Special Education and Support Services

Parents

Information for parents on topics including early childhood special education, Project CHOICES, parent training, and links to the document A Parent's Guide - The Educational Rights of Students with Disabilities in English and Spanish.

Interim Changes to Due Process and Disciplinary Procedures under IDEA 2004. PDF File - July 12, 2005. The new Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004) contains an array of significant changes to Due Process and Discipline of students with disabilities.

Advocacy Resources PDF File

Appropriate Procedures for Determining Placement in the Least Restrictive Environment PDF File - April 10, 2003. The information contained herein is intended to reinforce the requirements of IDEA, discuss their implications at the local level, and offer technical assistance and training resources that educators and parents may access to enhance their capacity to collaboratively fulfill those requirements.

Categories for Special Education. The Special Education Categories site includes information, research, resources, and best practices on the following program areas: Deaf-Blindness, Deafness, Emotional Disturbance, Hearing Impairment, Mental Retardation, Multiple Disabilities, Orthopedic Impairment, Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech/Language Impairment, Speech/Language Pathology Services, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Visual Impairment.

Choosing a Lay Advocate in Special Education. PDF File If you have a child with a disability, you may decide to hire a paraprofessional or a "lay advocate: to assist you in ensuring that your child's educational needs are met. These advocates, who are not attorneys, may be able to assist with consultation, letter writing, or meetings with schools.

Choosing an Attorney for Special Education Representation. PDF File If you have a child with a disability, you may find yourself in circumstances in which you require assistance in securing services to meet your child's educational needs. In such circumstances, you may turn to an attorney for assistance.

Compliance Monitoring. Special Education monitoring activities are comprised of two types of compliance reviews: Focused and Comprehensive Compliance Reviews.

Comprehensive System of Learning Supports.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Resources

Illinois Service Resource Center Opportunities
The Illinois Service Resource Center has some new opportunities for parents of children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Family Resource Network Form PDF File - Please complete this form if you want to join and would be willing to speak with other parents of children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

ISRC DHH Parent Facilitators Flier PDF File - A brochure describing the ISRC DHH Parent Facilitators, including contact information for the Parent Facilitator in your region.

Deaf and Visually Impaired: Notification of Services from Illinois School for the Deaf and Illinois School for the Visually Impaired

Directors of Special Education PD File

Discipline of Students with Disabilities. PD File This guidance supersedes that which was provided to you in the Special Report "Discipline of Students with Disabilities" released in the fall of 1997 following the reauthorization of IDEA'97.

Due Process: Special Ed Mediation. (Video) This video demonstrates a sample Special Education Mediation session. The program was produced in 1986. While the program itself is dated, the information presented is accurate and the procedures are still applicable.

Early Childhood Special Education. ISBE offers statewide training and technical assistance through two projects: Early CHOICES and STARNET. Library and information services are also available to all Illinois residents through the Early Childhood Intervention Clearinghouse.

Extended School Year Services - July 26, 2005
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide a reminder regarding the legal requirements related to the provision of extended school year (ESY) services for students with disabilities.

Forms for Special Education

Homeless Education

Individualized Education Program (IEP). The Illinois State Board of Education's recommended Individualized Education Program (IEP) forms packets are available in English and Spanish versions. Click to view the language version you prefer.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). The LRE Clearinghouse is a resource for families and educators on issues related to educating students with disabilities in the regular classrooms.

Military Parents & Caregivers Parents Care + Share Support Group PD File

Nonpublic Special Education Facilities. Nonpublic special education facilities provide educational, therapeutic and/or residential services to students identified as having either severe, profound or multiple disabilities.

Parent Rights Guide -

Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs). Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) are authorized in Part D of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and are funded by the U. S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. Each PTI is mandated to assist parents

Project CHOICES. Project CHOICES (Children Have Opportunities in Inclusive Community Environments and Schools) helps school districts and communities develop and expand inclusive options for children and youth with disabilities and provides free technical assistance and inservice training.

Understanding PUNS: A Guide to Prioritization for Urgency of Need for Services
The Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities, provides person-first services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Possible services include in-home supports, respite care, training programs, job coaches, residential living arrangements, adaptive equipment, etc.

Reading - "A Child Becomes a Reader - Birth to Preschool". This booklet offers advice for parents of children from birth to preschool on how to support reading development at home, and how to recognize preschool and day care activities that start children on the road to becoming readers.

Regulations Regarding Psychological Counseling and Mental Health Services. PD File This purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance to school districts to ensure that children with behavioral or emotional disabilities (ED) are receiving all of the related services that they need, including psychological counseling services, as part of a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.

Secondary Transition. This web page provides access to a great variety of resources, tools and information related to secondary transition including, but not limited to: an age-appropriate transition assessment, measurable post-school goals, transition plan development, and linkages to web resources that cover a range of topics related to secondary transition. The Transition Outreach Training for Adult Living (TOTAL) Project training modules and resources can also be accessed here.

Social Emotional Performance Descriptors. The classroom assessments are resources to help teachers determine local performance expectations for the Illinois Learning Standards at each grade level.

Students with Disabilities in Regional Safe Schools Programs. PD File This memorandum is sent to clarify the responsibilities of school districts and special education cooperatives in providing services to students with Individual Education Programs (IEPs) enrolled in the Regional Safe Schools Program (RSSP) and in meeting relevant reporting requirements.

Surrogate Parents.An Educational Surrogate Parent has the responsibility to ensure that the school provides the student with a free, appropriate public education.

Student Records Keeper for Parents of Students Who Receive Special Education Services in Illinois. PD File This booklet is for parents to use to keep important information about their child and his/her special education and related services. It is a companion to Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois.