Training and Technical Assistance Projects

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.

Child Find

The Child Find Project provides public awareness materials for school districts and early intervention programs to assist in Child Find activities. To order Child Find materials, please call 800/851-6197. To refer a child or family to the early intervention services system please call 800/323-GROW (800/323-4769) (Voice and TTY).

Early CHOICES

Project CHOICES/Early CHOICES (Children Have Opportunities in Inclusive Community Environments and Schools) helps school districts and communities in develop and expand inclusive options for children and youth with disabilities.

There are two components:

Early CHOICES - offers support for school districts to include children ages 3-5 with their nondisabled peers in typical preschool settings.

CHOICES - offers support for schools to include students ages 6-21 in their general education classes.

Project CHOICES provides technical assistance upon request from school districts about inclusion. Services include providing inservice training, observing/consulting, facilitating meetings, sharing resources, working with building and/or student teams, and other activities upon request.

Project CHOICES works with any public school district personnel and other community programs through the public schools such as day care providers, community preschools, parks and recreational programs, and community colleges.

Please call 630/629-0551 for more information. Also visit the Project CHOICES home page.

Early Intervention Clearinghouse

The Early Childhood Intervention Clearinghouse provides library and information services. (Library loans are limited to Illinois residents.) The Clearinghouse contains information on health, educational and developmental concerns of infancy and early childhood. Professionals, policymakers, students and parents can use the services of this statewide project.

The Resource Library has

• books for loan;
• audiovisual materials for loan or use in the library;
• reference files of articles, booklets, catalogs, etc.;
• more than 150 journals and newsletter subscriptions devoted to child, family and disability issues.

The Clearinghouse Staff

• provides answers to specific reference questions;
• prepares bibliographies which include materials that are available from the library;
• make referrals to other library and information services that may be useful;
• available to present or exhibit at meetings;
• publish a free quarterly newsletter, Early Intervention, carrying feature articles, a conference calendar, reviews of materials and other items on special interest;

Please call 800/852-4302 or www.eiclearinghouse.org for more information.

STARNET (Support and Technical Assistance Regionally)

The STARNET system serves young children, families and communities in Illinois working to develop more effective partnerships and linkages among families, professionals and systems. STARNET provides training and technical assistance to early childhood special education preschool staff and families of young children.

The mission of STARNET is to promote and support a comprehensive, family-centered, consumer driven technical assistance system for all young children, families and communities. STARNET promotes excellence, provides leadership and offers rich opportunities for personal and professional growth and systems development in collaboration with families, schools and other community stakeholders.

STARNET accomplishes its mission by:

• Identifying needs and responding to requests for support of staff and families involved in early childhood special education;
• Developing and delivering inservice training and technical assistance, including workshops, satellite distance education, consultation, mini-grants, fellowships, referrals and materials loan and dissemination;
• Supporting family education and involvement;
• Collaborating with other early childhood initiatives, agencies and personnel;
• Promoting family-centered perspectives within STARNET services and with other initiatives, organizations and personnel.

Illinois STARNET Regions

Northwest/Central Regions I&III
Western Illinois University
27 Horrabin Hall
Macomb, IL 61455
309/298-1634 or 800/277-7537
http://www.wiu.edu/users/starnet/

Northern Region II
The Center
2626 South Clearbrook Drive
Arlington Heights, IL 6005-4626
224/366-8579
http://www.thecenterweb.org

Southern Region IV
St. Clair County ROE
1000 South Illinois Street
Belleville, IL 62220
618/825-3966
618/825-3999 (fax)
http://roe.stclair.k12.il.us/starnet

City of Chicago Region V
Chicago Public Schools
Colman School
4655 S. Dearborn - Room 204
Chicago, IL 60609
773/535-8607
http://oism.cps.k12.il.us/dept_oss_pd.shtml

Region VI
6020 W. 151st Street
Oak Forest, IL 60452
708/342-5370
708/687-2247 (FAX)
web page

Outside Resources

Division of Early Childhood
National Association for the Education of Young Children
Children’s Defense Fund
National Head Start Association
National Early Childhood Technical Assistance System
National Parent Network on Disabilities
Zero to Three

Special Education Home Page