Education Resources
Special Education Assessment Tip Sheet and Resource List
Family members and early care and education providers are adults who notice when the children in their care may have disabilities or developmental delays and would benefit from special education services.
The Illinois Early Learning Project’s Special Education Assessment tip sheet series is a helpful tool for learning more about the steps in that process. The IEL also provides an Assessment for Special Education resource list.
Equip for Equality has a toll-free Special Education Helpline to help families get appropriate education services for their children. The Helpline can assist by providing:
- Someone to talk to about your questions and concerns
- Information sheets on frequently asked questions
- Sample letters and forms
- Referrals
- Other assistance as needed
Contact the Helpline at 1-866-KIDS-046 (1-866-543-7046) or specialed@equipforequality.org.
STAR NET Region VI is part of the Illinois STAR NET system and is supported through a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education in cooperation with Southwest Cooperative. STAR NET provides training, consultation and resources to the early childhood community.
The STAR NET system assists the State Board of Education in meeting local needs by providing services to professionals and parents of young children with special needs throughout Illinois.
STAR NET Region VI serves South Cook, Kane, Kendall, Kankakee, LaSalle, Will and Grundy counties.
STAR NET Region VI
6020 W. 151st Street
Oak Forest, Il 60452
Phone: (708) 342-5370
Fax: (708) 687-2247
email: starnet6vi@gmail.comIllinois STARNET provides a variety of opportunities for personal and professional growth for those who touch the lives of young children, ages birth through eight, with an emphasis on children with special needs. STARNET supports family-centered, researched, and effective practices in early childhood education and care.
Illinois STARNET provides a variety of opportunities for personal and professional growth for those who touch the lives of young children, ages birth through eight, with an emphasis on children with special needs. STARNET supports family-centered, researched, and effective practices in early childhood education and care.
STARNET
2626 S. Clearbrook Dr.
Arlington Heights, IL 60005-4626
Phone 224-366-8579
Fax 847-278-5434
Email: starnet@cps.eduSupporting Children With Limited Verbal Skills Tip Sheet
This Supporting Children With Limited Verbal Skills tip sheet from the Illinois Early Learning Project provides strategies that are helpful to all children but are particularly helpful for those with limited verbal skills.
IEL offers a wide variety of one-page, easy-to-read tip sheets covering a wide range of topics for parents and teachers of young children.
All tipsheets are available in Spanish and English. Selected tipsheets are available in Polish, Korean, Chinese, Arabic, Russian and French.
Swann Special Care Center is a non-profit organization located in Champaign that offers residential and educational programs for people with severe and profound intellectual disabilities. Its programs serve residents from throughout Illinois and include residential nursing care, adult day training and an accredited year-round school. Swann Special Care Center also offers:
- Restorative and long-term habilitation
- Palliative and end-of-life care
- Evaluation on an individual and ongoing basis
- Physical, occupational and speech therapies
Take N.O.T.E. of Learning Differences
Take N.O.T.E. is an initiative developed by Understood in partnership with the American Academy of Pediatrics. It aims to help parents identify the signs of learning or thinking differences in their children.
TDI for Access Communication Access Scholarship Program
TDI for Access’ annual Communication Access Scholarship Program recognizes graduating high school students who are deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened, and deafblind (DHH). The scholarship program is open to graduating DHH high school seniors anywhere in the United States who plan to attend post-secondary school at either a technical college or university.
The scholarship recognizes students for their passion and capacity to lead and serve as well as their commitment to making a significant impact on accessible communication technologies. The application window is from March to May every year.
The Arc@School Special Education Initiative
Through The Arc@School initiative, The Arc provides training and resources to help families and others navigate the special education system.
Arc@School offers information on the supports, services and rights for students with disabilities. It also includes information on advocating for students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a nationwide directory of special education advocacy resources.
Arc@School materials are also available in Spanish.