TSANJ's Efforts Pay Off
In early November 1997, Education Commissioner
Leo Klagholtz unveiled proposed changes to New Jersey's special education code.
This code regulates the way in which school districts provide special education
services to children with disabilities. As proposed, these changes would have
a significant impact on the education of children with disabilities, including
children with Tourette Syndrome. A change which would have had a particular
impact on children with Tourette Syndrome was the proposal to redefine the classification
of "neurologically impaired" to apply only to those children who had suffered
a traumatic brain injury.
In the weeks following the introduction of the proposed code
changes, the TSANJ aggressively opposed redefining "neurologically impaired"
to include only traumatic brain injured children. Letters were sent to all 1500
Association members urging them to write each State Board of Education representative
and explain that the proposed change could leave children with Tourette Syndrome
and other neurological impairments without the special education and related
services that are now available. TSANJ also sent letters to each member of the
State Legislature opposing the change. Press Releases were distributed, along
with letters to the editor and after dozens of calls to the media, we appeared
on Channel 7 Eyewitness News. In addition, TSANJ testified at a public hearing
held by the State Board of Education.
Due to the persistence and efforts of many members of our
organization, changes were made to the proposed code so that Tourette Syndrome
is now expressly listed as one of the disabling conditions which may qualify
a child for special education and related services under the classification
of "Other Health Impaired". It is hoped that with the change, children with
Tourette Syndrome who were previously classified as "neurologically impaired"
will continue to be eligible for special education and related services, just
under a different classification. The State Board of Education voted on the
proposed changes at its June meeting and it is expected the new code will go
into effect this summer.
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