Young kids with and without disabilities can learn side by side. One state has instead kept them apart for years

Young kids with and without disabilities can learn side by side. One state has instead kept them apart for years

Terri Joyce of Cinnaminson, New Jersey, believed that her son belonged in a kindergarten classroom that included students with and without disabilities.

The year before, as a 4-year-old, he happily spent afternoons in a child care program filled with typically developing children, without any extra support. Like other kids his age, her son, who has Down syndrome, was learning about shapes and loved sitting on the rug listening to the teacher read books aloud. His speech delay didn’t prevent him from making friends and playing with children of differing abilities and, during the summer, he attended the same program for full days and would greet her with big smiles at pick up ti