Barbara Gantwerk, who heads the New Jersey unit of special education, said the state has beefed up oversight of local special education programs. She said New Jersey is examining the policies of every district and is creating a new system to monitor local schools. Yet she acknowledged that the state must do more to ensure that schools comply with special education laws and that they provide services within mainstream classrooms rather than in separate classes or schools. The federal government sees that as a problem. The report, issued last month, sheds light on the controversial policy of inclusion, which is being urged upon schools by federal and state governments.
Advocates say disabled students perform better when mainstreamed.
But skeptics believe schools often fail to provide adequate services or choose inclusion only to avoid more costly referrals to specialized schools. A failed attempt at inclusion can leave a child bitter, frustrated, and lagging years behind his peers, they say. They forget the law requires a continuum of services, from inclusion to separation. Michael Luciano, an administrator in Hamilton Township, which also was studied, questioned whether the report is reliable. The 210,000 children classified for special education in New Jersey have such disabilities as dyslexia, autism, and severe physical handicaps.