One of Best-Kept Special Ed Secrets

If you are a parent of a child in Special Education, you know that you need all the help you can get. And it's even better if it's free.

Five years ago then-Director of Special Education for the Illinois State Board of Education Christopher Koch issued a Memorandum to all School District Superintendents, Directors of Special Education and Parent Organizations, titled "Guidance: Appropriate Procedures for Determining Placement in the Least Restrictive Environment and Identifying and Providing Appropriate Special Education and Related Services."

Quite a mouthful; right?

Dr. Koch is no longer Director of Special Education for ISBE. Fortunately for special education students in Illinois, he is now the Superintendent of ISBE! Bravo! Hooray!

On Page 2 of his Memo (where recipients should have still be reading before eyelids drooped), Dr. Koch asked that special education directors "...disseminate copies of this memorandum to all school administrators, teachers, related services personnel, and parents of students with disabilities in their district..." (emphasis added)

Well, I know it has only been five years, but this copies of this memo have never been made available to the parents of the 900 special education students in Woodstock District 200. I have never met a parent of a special education student who knew of this Memo.

Although it is five years old, it contains a considerable amount of useful information - information that will help a parent get necessary services for his or her child. If you are a parent of a child in special education, go now to http://www.isbe.net/spec-ed/pdfs/lre_guidance.pdf and print this Memo. Then make a copies of it. Underline it. Highlight it. Mark it up. Send a copy to the entire IEP Team for your student. (Send them the URL and let them print their own copies.)

Students in special education are entitled to their own Individualized Education Programs. They are not to be jammed into a one-size-fits-all class. Expensive for the school districts? Yes. Required? Yes. And it's more economical than a lifetime of care by State funds.

Pete Wright (http://www.wrightslaw.com/) tells his own story of being a special education student and lost in high school. His parents got him into a residential program. Now he is a lawyer and a national advocate for students with special needs. Pete and Pam's son struggled in high school, and the so-called "professionals" recommended trade school. No way! Their son is now a lawyer, too.

If you need help in getting related services for your child, reach out. Ask questions. Demand answers. Talk to other parents. Never stop asking where you can get help.

There are paid, professional, special education advocates who charge $100/hour. They are certain attorneys who know a lot about special education (and many who don't) who charge $250-400/hour. And there are volunteer advocates who will help you.

Check out http://www.frcd.org/, which is a Chicago-based organization that provide parent training. You can sign up for an introductory Tuesday or Saturday workshop, get hand-outs, information, and have it cost you a whole - What? It's free??? Yes! Go to their website or call 312.939.2913