Special Education Terms

It refers to students whose primary language is not English and who are actively learning to read, write, speak, and comprehend the language.

Programs and instruction designed to teach English to non-native speakers living in an English-speaking country.

It is the primary federal law governing K-12 public education in the United States. Signed into law in 2015, it replaced the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act.

Special education and related services provided to students with disabilities beyond the typical 180-day school year.

A fundamental legal right guaranteed to students with disabilities by federal laws like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

A specialized school evaluation used to identify challenging behaviors. It helps educators determine why a student acts in certain ways so the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team can create effective, targeted interventions.

It is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records and applies to all schools that receive U.S. Department of Education funding.

HIB refers to the specific protections and procedures under New Jersey's Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act (ABR) for students with disabilities who are targeted or involved in bullying.

The federal law that creates special education rights for students and youth with disabilities 0-22.

A legal document that explains how a school will meet the disability-related needs of a student eligible for special education.

It is a formal document created by a licensed school nurse in collaboration with parents, doctors, and educators to outline the medical, emergency, and daily support needs a student requires to safely participate in school.

It is a legally binding, written document that outlines the early intervention services and supports a child- and their family- receives to address developmental delays or disabilities.

A multidisciplinary school team, typically consisting of administrators, counselors, nurses, and teachers. They design personalized action plans to help general education students overcome academic, behavioral, social, or health challenges.

This refers to a neurological or brain-based processing difference that affects a person's ability to acquire, store, or process information. Examples are dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia.

Public Schools including Charter Schools, County Schools.

The requirement in federal law that students with disabilities receive their education, to the maximum extent appropriate, with non-disabled students and that special education students are not removed from regular classes unless, even with special education support, education in regular classes doesn’t meet their needs.