This Is Special Education

Michael Farrelly shares why NJASEPS membership makes such a difference for specialized schools.

He highlights the power of having a collective voice — one that advocates for programs serving students with disabilities not only in New Jersey, but across the country. Michael explains that the critical work these schools do is not always fully understood, especially the profound impact it has on families.

Through advocacy, public awareness, and legislative engagement, NJASEPS helps ensure these schools are recognized as essential partners to public school districts statewide and beyond.

A powerful reminder that when schools stand together, their voices are stronger — and their students are better supported.

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Dr. Candace Galvez reflects on the power of collaboration within NJASEPS

She shares how working alongside colleagues across schools fosters not only professional growth, but lasting friendships. From administrators to school nurses, teachers, and principals — professionals at every stage of their careers come together to support one another.

Dr. Galvez highlights how NJASEPS plays a vital role in nurturing these connections and supporting educators throughout their journeys in the field of special education.

A meaningful look at how collaboration, community, and shared purpose strengthen both professionals and the students they serve.

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John Mulholland shares a major advocacy victory on behalf of New Jersey’s specialized schools and the more than 10,000 public school students they serve.

When the New Jersey Department of Education proposed sweeping changes to the fiscal code — including a cap on behavior modification spending that would have amounted to just 11 cents per student per day — NJASEPS launched a full-scale advocacy campaign. The proposed changes not only threatened critical services but could have violated federal law under IDEA and potentially forced some schools to close in an already under-resourced system.

Through coordinated outreach to legislators, the governor’s office, the DD Council, and State Board members — along with strong grassroots engagement from member schools — the coalition successfully pushed back, ultimately leading the state to abandon the proposal.

Beyond this fiscal victory, John discusses ongoing efforts to:

a. Ensure licensure policies include specialized schools
b. Advocate for students placed on at-home instruction with little to no actual teaching support
c. Address transportation challenges that directly impact access to education
d. Combat critical staffing shortages through strategic partnerships and vendor collaboration

At the heart of this work is a simple but powerful belief: These students deserve more.

Watch to learn how advocacy, collaboration, and persistence are protecting access to a free and appropriate public education for New Jersey’s most vulnerable learners.

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Diane Somers shares how collaboration has transformed specialized schools across New Jersey.

She describes a major shift from schools operating as “individual little islands” to working together as true partners. Professional development is now coordinated and cooperative, with schools learning and growing as a unified group rather than separately.

Diane highlights how this collective approach has strengthened their impact — elevating their visibility across the state and reinforcing their legislative advocacy efforts. While each school continues to serve its own community, together they are stronger, more connected, and more influential.

Her message is clear: they’re no longer standing alone — they’re moving forward as one unified group.

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Parent Lena Suarez-Angelino shares how NJASEPS has supported and empowered her as an advocate for her son, Zachary.

Lena reflects on being invited to speak at a local meeting about the importance of continued funding for NJASEPS and specialized schools like the one her son attends. Through these opportunities, she has been able to raise awareness and ensure that families’ voices are heard in critical conversations about education and support for students with disabilities.

Most importantly, Lena shares how valued and included she has felt throughout the process — knowing her voice is welcomed, respected, and truly matters.

This is an inspiring story about the power of parent advocacy and community support.

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Parent Lena Suarez-Angelino shares why Lakeview School in Edison, New Jersey has been such a special place for her son, Zachary.

Referred to Lakeview during early intervention, Lena says the school immediately stood out — and after touring other options, it simply “felt like home.” In fact, their family often jokes that if they ever moved, they’d want to put the school on wheels and take it with them.

At Lakeview, Zachary receives comprehensive support all in one place, including physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), speech therapy, and specialized education services. Lena speaks warmly about the school’s attention to detail, the daily smiling photos they receive, and the joy Zachary brings home each day.

Above all, she shares the deep trust and gratitude their family feels — knowing their son is supported, cared for, and truly thriving.

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Dr. Rachel Tait shares why she strongly supports membership in NJASEPS.
She encourages schools and leaders to ask themselves a simple question: Why wouldn’t you join? Membership provides access to a powerful network of professionals who can serve as trusted resources, collaborators, and advocates.

Dr. Tait highlights how NJASEPS keeps members informed with timely updates from the Department of Education, stays on the cutting edge of policy developments, and actively lobbies on behalf of schools serving students with disabilities.

For schools looking to strengthen support for their students, staff, and families, she emphasizes that NJASEPS offers not just information — but a community and an advocate in your corner.

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Brian Detlefsen thinks the association is heading in a great direction. As outgoing president, the emphasis has been on changing the perception of the public, that we are partners with our public schools, and that we're there to help the students both succeed in our schools, but also to transition them back to the public schools whenever possible. So the Association is moving in the direction of strengthening that partnership with the public schools and really working in a more collaborative manner.

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It's no exaggeration to talk about special education community, that at the end of the day nobody understands what it takes to educate and support a child with special needs better than these individuals. Whether we're talking about parents or self advocates, teachers, therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, BCBAs, teachers, principals, administrators, getting them all in the room together.

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The greatest benefit of being an NJACEP member is just the collegiality among all the schools and the opportunity to learn from all of our colleagues in the industry what works, what doesn't work, sharing the experiences that they're going through with the Department of Ed and gaining that knowledge collectively.

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In this reflection, Dr. Candace Galvez shares her school’s nearly decade-long partnership with NJASEPS and the impact it has had on their growth and collaboration.

After almost 10 years of involvement, she explains how becoming part of NJASEPS has expanded their ability to connect with other professionals in the field of special education. Through this network, they’ve gained valuable opportunities to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and learn from schools facing similar challenges.

Most importantly, Dr. Galvez highlights the reassurance that comes from knowing they are not alone — that other schools are navigating many of the same issues and working together toward solutions.

A powerful testament to the strength of partnership, shared expertise, and professional community.

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In this moving testimonial, parent Lena Suarez-Angelino shares her experience navigating school options for her son, Zachary.

Lena encourages families of children with disabilities to strongly consider specialized schools, highlighting the highly customized care and individualized support they can provide — services that traditional district placements may not always be equipped to deliver.

For Zachary, who has dual cognitive delays and mobility challenges, staying in-district wasn’t a realistic option. Choosing a specialized school ensured he receives tailored treatment and educational support designed specifically for his needs — all in one place.

Lena also reflects on how this decision has reduced the time, stress, and energy it would have taken to coordinate multiple services within a traditional school system.

This is an honest and hopeful perspective for any parent exploring the best educational path for their child.

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Michael Farrelly thinks the future is very bright for NJASEPS as they continue to grow and add new members. Between always adding more to the advocacy part of the program and collaborating more, NJASEPS is a great support system and that only going to continue to grow and influence others in the field.

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In this insightful testimonial, Dr. Rachel Tait shares how NJASEPS has supported her school both broadly and personally.

On a larger scale, she explains how NJASEPS’ advocacy with the New Jersey Department of Education — including work around staff salaries and the state’s fiscal code — has directly benefited schools serving students with disabilities.

On a more personal level, Dr. Tait highlights the accessibility and leadership of past Executive Director Jerry Theer and current Executive Director John Mulholland. Whether navigating audit questions or responding to Department of Education inquiries, she has been able to reach out directly for guidance, answers, and trusted resources.

Her message underscores the value of having experienced advocates and a knowledgeable network readily available — ensuring schools have the support they need to focus on serving students, staff, and families.

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Parent Lena Suarez-Angelino shares how NJASEPS has empowered her as both a parent and an advocate.

Lena describes being invited to speak at a local meeting about the importance of continued funding for specialized schools like the one her son, Zachary, attends. Through these opportunities, she has been able to share her family’s story and help ensure that parent voices are heard in critical policy conversations.

More than just advocacy, Lena emphasizes how valued and included she has felt throughout the process — knowing that her perspective matters and that her voice makes a difference.

This is a powerful reminder of the importance of parent engagement and the impact of standing together to support students with disabilities.

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Brooke talks about how she has been able to bring all the ideas that she's learned from the teachers and colleagues that have presented at the NJASEPS conferences to her school and at the Forum School we collaborate together a lot, all the teachers, so it's been nice to be able to bring all those ideas back to the Forum School and share them with her colleagues.

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John Mulholland talks about the priorities for members and how the goal is to make NJASEPS the trusted provider of professional development. At the end of the day, these are the experts who understand what it takes to properly educate and therapeutically support a child with special needs, and stakeholders at the local, state, and federal level need to understand what it takes. And this is the group of people to do it.

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Dr. Candace Galvez shares her experience presenting on school safety — a critical topic that mpacts every aspect of special education.

With 28 years of experience in specialized schools, Dr. Galvez reflects on the importance of sharing lessons learned throughout her career and exploring the many dimensions of school safety within special education settings.
She also emphasizes the value of collaboration — noting that while she was there to present and share her expertise, she walked away having learned from her colleagues as well, bringing new insights back to her own school community.

A powerful reminder that professional growth happens not just through teaching, but through shared learning.

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John Mulholland highlights the heart of the mission behind New Jersey’s specialized schools.

He emphasizes that the real heroes are the member schools and their dedicated staff — the educators and clinicians who provide educational and therapeutic support to nearly 10,000 students with some of the most profound disabilities in the state.

John explains that his organization’s role is simple but critical: remove barriers, advocate at the state level, and handle the policy and regulatory challenges so schools can stay focused on what matters most — serving students.

A clear reminder that when advocacy works behind the scenes, students and educators thrive at the center.

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