commentary.

Is it ok to send more than one letter?  I might have more thoughts later.  Please do not delay getting your initial letters out.  Of course if you want to further elaborate later and cover other points, you can always send more letters.  Send one every day if you should be so inclined.  Share them with us and with your friends and colleagues. 

Who should I send the letter to and how should I send it?  Address the letters to the members of the Board of Education and Barbara Gantwerk.  We should also include either in the salutation or by way of CC NJ Acting Commissioner of Education, Acting Governor Richard Codey and your local NJ State Assembly and Senate representatives (see link below to find them).  You can send the letter by e-mail and then print it and post mail it as well.  Follow up calls to all recipients are appropriate.  We will be researching and identifying the NJ State Board of Education members and providing information on how to contact them as well.  E-mail addresses of Ms. Gantwerk and Acting Governor Codey: barbara.gantwerk@doe.state.nj.us ; SenCodey@njleg.org .

We encourage you to cc: this website and SPAN: cc: advocate@studentadvocate-NJ.org; span@spannj.org .

You can also submit your input via the NJ Department of Education website yet we still recommend that you save your text and post mail it as well:

https://www.state.nj.us/njded/parents/contact.htm