In Illinois, when a student who is eligible for special education turns 18, all rights previously accorded to the parents transfer to the student unless the student has been adjudged incompetent (the parent or another adult has legally obtained adult guardianship of the student). The school district must notify the student and the student's parents of the transfer of rights in writing at the IEP review meeting during the school year in which the student turns 17. The student who has turned 18 can always consult with an adult of his or her choice, including the parents, and ask them to assist in making decisions regarding the student’s individualized education program (IEP).
The student can ALSO execute a Delegation of Rights to appoint their parent or another guardian to represent their educational interests when they turn 18. The school district must provide the student with a copy of the Delegation of Rights form. This form must be renewed annually. A student may terminate the Delegation of Rights at any time and assume the right to make decisions regarding his or her education.
Each public school student starting at age 3 who has been identified as a child with a disability receives an Individualized Education Program (IEP). In developing the IEP, the team consisting of school staff and parents must consider the strengths of the child, the concerns of the parents, the results of evaluations, and the academic, developmental, and functional needs of the child. Assistive technology needs should always be considered. Other considerations may include behavior that impedes the child’s learning or that of others, limited English proficiency, a need for Braille instruction, and communication needs.
Writing an appropriate IEP begins with a close look at data and present levels of performance. This information leads to the development of annual goals and objectives or benchmarks that will bring the student closer to grade level skills academically and socially. Knowing the goals, the team then determines what accommodations and related services will support the student’s achievement of those goals. Once goals and service needs are outlined, the team can begin to discuss the appropriate setting for those goals to be achieved. The placement should be in the least restrictive environment – the environment that offers the most time in general education, the most time with non-disabled peers, that still allows for progress and success.
Some young children will move from Early Intervention services into special education services provided by the school on their third birthday. Some will begin to demonstrate a need for services at some point between their third birthday and the time they would normally begin kindergarten. In both situations, evaluation data will be used to determine present levels of performance, eligibility for special education services, and which services will provide an appropriate individualized education program (IEP) so that the child can progress.
After goals and services are determined by the individualized education program team (which includes parents and school staff) it will be time to determine the most appropriate placement for the child. As noted in When I’m 3, Where Will I Be?, a publication produced by The Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Human Services, a child’s IEP team “must consider a regular education preschool setting as the first option for placement” for students in this age range. The guide explains that “Special education and related services are not a ‘place’.” It goes on to say that a child’s special education and related services can be given in “community preschool or child care programs, park district preschools, Head Start, state-funded Pre-kindergarten or Preschool for All programs, or Early Childhood Special Education programs”. The school should explain each of these options and the IEP team should choose a placement that will allow for access to age-appropriate activities and nondisabled peers to the extent appropriate that will also allow for the child to progress.
When I’m Three, Where Will I Be?
Illinois students who receive special education services will leave the school system at least by the day before they turn 22. They will enter the adult world with potential assistance needs in the areas of continued education, employment, training opportunities, and/or living options. During high school, students are to be involved in their transition planning. One way to do that is to assemble a portfolio.
For students who will be leaving the school system, a portfolio could include such items as:
This portfolio should be updated frequently and provided to those who can potentially support students.
Learn more about transition services at PACER.
PACER information on Transition of Youth with Disabilities
IDEA Turns 45 - We Have Come A Long Way
Until 1975 there was no law guaranteeing that American children with disabilities could access appropriate public education services with a full equality of opportunity. On November 29, 1975, President Gerald Ford signed into law the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142) now known as IDEA – the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The latest reauthorization of this law took place in 2004.
To be eligible for services starting at age 3 (Part B services), children must fit into at least one eligibility category. The categories in 1975 were: Deaf, Deaf-Blind, Hard of Hearing, Mentally Retarded, Multihandicapped, Orthopedically impaired, Other Health Impaired, Seriously Emotionally Disturbed, Specific Learning Disability, Speech Impaired, or Visually Handicapped. With notable language updates and the addition of new categories, today the categories are: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Deaf-Blindness, Deafness, Developmental Delay, Emotional Disability, Hearing Impairment, Intellectual Disability, Multiple Disabilities, Orthopedic Impairment, Other Health Impairment, Specific Learning Disability, Speech or Language Impairment, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Visual Impairment.
The law initially was for children starting at age 3, but in 1986 the reauthorization of the law mandated that states also provide services to children with disabilities from the time they are born.
In the 1990 reauthorization, Congress mandated that an Individual Transition Plan be developed for students as they go through a transition from school services to post-secondary life. In the 1994-1995 school year, 63% of students with disabilities graduated with a regular diploma or certificate of completion. In the 2017-2018 school year 72.7% exited school with a regular high school diploma.
In the 1997 law amendment there was an increased emphasis on access to the general curriculum for students with disabilities. Now, 95% of students with disabilities ages 6-21 are served in a regular classroom at least part of the day. The 2004 reauthorization called for improved educational outcomes and the regulations developed in 2006 required schools to use research based interventions in the process of assisting students.
In the 2018-2019 school year, 7,539,553 infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities from birth through age 21 were served under IDEA.
Priority Learning Standards for 2020-2021
The Illinois State Board of Education sets learning standards for Illinois students which are essential to student achievement. In August 2020, ISBE issued priority learning standards for the 2020-2021 school year. In the Introduction to these standards, ISBE states: "In light of the many ways students have been, and continue to be, impacted by the global pandemic, remote learning, and racial and social injustices that are being revealed during this moment in history, it is evident schools, teachers, and students will need to maximize learning during the 2020-2021 school year and beyond. Educators will need to contend with unfinished learning from spring 2020 and learning loss compounded by trauma as they begin instructional planning for fall."ISBE is wanting schools to deliver quality instruction that will work toward recovery rather than just remidation. ISBE is wanting schools to deliver quality instruction that will work toward recovery rather than just remediation.
ISBE has identified the most Priority Illinois Learning Standards. The full set of Illinois Learning Standards was reviewed and the standards which most effectively address learning loss, engage students deeply, and maximize learning were selected to prioritize. These prioritized standards are offered "to mitigate the added stress and pressure placed on educators and students and to support a focus on the standards that will have the greatest positive impact on learning."
Parents can review these prioritized standards in Social/Emotional Learning, Physical Education, Health, English/Language Arts, English Language Learning, Math, Science, Social Science, and Fine Arts to learn what the state feels is essential for children to learn this year.
Illinois Priority Learning Standards for the 2020-2021 School Year
Becoming an Educational Advocate
As a Parent Training and Information Center, our most important service at Family Matters is to offer individualized assistance to parents of children with disabilities so that they understand their rights and responsibilities related to special education. We help them review their child’s school records in order to better understand the individualized services their child is receiving and the data that supports those services. With increased knowledge and ongoing support, many of the parents who work with us are able to communicate effectively with their schools and navigate through the special education process.
Some parents also want to enlist assistance from an educational advocate. An educational advocate assists parents as they work with school staff to plan, review, and assess the individualized education program for their child. Some educational advocates are themselves parents of children with disabilities. Some have backgrounds in the educational field. Some assist parents at no cost and others offer assistance for a fee.
Before choosing an advocate, we suggest reading Educational Advocates: A Guide for Parents from CADRE-The National Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education.
At Family Matters we offer an annual 33-hour course for volunteer educational advocates. The course runs for 11 weeks on Thursday evenings and begins in January. Check out our website in December to register at www.fmptic.org. This is a free course that covers ESSA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, IDEA, evaluation, eligibility, IEPs, Least Restrictive Environment, Functional Behavior Assessment, Behavior Intervention Plans, discipline, assistive technology, Extended School Year, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, secondary transition, various disabilities, evidence-based interventions, procedural safeguards, cultural and linguistic diversity in families, and ways to impact legislative change.
The Arc of Illinois also offers a curriculum of eight modules with the basic information needed to navigate the special education system, including early intervention services, IEPs, Section 504, and more. The Arc@School Advocacy Curriculum is offered for a small fee.
How have you prepared for your child’s return to school this year? Are there still issues to be addressed about remote learning, in-person learning, blended learning, or some that are related to the instruction that needs to be individualized for your child? If so, you may want to refer to our “Return to School Preparation Guide” to see if there are any steps listed that might still be useful as you develop an appropriate learning program for your child with special education needs.
This guide walks you through the steps needed to get on track and be able to put important information in writing or send messages related to concerns you might still be having with your child’s instruction and services.
Remember you can contact Family Matters for assistance in planning and understanding your options. You can also refer to the Remote Learning/COVID 19 resources on our website at www.fmptic.org/node/4453
Would you like someone to attend your IEP meetings to help maintain the focus of the meeting on your child's individual needs and keep the IEP team focused on developing a mutually acceptable IEP? The Illinois State Board of Education offers IEP meeting facilitation at no cost. The facilitator assists with the structure of the meeting, promotes dialogue and encourages participation by all team members. The facilitator acknowledges differing opinions but is not a member of the team. The school district retains responsibility for following special education requirements. The benefits include building and improving relationships between parents and schools, enhancing listening within the groups, and clarifies points of agreement and disagreement to assist in providing opportunities for team members to resolve conflicts. To request a state facilitator for your child's IEP meeting, contact Sherry Colegrove at 217-782-5589 or file electronically at https://sec.isbe.net/sems/iepfacilitationrequestpublic.axpx
Preparing for a Facilitated IEP Meeting
CADRE-Center for Dispute Resolution in Special Eduation IEP Facilitation
Each student who has been found eligible for special education services has an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The IEP is reviewed and updated at least annually. The IEP document contains a summary of evaluation results; present levels of academic and functional performance; secondary transition plans (for students 14.5 years of age and older); information on functional behavioral assessments and a behavior intervention plan (if appropriate to the student); annual goals and objectives or benchmarks; a list of accommodations and supports that will assist the student to progress in the general education curriculum; information about participation in testing; and a description of where the special education services will take place.
Parents are partners with school staff in developing annual IEPs. In order to prepare for an IEP meeting, it can be helpful for parents to review educational records to determine where their child is performing, what has been provided in the past, what progress or lack of progress has been noted in each area, and what services have been effective. Parents sometimes have all the records needed for this review including the current IEP document and evaluation documentation. If not, or if new data has been generated by assessments or evaluations, parents have the right to receive a copy of all the records prior to the meeting. This allows the parent to be an informed participant in the meeting. This right was recently clarified in the Illinois School Code. The law now reads:
105 ILCS 5/14-8.02f Individualized education program meeting protections
(c)
Beginning on July 1, 2020, no later than 3 school days prior to a meeting to determine a child’s eligibility for special education and related services or to review a child’s individualized education program, or as soon as possible if an individualized education program meeting is scheduled within 3 school days with the written consent of the child’s parent or guardian, the local education agency must provide the child’s parent or guardian copies of all written material that will be considered by the individualized education program team at the meeting so that the parent or guardian may participate in the meeting as a fully-informed team member. The parent or guardian shall have the option of choosing from the available methods of delivery, which must include regular mail and picking up the materials at school. For a meeting to determine the child’s eligibility for special education, the written material must include all evaluations and collected data that will be considered at the meeting. For a child who is already eligible for special education and related services the written material must include a copy of all individualized education program components that will be discussed by the individualized education program team, other than the components related to the educational and related service minutes proposed for the child and the child’s placement. Parents shall also be informed of their right to review and copy their child’s school student records prior to any special education eligibility or individualized education program review meeting, subject to the requirements of applicable federal and State law.
Parents may call Family Matters to speak to an Information Specialist for assistance in preparing for their child’s IEP meeting at 866-436-7842.
Recognizing that parents need short-term relief and a break from their child/adult family member with a disability, the Illinois Department of Human Services Division of Developmental Disabilities funds respite programs throughout the state. These programs offer a break for parents by providing funds to pay caregivers who are hired by local agencies or directly by parents, depending on the set-up of the specific program. The COVID 19 pandemic has meant that children with developmental disabilities have been home from school since mid-March and some adult family members with developmental disabilities have been home during the day due to community day programs closing. If parents are needing a break so that they can do essential errands or just get outdoors a bit, they can contact their local provider of Respite care to inquire about enrollment opportunities for children or adult family members.
Contact information for Respite services:
Abilities Plus Inc.
309-852-4626
Western Bureau, Henry, and Stark counties
CCAR Industries
217-348-0127
Coles, Cumberland, and Douglas counties
Center for Disability Services
815-744-3500
Grundy, Kankakee, and Will counties
Coleman Tri County Services Inc.
618-252-0275
Gallatin, Saline, and White counties
Community Support Systems
217-717-8015
Clay, Crawford, Cumberland, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, and Wayne counties
Crosspoint Human Services
217-442-3200
Vermillion County
Easter Seals Joliet Region
815-725-2194
Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee, Kendall, and Will counties
Envision Unlimited
312-346-2218
Adams, Brown, Champaign, Cook, DeWitt, Fulton, Knox, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Mason, McLean, Morgan, Moultrie, Peoria, Pike, Sangamon, Scott, Schuyler, and Tazewell counties
EPIC
309-205-5503
Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford counties
Horizon House of Illinois Valley, Inc.
815-223-4488
Bureau, Grundy, LaSalle, Marshall, Putnam, and Stark counties
Illinois Respite Coalition
630-207-8479
Bond, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Crawford, Cumberland, DeWitt, Edgar, Effingham, Macon, Marion, Moultrie, Richland, and Washington counties
Kreider Services, Inc.
815-288-6691
Carroll, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, and Whiteside counties
Opportunity House, Inc.
815-895-5108
DeKalb county
Piatt County Mental Health Center
217-762-4066
Piatt county
Shelby County Community Services
217-774-5587
Shelby county
Specialized Training for Adult Rehabilitation, Inc.
618-687-2378
Jackson county
The Arc of Quad Cities Area
309-786-6474
Rock Island county
William B. Bedell Achievement and Resource Center
618-251-2175
Bond, Clinton, Fayette, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, and St. Clair counties
There is no simple answer to the question of what schools need to provide to students with disabilities during the remote learning situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Should there be individualized online contact between special education teachers and their students? Should that time be for instructional purposes or just checking in? Will a student receive modified assignments? Textbooks? Worksheets? Online-learning opportunities? What happens to extended school year services? Will there be compensatory services provided at some point? These are unprecedented times. Each school, and even each individual teacher, seem to be approaching the needs of students differently.
As a Parent Training and Information Center, we continue to monitor news from the Illinois State Board of Education and the U.S. Department of Education so that we can keep parents up-to-date as educational issues are decided. For now, we are directing parents to documents on the Illinois State Board of Education’s website at https://www.isbe.net/Pages/covid19.aspx which includes items such as these:
Remote Learning for Students with Autism and Spectrum Disorder- April 30, 2020
Remote Learning for Students with Significant Intellectual or Multiple Disabilities- April 30, 2020
Remote Learning for Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired- April 30, 2020
Remote Learning for Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing or DeafBlind?- April 30, 2020
FAQ?- April 20, 2020
ISBE Special Education Guidance on Statewide School Closures - ?March 18, 2020
And we want parents to be aware of what the federal government is saying, so we are linking them to this U.S. Department of Education site at https://www.ed.gov/coronavirus which includes documents such as:
Questions and Answers on Providing Services to Children with Disabilities during the Coronavirus
The U.S. Department of Education has declined to ask Congress for waivers to the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, so we do want parents to be aware that rules related to student and parental rights are still in place.
https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/secretary-devos-reiterates-learning-must-continue-all-students-declines-seek-congressional-waivers-fape-lre-requirements-idea?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=Special Education Cooperatives/Joint Agreements
School districts in Illinois provide special education and related services to the students with disabilities who reside in their district. Districts may also enter into an agreement with a special education cooperative or joint agreement entity to create, provide, and support their services for students with special education needs ages 3-22. These cooperatives can provide specialized instructional environments for students with severe or low incidence disabilities, provide consultative services, and/or provide more highly specialized staff to serve students.
Directory of Special Education Cooperatives and the Districts/Counties They Serve
Additionally, the Governor's Office will file a complaint on behalf of ALL known cases of isolated seclusion to expedite the investigative process and require a report to be returned within 60 days of the notification.
Reviewing this checklist can be helpful in remembering what an IEP meeting should involve.
IEP Meeting Checklist
I received written notice of my child’s IEP meeting at least 10 days prior to the meeting date
(unless I waived my right to notice)
I received a copy of any materials that were to be discussed at the meeting at least 3 school
days prior to the meeting so that I could adequately review the information
In addition to me, and my child if appropriate, the IEP team attending my child’s meeting consists of:
A general education teacher who is, or may be, responsible for implementing a portion of my
child’s IEP
A special education teacher or special education provider of my child (a speech and language
pathologist fulfills this role if ONLY speech and language services are provided)
A representative of the district with the authority to make commitments for the provision of
resources and be able to ensure that the services set out in my child’s IEP will be implemented,
and who is qualified to provide or supervise the provision of specially designed instruction and
has knowledge of the general education curriculum
An individual who can interpret my child’s evaluation results
Other individuals, invited by me or the district, who have knowledge or special expertise
regarding my child (optional)
An individual qualified to teach preschool children without identified disabilities (if my child is
age 3-5)
A qualified bilingual specialist (if appropriate)
A person knowledgeable about positive behavior strategies (if my child has behaviors that
impede his or her learning or the learning of others)
At meetings to create or revise my child’s IEP, the team addresses the following issues, in the following order:
My child’s present levels of academic and functional performance – including social skills (a
measurable level of how my child is doing in school, the results of recent evaluations and
testing, etc.)
Secondary transition services needed by my child in the areas of employment, education,
training, and independent living skills – including needed courses of study (if my child is, or will
be, 14 ½ or older during the time covered by this IEP)
A need for, or the results of, a functional behavior assessment and the development of, or
revision to, a positive behavior intervention plan to address behaviors (if needed)
The progress my child made on previous goals
The goals my child will work to achieve during the next 12 months and the objectives or
benchmarks for reaching the goals (measurable goals written in each area of deficit that are
tied to the general education curriculum and learning standards)
A designation of the person or people who are directly responsible for implementation of each
Goal
A description of how my child’s progress towards meeting goals will be determined, who will
assess this progress, and how I will be informed of progress or lack of progress
A need for assistive technology devices and services (if needed in order to progress toward
academic and functional goals)
The aids, accommodations, and modifications needed by my child to make progress toward
annual goals, to progress in the general education curriculum, and to participate in
extracurricular and other non-academic activities
The supports or training needed by school personnel for my child to advance appropriately
toward attaining the annual goals, participate in the general curriculum, and be educated and
participate with other students in educational activities
The assistance or training I need to help my child progress (instruction by staff or opportunities
to attend trainings, conferences, in-service events, etc.)
A description of how my child will access extra-curricular and non-academic activities
A determination of the need for extended school year services due to the nature of the
disability, the rate of progress on goals and objectives, emerging skills, behavior issues, and/or
expected regression or delayed recoupment of skills
A determination of the specially designed instruction (based on peer-reviewed research) my
child will receive and a determination of when my child will be in general education with no
supplementary aids; in general education with supplementary aids; in general education with
special education and related services; or in special education classes outside of general
education (placement is to be in the least restrictive environment)
My parental concerns as noted in the IEP document
I receive:
A copy of my child’s IEP at the end of the meeting