Six Principles of IDEA:

Special Education Rights Webinar

March 2, 2024

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Six Principles of IDEA: Special Education Rights Webinar is designed to empower you with knowledge about the vital aspects of special education rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

As parents, we understand that navigating the world of special education can be both challenging and rewarding. The Six Principles of IDEA are the cornerstone of your child's educational journey, and understanding them is essential to ensure your child receives the best possible education tailored to their unique needs.

During this webinar, you will gain insights into:

1. Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE): Discover your child's right to a quality education without financial burden.

2. Individualized Education Program (IEP): Learn how to actively participate in creating a customized education plan for your child.

3. Least Restrictive Environment (LRE):Understand the importance of your child's inclusion in the general education setting when appropriate.

4. Parent and Student Participation: Find out how you can be a strong advocate for your child's educational journey.

5. Procedural Safeguards: Learn about the safeguards in place to protect your child's rights.

Together, we can ensure that your child receives the education they are entitled. We look forward to seeing you and embarking on this empowering journey together.

Evaluation:

Special Education Rights Webinar

March 9, 2024

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Is your child facing challenges in school? Join our informative webinar to navigate the crucial first steps toward securing the support your child needs. Delve into the significance of evaluations, discovering when and how to initiate the process. Understand your vital role as a parent/guardian throughout the evaluation journey. Uncover your child's rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and gain insights into Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE). This session provides a roadmap for parents seeking an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Empower yourself with knowledge to ensure your child's educational needs are met.

Don't miss this opportunity – it's time to make a positive impact on your child's academic journey.

Services for People with Disabilities (SFPD)

presents a free Community Education Workshop



PUNS- The Basics

Wednesday, February 28th,

2:00pm-3:00pm

The PUNS list, Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services, is the database that the Department of Human Services (DHS) uses to understand how many individuals in Illinois want or need Developmental Disability Waiver services.

Join guest speaker Ruth Aguilar, Ligas Family Advocate, from The Arc of Illinois for an overview of PUNS.

Wednesday, February 28th, 2:00pm-3:00pm

Educational Surrogate Parent Training

Family Matters is seeking volunteers in all counties of Illinois to act as Educational Surrogate Parents (ESP). An ESP is someone who helps to advocate for the appropriate

educational services for youth who receive special education services and are in the care of the State of Illinois.

Call Family Matters to Register

866-436-7842 or complete the online registration

Empowerment through Education: Free Suicide Prevention Training 

Register by March 1

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) recognizes the critical importance of equipping our educators and school personnel to address the sensitive and pressing issue of suicide prevention. Suicide is a leading cause of death for youth between the ages of 12 and 19, so educators are uniquely positioned to identify warning signs and provide vital support. 

ISBE is partnering with the Illinois Department of Public Health to offer free suicide prevention training courses tailored to empower and educate our educators. We invite you participate in this crucial training course.

Question, Persuade, Refer Training – 1 credit hour 

This training is available for all school staff to help them recognize the warning signs of suicide and learn more about preventing it. The registration deadline is March 1, 2024, with the option to complete the training during the 2024 calendar year. 

An in-depth training course targeted at school counselors, social workers and other school personnel is also available. See the Free Suicide Prevention Training for Illinois School Staff flyer for more details. 

We invite you to take a proactive stance in preventing tragedies and fostering a supportive environment for those in need. Thank you for your dedication and unwavering support in making our communities a safer and more nurturing place for all. 

Questions? Contact klee64@bsd.uchicago.edu if you have questions related to registration. For all other questions, contact DPH.Safety@illinois.gov. 

Family Leadership Collaboration Annual Conference

Saturday, April 20, 2024

9:00 am3:30 pm

Location:

419 NE Madison Avenue

Peoria, IL 61603

Join us for a full day event, featuring Elizabeth Frisbie and a team of experts focused on mental health and behavioral supports in the classroom.

Features of Technology Tools to Support Reading - Part 2: Everything But Text-to-Speech (TTS) (The Basics of AT Decision Making to Support Reading Part 4 of 6)

February 28, 2024  3:30 - 4:00 PM CST

Registration Link: https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0054-0021-b5df3fe3c06e4ee8800679bb981c57b0

This 6-part series is designed for professionals that want to further their knowledge of assistive technology basics and take on active roles to participate during the assistive technology decision making process. The series will specifically highlight assistive technology tools and strategies that can support students related to reading tasks.

Most practitioners are familiar with TTS but there are many features beyond TTS that can increase a student’s access to content from text. We will take a look at some of those other features and how they can support students with the task demands of reading. Tools having those features will be demonstrated.

Learner Outcomes:

Participants will name three task demands related to reading comprehension.

Participants will name three tools and their features that can support students with reading comprehension.

Do you have experience with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act?

What is our purpose?

We are interested in learning from students with disabilities

and/or families of students with disabilities about their

experiences with Section 504 in schools.

Who can participate?

You must either be: a student (aged 12 or older) who

applied for or currently receives Section 504 supports

from your school OR the family caregiver of a student

who applied for or currently receives Section 504

supports from school.

What will you do?

You will complete a short demographic survey. Then, you will

participate in a zoom interview for 1-1.5 hours. After the

interview, you will be asked to check your interview

summary for accuracy.

How can you enroll?

Complete the consent form here:

https://redcap.link/kfrm7u39 or contact Meghan

Burke (meghan.burke@vanderbilt.edu; 615-585-1420)

IATF Seeking Parents/Guardians’ Feedback on Understanding of the High School (Secondary) Transition Process

The Illinois Autism Task Force (IATF) Transition sub-committee is seeking parents/guardians’ feedback on their understanding of the high school (Secondary) transition process. The survey is designed for parents/guardians of children with autism (all ages-young adults) who have an IEP.

The Autism Transition Subcommittee is conducting this survey to assess parent/family knowledge when it comes to understanding services available for the autism population leading up to and during their high school transition years. By gaining understanding of this, the IATF as well as autism-based service entities and schools can target their messaging and parent education to better guide parents, students, and families with the goal of improving student success after high school.

The survey will be available beginning September 1, 2023, ending  April 30, 2024:

https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?module=17&item=144748&surveyid=1639

If you are a parent/guardian of a child with Autism, please follow the above link and complete the survey. The survey should take 15 minutes and your responses are completely anonymous. We genuinely appreciate your participation and hope our results will help us in our work to prepare families and improve services in Illinois as students transition from school to adulthood.

The Illinois Autism Task Force: Public Act 93-773 (2004) established the Illinois Autism Task Force (IATF) under the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) as a means of addressing issues presented by the growing number of children and adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The task force provides information and recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Human Services to best serve individuals with autism in Illinois.

IDHS: Illinois https://www.dhs.state.il.us/?item=133087