Special Education/EIS

All states and territories must provide early intervention services to children who have, or are at risk for having, developmental delays, from birth to their third birthday.

Most CONUS locations, local school districts or health departments provide these early intervention services. The program is called different names in different areas, but it is often referred to as Part C because that is the section of the law that pertains to early intervention. The Education Directory for Children with Special Needs has a list of resources specific to each state to help you determine who you should contact. Your installation EFMP Family Support provider can also answer your questions.

If you are moving OCONUS or to a CONUS location with a DODEA school (and you live on installation), your child will receive EIS through the Defense Department’s Educational and Developmental Intervention Services, or EDIS, program.

When moving, you should hand carry copies of your child's most current individual family service plan, or IFSP, and the most current evaluation reports to your new home to ensure they are not lost.

All states and territories provide special education and related services to eligible children between the ages of 3 through 21.

When a child transfers to a different district in the same state, the new school must provide a free, appropriate public education, including comparable services, until the previously held IEP is adopted or a new one is developed and implemented. When a child transfers to another state, the receiving school must provide comparable services until an IEP review can determine if a new evaluation or IEP is appropriate.

If you are moving and your child receives special education and related services, you should hand carry all necessary school and medical documents, including the most current IEP and current evaluation reports. Hand carrying these documents ensures that they are not lost and allows the new school to begin the process as soon as you arrive.

• Education Directory for Children with Special Needs
• EFMP & Me digital tool
• Individualized Education Program & Moving
• Special Needs Parent Toolkit
• Special Needs Resources
• Exceptional Family Member Program videos

Department of Special Services 973-989-2792.

Contact Army Community Service Exceptional Family Member Program Manager at 570-615-7509 for a complete listing of private special education schools.

Copies of the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Students with Severe Disabilities may be reviewed on line at the link below or purchased from the State Department of Education, Distribution Services Office for $6, call 609-985-0905.

Students with Disabilities and the New Jersey Statewide Assessment System; Information for families. Contact the Office of Special Education Programs at 609-292-3065 for information.

Related Services

Speech Specialist

Students in need of speech assistance meet at least once a week with the Speech Specialist for speech correction, as outlined in the IEP. Individualized referrals are made to the Speech Specialist through the student's counselor or Case Manager.

Physical Therapy (PT)

PT is provided to Orthopedically Impaired and Multiply Disabled students, as noted in the students' IEP's. These students are evaluated by the Physical Therapist and an educational plan is developed to meet individual needs.

Support Study

Students in need of organizational skills, assistance with homework and help with class work may be scheduled for a Support Study during the school day or after school. Such support generally is provided two to four hours per week.

Student Transportation

Needs are identified by the Child Study Team. Those students requiring alternate transportation are serviced in accordance with their IEP's.

Adaptive Physical Education

This is scheduled for those students who require a more individualized and specialized approach the physical activity.

Monitoring

Each classified student is assigned an Instructional Monitor ( a member of the CST, a Resource Center Teacher, or a Special Education Teacher) who monitors the student in mainstream courses and communicates needs to the Child Study Team, parent and/or counselor.

Public School Special Education Programs

Below are the Special Education programs offered by the public school district serving Picatinny Arsenal residents.

Morris Knoll High School

The Morris Hills Regional District Special Education Department is viewed as one of the finest in New Jersey, boasting two New Jersey Teachers of the Year, a Morris County Teacher of the Year, an ARC new Jersey Professional of the Year, and two nationally acclaimed pilot programs. Satisfying the special needs of each individual student, and providing students an integrated education in the least restrictive environment make the Morris Hills Regional District's Special Education program a success.

Paramount to the success of the Morris Hills Regional District's Special Education program is the networking the exists among the classroom teachers, Child Study Team members, counselors, support personnel and parents. Close communication, appropriate praise and encouragement, career assessment, proper scheduling and course sequencing, remediation, the tailoring of student programs, and extensive support services, have enabled the district to: 

1. Improve employability of students with disabilities
2. Reduce the dropout rate within the classified population
3. Improve daily attendance of the population
4. Reduce course failure rates
5. Decrease the number of discipline referral

Students between the ages of 15 and 21 receive intensive instruction in both the special education and mainstream classrooms. Within the special education program, students travel among three or more "teachers of the handicapped" for academic instruction, preoccupational training, and life skills education. Yet, unlike a typical self-contained program, the Morris Hills Regional District's structure encourages mainstreaming of its moderate to severely-disabled students by enrolling these children in music, art, physical education, health education, and other selected mainstream classes, as well as integration within the public school programs.

Multiple Disabilities (MD) Program

The MD program provides students with instruction in functional skills, such as language arts, mathematics, computers, life skills, consumer education and pre-vocational education, as well as other courses related to the development of independent living skills. Students receive related services, such as physical therapy and Adaptive Physical Education, in accordance with their IEP's. A heavy emphasis is placed on speech and language development throughout the program. Students receive job skills through a sequential program that involves pre-occupational training, participation in the Morris County School of Technology Special Needs program, or supervised evaluation and employment training at the local Occupational Training Center. As appropriate, students are placed at work sites both within the school and in the community. Supervision and job coaching is incorporated into each student's work training program.

Learning/Language Disabilities Program (LLD)

The LLD program provides students instruction in language arts, social studies, science, math, computers, occupational education, social skills, health education and physical education. As appropriate, students are enrolled in occupational training courses and participate in co-op work/study and job training programs.

Mainstreaming is an important part of the district's special education program. Students in all areas are integrated with the school population as a means of giving these students greater independence and an improved self-image.

Guidance Services

A special counselor in each high school is assigned to all classified students. Emphasis is placed on personal counseling, career assessment, monitoring and program planning. The special counselor attends all Child Study Team meetings and confers regularly with special education personnel and mainstream teachers.