The New Jersey Department of Education is seeking assistance in identifying individuals, including individuals with disabilities or parents of students with disabilities, to join the New Jersey State Special Education Advisory Council beginning in the summer of 2024, according to an advisory.
NJ-SSEAC provides guidance on special education and related services to the commissioner of education. Members are appointed by the State Board of Education in accordance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and state law N.J.S.A. 18A:46-2.
The council must consist of a minimum of seven and a maximum of 15 members. Additionally, half of the council members must be either a parent of a student with a disability or a person with a disability. Potential members must come from 15 categories as outlined by federal guidelines. Regional representation and diversity are also considerations.
At the present time, NJ-SSEAC is looking to fill multiple council member positions for 2024-2025. The available positions are for individuals who will act on behalf of:
- Charter schools.
- Local officials or educators who provide services for multilingual learners who have a disability.
- A local education official who carries out activities under subtitle B of title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. § 11431 seq).
- Parents of students with a disability, and/or individuals with a disability.
Appointments are for a two-year term and are renewable for additional terms. Meetings are held from August to June on the third Thursday of the month from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. All meetings will be held virtually except the June meeting, which will be held in-person at the Learning Resource Center-Central, 200 River View Plaza, Trenton. Meetings are not held in September, December, April, or July. Monthly attendance is a requirement. Members are volunteers and are not reimbursed for their services. The council meetings are open to the public.
Interested candidates may obtain additional information on the SSEAC webpage.
Interested candidates must complete the 2024-2025 SSEAC Application Form and submit a copy of their resume via email. Questions should be directed to the same email address or by telephone at 609-376-9125.