Special Education

Parent Rights

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Parent Guide -
Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois

Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois is a document, developed by the Illinois State Board of Education for parents and others to learn about the educational rights of children who have disabilities and receive special education services. (Updated 6/09)

• English Version. Download the complete report (8.54 MB) or download by subject area from the Table of Contents below:
  
  
• Spanish Version - under development.

Paper copies of Educational Rights and Responsibilities are not available at this time. For questions regarding Educational Rights and Responsibilities call 217/782-5589.

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Table of Contents

• Cover, Acknowledgements and Forward

  

• Introduction: How to Use This Guide

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• Chapter 1: Child Find

  
1. Overview
2. Screening

• Chapter 2: Response to Intervention (RtI)

  
1. What is RtI?
2. The Role of Parents in an RtI Process
3. Resources

• Chapter 3: Referral & Evaluation

  
1. Definitions
2. Evaluation and Reevaluation
3. Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE)

• Chapter 4: Eligibility Categories

  
1. Disability Category Definitions

• Chapter 5: Additional Procedures for Specific Learning Disabilities

  
1. Overview
2. Special Education Eligibility Considerations

• Chapter 6: Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)

  
1. What is an IEP?
2. Who is on the IEP team?
3. IEP Timelines to Remember
4. What an IEP Includes
5. Specifics about IEP Components
6. Other IEP Considerations
7. Additional Requirements for Students Who Have a Disability on the Autism Spectrum
8. Parent Tips
9. What You Need to Know About Excusal from IEP Attendance
10. Changes to the IEP Without a Meeting

• Chapter 7: Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

  
1. Where should students be educated?
2. What do some placement options look like?
3. What does the research say about inclusive education?
4. What is the General Education Environment?

• Chapter 8: Secondary Transition

  
1. What is Transition and what does it do for students with disabilities?
2. What are transition services?
3. What are the basic components of the transition plan?
4. What is the transfer of parental rights all about?
5. Resources

• Chapter 9: Behavior Intervention Plans (BIPs)

  
1. Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA)
2. Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIP)

• Chapter 10: Student Discipline

  
1. School Safety
2. Manifestation Determination Review (MDR)
3. Removal from the Current Placement for Certain Conduct
4. Protections for Certain Students Who Are Not Special Education Eligible
5. Expedited Due Process Hearings

• Chapter 11: Conflict Resolution

  
1. Introduction to Conflict Resolution
2. Key Terms
3. When a Disagreement Occurs: First Steps
4. All About Mediation
5. Formal Dispute Resolution
6. All About State Complaints
7. Formal Disputes: Due Process Hearings
8. Why Should I File for Due Process?
9. Can a District File for Due Process Too?
10. Do I Need to Hire a Lawyer or Advocate?
11. How Do Parents Request a Due Process Hearing?
12. Stay-Put: How a Hearing Request Affects the Child’s Placement
13. A Note about Hearing Officers and Substitutions
14. Next Steps: Responses and Insufficiency
15. The Resolution Process
16. Resolution Agreements
17. Setting the Stage: The Pre-Hearing Conference
18. The Big Event: The Due Process Hearing
19. The Decision & Clarification: The Final Step? Maybe
20. Court Review of the Decision
21. Conclusion: Conflict Resolution in a Nutshell

• Chapter 12: Private Schools

  
1. Overview of Private School Placement
2. Placement by a Parent on a Voluntary Basis
3. Placement by a Public School District

• Chapter 13: School Records

  
1. Reviewing and Copying Records
2. Challenging Your Child’s Records
3. Age of Majority
4. Medicaid and Insurance: Parent Consent/Student Records

• Chapter 14: Early Childhood Services

  
1. Early Childhood Special Education Services
2. Transition from Early Intervention
3. IFSP/IEP

• Chapter 15: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

  
1. Overview
2. How to File a 504 Complaint

• Chapter 16: The Illinois State Advisory Council on the Education of Children with Disabilities(ISAC)

  

• Appendix A: Sample Letters for Parents

  
1. 1. Writing to Discuss a Problem
2. 2. Requesting an Initial Evaluation for Special Education Services
3. 3. Requesting an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) at Public Expense
4. 4. Requesting Your Child’s Records
5. 5. Requesting a Meeting to Review the Individualized Education Program (IEP)
6. 6. Requesting a Change of Placement
7. 7. Requesting Prior Written Notice
8. 8. Requesting Mediation
9. 9. Informing the School that You Intend to Enroll Your Child in a Private School at Public Expense
10. 10. Requesting a Due Process Hearing
11. 11. Filing a Complaint with the Illinois State Board of Education
12. 12. Writing a Follow-up Letter
13. 13. Writing a Positive Feedback Letter
14. 14. Revocation of Consent for Special Education

• Appendix B: Quick Reference Charts

  
1. Referral & Evaluation
2. Eligibility Categories
3. Additional Procedures for Specific Learning Disabilities
4. Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
5. Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
6. Secondary Transition
7. Behavior
8. Discipline
9. School Records
10. Early Childhood Services

• Appendix C: Glossary of Key Terms

  

• Appendix D: Sample Forms

   
• Note: Our publications and forms are in .pdf format. In order for them to work correctly please visit http://www.adobe.com to download Adobe Reader version 9.0 or later.
1. Illinois Alternate Assessment Participation Criteria
2. Delegation of Rights to Make Educational Decisions
3. Parental Request for an Impartial Due Process Hearing

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