What’s New?

ACNJ Welcomes New Board Members

Posted on February 16, 2021

Advocates for Children of New Jersey would like to welcome its new board members! ACNJ is governed by a volunteer board of trustees who are diverse in professional, educational and cultural backgrounds. They are united by a deep concern for the well-being of New Jersey's children.

New Board Members Biography
Monique Baptiste Monique Baptiste, Vice President of Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Monique supports JPMC’s $350 million global investment in education and workforce training systems to promote economic opportunity and reduce inequities in labor market outcomes from groups that have historically faced significant barriers to accessing opportunity.  This includes leading efforts to promote second chance hiring opportunities for individuals with criminal backgrounds in key cities across the country. With a background in urban policy and economics, Monique has worked in the field of workforce development for over a decade.
Bianka Douglas Bianka Douglas, Vice President, Lead Human Resources Business Partner, Prudential
Bianka is a strategic HR partner who understands the organization and the evolution of the business. She is a solutions-oriented change leader who brings strong influencing capability with a focus on developing and aligning the people strategy with the business. She has an innovative mindset and encourages others to develop new ways of working to optimize outcomes and performance. Bianka has extensive experience in employee engagement, talent and succession management, organizational effectiveness and executive coaching at the C Suite level.
Justin Kiczek Justin Kiczek, Executive Vice President, F. M. Kirby Foundation
Justin oversees the family foundation’s grantmaking to programs in the arts and humanities, human services, environment, health, education, and public policy. Justin worked previously at the Turrell Fund in Montclair, N.J. , first as a Program Consultant for 15 years and subsequently as Vice President of Programs, where he helped support the foundation’s efforts to improve early childhood outcomes in New Jersey and Vermont. He also has experience as an English teacher and lecturer in secondary and higher education institutions, including seven years at the all-scholarship Regis High School. He holds a B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross and an M.A. from Hunter College. As a lifelong participant in non-profit work, Justin also volunteers regularly with the Interfaith Food Pantry, Student / Partner Alliance, and his local PTA. He lives in Morristown, NJ with his wife and their three daughters.
Monica Lallo Monica Lallo, Ed.D., MPA, MPM, Senior Vice President, Acenda Integrated Health
Dr. Lallo is an educator, team strategist and advocate for improving government and nonprofit services to underserved youth and families. Throughout her professional career, she has been committed to bridging the socioeconomic divide that exists in disadvantaged communities. She has been actively involved in government-funded youth improvement initiatives and her work has heightened capacity building efforts for nonprofit organizations, both domestically and internationally. Dr. Lallo received her Doctorate in Education from Immaculata University, her Master’s degree in Public Administration from New York University, and Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Rutgers University.

Urgent: Students Wishing to Participate in Bridge Year Need to Notify Schools by 2/15

Posted on February 2, 2021

On June 26, 2020, Governor Murphy signed the Bridge Year Pilot Program into law, which took effect immediately. Students in the graduating classes of 2021 and 2022 can defer graduation for one year after their senior year (a Bridge Year) to make up for a disruption to education and extracurricular activities due to COVID-19.

In order to be eligible for the Bridge Year Program, students must:

  • Be in the graduating classes of 2021 or 2022,
  • Meet all high school graduation requirements by the end of the student’s senior year,
  • Be 19 years old or younger for the entire Bridge Year if enrolled in general education, or if they have an IEP, turn 20 years old during the Bridge Year,
  • Maintain a 2.0 GPA during the Bridge Year, and
  • Remain enrolled in the high school they attended as a junior.

How to Request a Bridge Year
The high school should have appointed a Bridge Year Liaison to be the main contact person for students. Students or parents should contact the Bridge Year Liaison on or before February 15th to notify them that the student intends to participate in the Bridge Year Program.

Students who choose a Bridge Year may participate in graduation ceremonies with their class but will not receive a diploma until the end of the Bridge Year.

In order to participate in the Bridge Year Program, students:

  • May participate in extracurricular programs, including spring sports season.
  • Must enroll in 9-12 credits for the fall semester at the high school, county community college or a combination of both.
  • Must enroll in 9-12 credits for the spring semester at a county community college where the high school is located.
  • May also take up to three credits during either semester at any high school in the state or any other four-year institution to meet the Bridge Year credit requirements.

 Schools must provide students with a written Individual Learning Plan by May 15th, but no later than June 1st of the student’s senior year. This Individual Learn Plan describes the goals of the Bridge Year and the activities, classes and supports required to accomplish the goals.

Students and/or parents should obtain more detailed information from the high school’s Bridge Year Liaison. The New Jersey Department of Education’s guidance is available by clicking here.

For advocacy assistance, you may contact Nina Peckman, Staff Attorney at npeckman@acnj.org or 973-643-3876, ext. 226

Skadden Fellow Ruby Kish Joins ACNJ to Address Education Needs of Justice-Involved Youth in Essex County

Posted on February 1, 2021

Skadden Fellow Ruby Kish with her son at her virtual swearing in.Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) is pleased to welcome Ruby Kish, a two-year Skadden Fellow, who will be providing direct advocacy services to youth who are involved in the criminal justice system and require assistance with their educational needs. Ms. Kish will be working under the supervision of Nina Peckman, staff attorney, and Mary Coogan, vice president. Direct advocacy services include advocating for appropriate placement, evaluations and necessary accommodations and supports for justice-involved students with disabilities. She will also be collaborating with public defenders, prosecutors as well as agencies and organization representatives that assist youth including Partners for Children of Essex (the Essex County Case Management Organization), Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and Division of Child Protection Permanency (DCPP).

As part of the Skadden Fellowship, Ms. Kish will also be collecting data regarding the education needs and outcomes of this student population based upon information obtained through advocacy efforts. ACNJ looks forward to the positive impact this fellowship will have on individual youth as well as on current policies, education resources and long-term education outcomes for justice-involved youth in New Jersey. 

Youth with disabilities are disproportionately represented in New Jersey’s justice system, yet there are few resources available to assist these students in ensuring that they receive the free and appropriate public education they are entitled to. As the state embraces the goals of Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI), with the focus on keeping students out of detention, there must also be a focus on ensuring school success. Providing advocacy services to students is one means of guarding against school failure and preventing recidivism and continued justice-involvement. 

For information regarding the education rights of justice-involved youth and for advocacy assistance, contact Ruby Kish at rkish@acnj.org.

Being a Strong Advocate – Know When to Request Advocacy Assistance for your Child’s Education During the Pandemic

Posted on January 29, 2021

Nina Peckman, Staff Attorney
Nina Peckman, Staff Attorney

With COVID-19 cases persisting and the vaccination roll-out happening slower than expected, it seems likely that remote instruction, whether full- or part-time, will be a necessity for the remainder of the school year. The education rights of students with disabilities have not changed. Here are a few important tips parents should know during the COVID-19 pandemic:

  1. The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) guidance gives school districts the flexibility in how education laws are implemented during the pandemic, but districts should work collaboratively with parents and can use creative ways to implement education plans.
  2. All children should have a working tablet or Chromebook, internet access and IT support, when needed. 
  3. Parents are entitled to supports to help their children during remote instruction.
  4. Parents who do not speak English well are entitled to bilingual supports to help their children, such as translated instructions, notices, letters and interpretation services.
  5. Children who are English language learners (ELL) are entitled to and must receive the bilingual education services that they need to learn. During remote learning, this could include access to an English as a Second Language (ESL) or bilingual teacher co-teaching with a classroom teacher, video demonstrations of classroom skills and related services skills, and phone calls to the student and parent with translation services. 
  6. Children with disabilities who have or are entitled to a 504 plan or an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) should still be receiving child study team evaluations and all IEP services such as individual instruction, small group instruction, individual aide, and all school-based therapies.
  7. Students who did not receive services that are written in their IEPs or 504 Plans, or who did not receive the education services they are entitled to, are eligible for compensatory education services - services that school districts must provide to students with disabilities to make up for any education services not provided. Parents have two years from the date that they became aware of an education law violation to file for due process regarding compensatory services.

Parents and caregivers can take steps now to help their child learn this year, as well as to advocate for compensatory education services.

"There is no substitute for a parent who advocates strongly for their child."

  1. If the teacher and case manager do not respond, parents should contact a school administrator, such as the director of special education and principal. Parents should always make their requests and complaints in writing (email/texts/letters) and should keep dated copies.  
  2. If the school administrator does not help correct the problem, a parent should consider speaking to an attorney or non-attorney advocate who can speak on the parent’s behalf and discuss advocacy options such as negotiating agreements at school meetings, state mediation or filing for a due process administrative hearing.
  3. Parents should document a child’s progress or lack of progress as well as learning issues related to remote/hybrid learning to share with school staff. This information can demonstrate the need to add or change services in the child’s current program. This information can also support a request for compensatory education services that a parent may seek now or in the future when schools reopen. Examples of what to document include: 
  • agreed-upon services were not provided, 
  • child lacked a working computer or had technology issues, 
  • absence of necessary individual aide or instruction, 
  • refusals to log onto class, 
  • attendance and discipline issues, 
  • absence of necessary emotional, social and behavioral supports, and
  • samples of homework, classwork, quizzes and tests.  

For more detailed information, including guides and fact sheets about education rights, visit ACNJ’s Kidlaw Resource Center. You may also contact Nina Peckman, Staff Attorney, at npeckman@acnj.org or call 973-643-3876, ext. 226 for education advocacy needs.

Federal Monitor Reports that NJ is Making Progress in Child Welfare Reform Efforts

Posted on January 28, 2021

On January 27, 2021, Federal courts acknowledged the commitment of leadership and staff of the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) in serving children and families despite the significant challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal monitor, Judith Meltzer, president of the Center for the Study of Social Policy, presented her latest Federal Monitor’s report, covering January 1, 2020 – June 30, 2020, to the Honorable Stanley Chesler, the federal judge overseeing the reform of New Jersey’s child welfare system as a result of the class-action lawsuit, Charlie and Nadine H. v. Murphy.

Judith Meltzer reported that the state has continued to meet 44 of the 48 consent order benchmarks, and has made progress on its overall strategic plan. More importantly, Ms. Meltzer indicated that “[t]he state “took clear steps to assure they were still attending to the safety of children, staff and providers while making sure efforts towards permanency were not derailed.” The plaintiff’s attorney, Marcia Lowery, and Judge Chesler both congratulated the Commissioner and her staff on the progress.

Read the report.
Read the NJ.com article about the hearing.

DCF Commissioner Christine Norbut Beyer acknowledged the hard work of her staff in quickly adapting to the COVID-19 shutdown while continuing to meet the needs of children and families. The department remains committed to its vision that all New Jersey residents are Safe, Healthy, and Connected, and to advancing the goals of its strategic plan, including preventing maltreatment, preserving kinship connections and increasing staff health and wellness.