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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.

• Parent Training and Information Center​
  
• Guidelines for Choosing a Lay Advocate in Special Education
• Advocacy Resources
  
• Educational Advocates: A Guide for Parents (available in English and Spanish)
• Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission​​​
  

For certain circumstances, a parent may prefer to hire an attorney for assistance.

• Guidelines for Choosing an Attorney for Special Education Representation
  

• Mediation Services:  Illinois' mediation service is designed as a means of resolving disagreements regarding special education services, placement and related services to children enrolled in Illinois public schools.
• Complaints:  A complaint investigation is a formal process where a person submits a signed, written complaint alleging that the school district has violated one or more of the special education rules and regulations
• ​IEP Facilitation:   ​IEP facilitation is a process that helps foster effective communication between parents and districts as they develop a mutually acceptable Individualized Education Program (IEP). This process may be used as a preventative measure in which a trained facilitator promotes whole team participation, acknowledging and addressing differing opinions in a respectful and neutral manner. IEP facilitation can improve relationships between school districts and parents in order to effectively plan services to meet the needs of the student.
• ​Due Process:   Due process is a formal hearing that occurs if a parent (or occasionally a district) files a due process “complaint” requesting a due process hearing. The hearing may involve attorneys and advocates for each side and will result in a legally binding, written decision that can be appealed to a court of law.​
  

​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 to:

1. better understand the nature of their children's disabilities and their educational and developmental needs;
2. communicate effectively with personnel responsible for providing special education, early intervention, and related services;
3. participate in decision making processes and the development of individualized education programs (IEPs) under Part B and individualized family service plans under Part C;
4. obtain appropriate information about the range of options, programs, services, and resources available to assist children with disabilities and their families;
5. understand the provision of IDEA for the education of, and the provision of early intervention services to, children with disabilities; and
6. participate in school reform activities.
   

All counties in Illinois are served by Family Matters.

Family Matters
1901 S. 4th Street, Suite 209
Effingham, IL 62401
217-347-5119 FAX
866-436-7842 Toll-Free
E​mail: info@fmptic.org or mmutti@fmptic.org​
Website: www.fmptic.org​​​​

• Understanding PUNS: A Guide to Prioritization for Urgency of Need for Services:  The Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities, develops and array of supports for adults with developmental disabilities and their families. Possible services include in-home supports, respite care, training programs, job coaches, residential living arrangements, adaptive equipment, etc. Funding is limited and prioritized based on need for services. It is critically important for families to register their son/daughter for PUNS (the ‘doorway’ for these services) well before he/she transitions from school to adult life.​
• Comprensión de PUNS: una guía para priorizar la urgencia de la necesidad de servicios:  La División Discapacidades del Desarrollo del Departamento de Servicios Humanos de Illinois proporciona liderazgo para la administración efectiva del diseño y la prestación de los servicios basados en los resultados de calidad, centrados en la persona y apoyos para los que tienen discapacidades del desarrollo. Estos servicios y apoyos se acomodarán a sus necesidades, dones, talentos y fortalezas; serán accesibles, abarcarán toda la vida; estarán basados en una selección informada y serán monitoreados para asegurar el progreso individual, la calidad de vida y seguridad.​​​​
• The Autism Training and Technical Assistance Project (ATTA) develops resources that assist individuals with Autism in their transition from secondary education to postsecondary education or employment. The ATTA also seeks to provide training and support to important stakeholders, as they work to provide an equitable experience for individuals with autism. The website and the resources it contains are developed pursuant to and funded 100% through a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education. The website is maintained and updated by the Illinois Center for Specialized Professional Support.​​​​
• The Illinois Center on Transition and Work​ (ICTW) at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign provides statewide training and technical assistance focused on the school-to-work transition for students with extensive support needs.​
  

• Illinois Special Education Eligibility and Entitlement Procedures and Criteria within a Response to Intervention Framework
  
• Special Education Eligibility and Entitlement within a Response to Intervention Framework: Frequently Asked Questions​​​​