Office of Special Services
Montville Township Public Schools
328 Changebridge Road, Pine Brook, NJ 07058
Phone : 973-808-8580 Fax: 973-808-4125
Overview of the Special Education Process
Montville Special Services provides quality educational services to students who are educationally disabled or have special needs. Services are designed in the context of "least restrictive environment". The department has highly qualified specialists dedicated to excellence in Special Education.
Special Education Today
Today more than ever,
our education system is striving to ensure that all children receive an
education that is appropriate for their abilities. Children ages 3-21 found
eligible with delayed skills
or skills well below their age level are eligible for special services that can
provide individualized instruction and programs in public schools, free of
charge to your family. If you understand how to access these services, you will
be a better advocate for what your child needs.
Following the passage of
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 97, IDEA 2004), parents of children
with special needs have become even more important members of their child's
education team, working with educators to develop a plan that will help their
child succeed in school. This individualized education plan (IEP) describes the
goals the team has set for the child for the school year, as well as any special
supports that are needed to help achieve those goals.
Who Needs
Special Services and an
IEP?
A child who has difficulty learning and functioning in a regular classroom with
his peers, who after regular education interventions (I&RS team) have failed, is
an appropriate candidate for
a referral to Special Services. After a referral a child must be evaluated to
determine eligibility and programming (IEP). Children who are struggling in
school may qualify for support services for a variety of reasons. Some have
learning disabilities that make it difficult to read or process information.
Others have disabilities - such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder,
emotional disorders, mental retardation, autism, hearing impairment, visual
impairment, a speech or language impairment, or developmental delay - that
require that they be taught in a special way. These disabilities must have an
impact on the child's educational functioning.
In most cases, the
services and goals outlined in an IEP can be provided in a standard school
environment. This can be done in the regular classroom (for example, a special
education teacher helping a small group of children who need extra assistance while the
other children in the class work on reading with the regular teacher) or in a
special resource center in the regular school. The resource center can serve a group
of children with similar needs who are brought together for help.
However, children who need intense intervention may be taught in a special school environment. They may spend most of their day in a special classroom and join the regular classes for non-academic activities (music and gym) or one or two academic activities in which they do not require extra help. These classes have fewer students per teacher, allowing for more individualized attention. In addition, the teacher has specific training in helping children with special educational needs. Because it is the goal of IDEA 97 & IDEA 2004, 2006 to make sure that each child is educated in the least restrictive environment, every effort is made to help children remain in a regular classroom. When the child's needs are best met in a special class, then he/she may be placed in this setting.
Web Pages Designed/maintained by Jennifer Sowa, Supervisor of Special Services