Special Education Child Study Team

Welcome to the Buena Regional Child Study Team (CST) web page. One of the goals of the CST is to provide diagnostic, educational and consultative services for students and families with school related disabilities. These services are conducted in assurance with Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the New Jersey Administrative Code 6A:14.

The CST is a multidisciplinary team comprised of the following: school psychologist, learning disabilities teacher consultant (LDTC) social worker, and when appropriate, behaviorist, occupational therapist and/or speech therapist.

According to the New Jersey Administrative Code, the aforementioned evaluative services performed by the CST may include two or more of the following assessments: a psychological evaluation, social work assessment or learning evaluation. Each evaluation of the student shall:

Include, when appropriate, or required, the use of standardized tests (s) which shall be:

• Individually administered
• Valid and reliable
• Normed on a representative population

Include a functional assessment of academic performance and where appropriate, behavior. Each of the following components shall be completed by at least one evaluator:

• A minimum of one structured observation
• An interview with the student's parent/guardian
• An interview with a teacher
• A review of the interventions documented by the classroom teacher(s) and others who work with the child
• One or more informal measure(s)

Resources

• Atlantic County Special Needs Registry - The Atlantic County Special Needs Registry is a joint collaboration with law enforcement agencies in Atlantic County to ensure residents who have special needs are able to get the help and support they need in a time of emergency or during interaction with law enforcement, fire, or EMS personnel. 
• NJ DOE Resources for Mental Health
• NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities
• NJ Vocational Rehabilitation Services
• PerformCare - Through the NJ Children's System of Care, PerformCare connects young people and their families statewide to the care they need to be well.
• NJAC 6A:14, Special Education
• Parental Rights in Special Education- Spanish - Derechos de los Padres en Educacion Especial
• Parental Rights in Special Education - The New Jersey Administrative Code for Special Education (NJAC 6A:14) and the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) are laws that ensure children with disabilities a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. An important part of these laws provides parents with the right to participate in their children's education. 
• Project Child Find - Project Child Find is a free referral service and public awareness campaign to assist in the identification of youth with a delay or disability from birth through twenty one years of age.