If you have a child in the Illinois special education system, this blog is for you. We understand that you are juggling a lot, so we found helpful parent resources for you! Below you will find 9 Illinois special education parent resources that can empower you to be an even better advocate for your child!
1. Notice of Procedural Safeguards
Let’s start with one of the most important documents you have received, the Notice of Procedural Safeguards. To advocate for your kid, you need to know your rights. The Notice of Procedural Safeguards lists your rights and the safeguards in place for you and your child. If you find the Notice confusing and filled with legal jargon, don’t worry. There are plenty of online resources to help you decode the Notice (such as number 5 on this list!).
2. Illinois State Board of Education’s Website
You’re likely familiar with the website for the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), but have you explored all their resources? The ISBE website is well organized and contains valuable information for parents. They provide a very thorough Parent’s Guide to Special Education (with time saving links for each chapter) and Dyslexia Toolbook. Additionally, ISBE’s website includes information on Non-public Special Education programs and a list of Parent advocacy services throughout the state. Exploring the ISBE website can better prepare you to navigate through Illinois’s special education system.
3. Kidvokit for Illinois
As you know, managing your child’s IEP is almost a full time job. The amount of paperwork and emails to keep up with is annoying at best (and most likely overwhelming). Kidvokit is an online tool that does the organizing for you. It automatically detects and files IEP related emails, creates a timeline, and manages your paper trail, keeping you prepared for all IEP meetings. It also has a built-in AI assistant that can quickly answer your special education questions! Go to our “How it works” page and see how Kidvokit can help you.
4. Center for Parent Information and Resources
If you’re looking for personalized assistance, check out a Parent Center. Parents Centers are nationally funded and a part of the Center for Parent Information and Resources. Illinois has two Parent Centers, Family Matters and Family Resource Center on Disabilities. Both centers provide online resources, events, online parent trainings, and a number to call for referrals. Both of their websites are well organized and are a hub for helpful resources.
5. Parental Readiness and Empowerment Program (PREP)
PREP is a great online tool when you need quick answers to your questions about the special education process. It also compliments the Notice of Procedural Safeguards well, as it breaks down the most important steps. PREP’s answers are formatted like an FAQ section and provide easy-to-understand answers. PREP’s website can not only help you understand the special education process but also your rights.
6. Wrightslaw
Wrightslaw exists to equip you to be the best advocate for your child that you can be! Wrightslaw’s website allows you to stay up-to-date on special education law and advocacy opportunities. Their website also makes it easy to search any law with their A-Z topic page. While on their site, check out the books, blogs, and trainings also offered by Wrightslaw.
7. Equip for Equality
Another great legal resource is Equip for Equality. They provide online guides on topics such as IEPs, conflict resolution with schools, and transition plans. Even better, they provide a free Special Education Helpline to answer your questions and direct you to resources. Visit Equip for Equality’s website for more information.
8. Family Matters YouTube Channel
You can find plenty of special education videos on YouTube, but Family Matters’ YouTube channel provides Illinois-specific resources. Their channel includes past webinars, vlogs, and videos on various special education topics. Additionally, they include curated playlists, saving you the time of searching YouTube for pertinent videos!
9. Facebook Groups
An important part of your journey through the special education system is support. You will be wiser and stronger when you connect with parents going through similar situations. Facebook is a great platform to find this support! There are many Facebook groups, but a few Illinois specific groups worth checking out are, Raise Your Hand – Special Education Parents and Supporters, Autism Parents of Illinois, Decoding Dyslexia – IL , and Support Group for Parents of Kids with ADHD, ADD, Autism, and Other Issues.
Illinois Special Education Resource Recap
You are doing the good and difficult work of advocating for your child. Take a moment to give yourself some credit. We hope the list above reminded you that you are not alone on this journey and that there are resources available to assist you. Start with knowing your rights, and then utilize the resources available to educate yourself, locate assistance, and find a support group.
