closer to graduation with pals

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09/14/06 - Posted from the Daily Record newsroom

Vitiello smiles while waiting for the limo to her junior prom.

closer to graduation with pals

Hanover Pk. acts to change policy for disabled

students

BY LAURA BRUNO

DAILY RECORD

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EAST HANOVER -- Vitiello, 17, a Hanover Park High School student with Down syndrome,

would have the opportunity to attend the senior prom and graduation this spring

under a new graduation policy introduced by the Hanover Park Regional school

board Wednesday night.

would not formally graduate with the Class of 2007, since she plans to continue

her education in the district until she is 21. However, the revised policy,

approved on first reading unanimously by the school board, would let her join

the ceremonies with the classmates she's known since kindergarten and receive a

" Certificate of Attendance " .

The

policy will be presented for adoption at the board's Oct. 11 meeting.

This

June, 's parents, Janice and Tom Vitiello, with the support of the White

House and disability advocates around the nation, challenged the district's

20-year-old graduation policy, calling it outdated and inconsiderate of the

social and emotional needs of students with disabilities.

The district's current policy requires all students to complete their

education before attending graduation. Yet, federal law affords students with

disabilities until the age of 21 to complete their education. If waited

until the age of 21 to attend graduation, she would be surrounded by strangers,

the Vitiellos said.

Despite

feeling relief for her daughter, Janice Vitiello expressed concerns to board

members that the draft policy was confusing and could still bar students with

disabilities from participating in graduation with their peers.

" I

believe that this policy, the way it is currently written, will allow my

daughter, , to walk in the graduation ceremony. But I am not just here

tonight for my daughter, but for all students with disabilities who will come

after her, " Janice Vitiello said at the meeting.

The

revised policy does give blanket permission to students to attend graduation on

completion of their fourth year in high school, unlike laws recently passed in Pennsylvania and Illinois.

The draft

policy says students who will remain in the district beyond their fourth year

can choose to participate in senior year activities, including graduation, in

their fourth, fifth or sixth school year. They would receive a

" Certificate of Attendance " instead of a diploma at the ceremony.

However,

in order for those students to take part in the senior year ritual with their

friends, they still must have met coursework required for graduation by their

Individualized Education Plan or IEP.

Vitiello

said she planned out 's schedule so that her daughter would have met all

her course requirements by the end of her fourth year of high school, against

the district's advice. The district suggested she stretch the requirements over

the six years afforded by federal law. Vitiello wanted her daughter to focus on

community job training in her final school years.

Others

students may want or need to spread their coursework over the six years, Vitiello

said.

" Walking

in a graduation ceremony is not an academic issue, but rather a social

issue, " Janice Vitiello told the board Wednesday night. " Requiring

students with disabilities to earn their way into the commencement is, I

believe, a violation of (the federal law), " Janice Vitiello told the board

at the meeting.

Board

President Jim Neidhardt thanked Vitiello for her comments. " As a board, we

have always listened and deliberated every issue to determine what's right for

the most number of families in the long run, " he said.

No board

members questioned Vitiello or the superintendent about her questions on the

proposed policy.

Superintendent

Adamus has defended the proposed requirement, saying students can't expect

to just put in their time and expect to attend graduation. They have to show

they worked on their programs to get to the ceremony.

Generally,

the district sets up disabled students' programs so that they meet academic

requirements for graduation by their fourth year, Adamus said.

There are

three students, including , who would be affected by the policy change

this year, he said. Each will have met their course requirements by the end of

the year if they pass their classes, he said.

When

asked about the possibility of a student failing a course in the year they want

to participate in graduation ceremonies, Adamus said that was highly unlikely.

" Realistically,

the course is tailor-made for them. It would be pretty tough to fail, "

Adamus said. " If they failed, it's because they refused to do the

work. "

DoE's recommendation

Last

year, the state Department of Education recommended districts adopt policies

that allow students with disabilities to participate in graduation ceremonies

with their peers, even if they have not met graduation requirements.

Barbara

Gantwerk, the state education department's acting assistant commissioner said

if a student met their individual graduation requirements what was the need of

continuing in school?

Gantwerk

would not comment on the district's policy, but said the state had asked

districts to accommodate students who were not ready to graduate, due to their

disability.

In

addition, a special education advocate and attorney said they were confused by

the revised policy.

a

Lieb, executive director of the New Jersey Coalition for Inclusive Education

said the district's draft policy was not clear. If a student meets the

requirements of their IEP, then why would they need to continue until the age

of 21, she asked. You either graduate or if you're not ready, you continue

until you complete your individualized program, she said.

" It's

extremely confusing how it is written ... I think this will be confusing to

parents and others, " Lieb said. " I think they should try to write

this in a clearer fashion. "

Students

who want to walk with their class are not trying to get out of anything, Lieb

said, it's just a way for them to participate socially with their peers.

Likewise,

Harriet Gordon, a Randolph-based education attorney, said she found the policy

was " poorly written " and " contradictory " for the same

reasons.

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