To be eligible for state aid, New Jersey regulations require that: This legal requirement for a SEPAG is brief and open-ended, allowing parents and school district leaders to create and run an advisory group that meets local needs. SEPAG requirements open the door to collaboration that can make a difference. A SEPAG should be structured to benefit all students with disabilities, not just a single group of students, or a single issue. The more inclusive a SEPAG is, the more opportunities there are to achieve positive outcomes.

A SEPAG gives parents the opportunity to provide direct input to their school district about policies, programs, practices, and services that have an impact on students with disabilities and their families. An effective SEPAG can increase the proactive involvement of families by inviting input that can be used to shape local special education policy.

Parents are the core members of a SEPAG. This includes parents of children with disabilities who may have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) who are educated in schools within or outside of the student’s home district. Parents do not need special training or background knowledge to be a member of a SEPAG.

www.state.nj.us/education/specialed/resources/SEPAGManual.pdf