The New Jersey Student Advocate
A publication of A Parents’ Initiative
for Every Child’s Education (APIECE)
Fall 2005, “The First Issue” Volume 1, Issue Number 1
“Standing up for the rights
of all students including those facing adversity due to disability, racial
disparity and economic inequity”
Visit today: http://StudentAdvocate-NJ.org http://APIECENJ.org / 908-881-5275 /
908-874-5094 Advocate@StudentAdvocate-NJ.org / APIECE, PO Box 1214, Belle Mead,
NJ 08502
Paid for by members and supporters of and donators to A Parents’ Initiative for
Every Child’s Education
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Promote
Did You Write a Letter for Our Children?
We spend dozens of hours every year in
IEP processes, reviewing draft after draft and pursuing points of disagreement
with the districts. We spend hours upon hours, monitoring the districts to
assure that our IEP agreements are adhered to. We attend conferences, read books
and literature, research on the internet and do whatever we can to work toward
the maximal potential of our children. Given the pending changes, even more
effort will be needed in these regards as we advocate for each and every aspect
of our children’s Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). A major aspect
of our petition drive is to encourage parents and other supporters to also write
letters to NJ DOE, the Acting Governor, NJ Assembly and Senate office holders
and candidates for office about the issues addressed in the petition and other
issues of concern about IDEIA 2004.
The important thing about getting letters like these out is that you do it right
away. Usually when we say to ourselves “Yeah, I need to do that,” we never get
around to the task given the many demands on our time. While we have generated
numerous letters through our petition drive, letter writing campaign, and the
high volume of letters being received has been acknowledged by a DOE official,
each and everyone of us need to take the 10 minutes or so needed to get this
task done. We have sample letters at our website that you can use as your
staring point. See:
http://studentadvocate-nj.org/IDEIA2004_Writing.htm If you send a
letter now, do send it again during the public comments portion of the hearings
process - see above. Letters should be sent to:
Barbara Gantwerk, Director, OSEP, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, PO Box 500, TRENTON,
NJ 08625-0500; E-mail:
barbara.gantwerk@doe.state.nj.us ; Phone: (609)292-0147 / Fax:
(609)984-8422
William Librera or Acting Commissioner, NJ DOE, PO Box 500, TRENTON, NJ
08625-0500; (609) 292-4469
On-line letters:
https://www.state.nj.us/njded/parents/contact.htm
CC letters to: Acting Governor Richard Codey E-mail:
SenCodey@njleg.org ; PO Box 001,
Trenton, NJ 08625; Phone: (609) 292-6000 / Fax: (609) 777-2922
Please include your state legislators. To find how to contact them, click here:
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/?lvl=L
Ask the Advocate
NJ Complaint Form (MS Word)
(PDF)
On Line Public Hearing on IDEIA 2004
Survey on NJ OSEP Complaint
Process
Past Activities
IEP Wkshp
Rec. Programs for
those w/ Disabilities
An Evening of Educational Advocacy
September 8, 2005 Edison, NJ
What The Student Advocate Has Done for Our Children
Lately . . .
NJ IDEIA 2004 Organizing Committee
Minutes of IDEIA 2004 meeting on Thu., May
26
Student Rights Radio
Discussion, October 31
Effort to
Reach Gubernatorial Hopefuls and Acting Governor / Candidates
IDEA: An Update
Dec. 5, 2005
Middletown
January 18,
2006: Hold a Candle Light for Our Children's Rights
50 Strong For Our
Children
No. Jersey Radio Interview Aired, 1/22
Petitioning for Rights Children: Legal in Princeton
Interview on NJ IDEIA Rights
- Racial Disparities in Sp-Ed
Call
is Heard in Montgomery Twp: Inclusive Recreation
NJSAU Minutes 2/18/2006
Playing and Singing for
Our Rights, 4/1/6
Better IDEA Laws for Special Education
Students?
Better IEPs? Anything is Possible!
April
1 Report: Student Advocacy Union - Fundraising Concert
Mobilization for Rights
of Our Children, May 17, 2006, Trenton
Nationwide Internet Radio Rally for Sp-Ed Parent Rights
9pm EST, Sat. May 20
Parents’ Rally @ Statehouse in Trenton Thursday, June 8, 2006
Piscataway Parents Mtg, June 19, 2006