Resource Directory /

Education Resources

  • Illinois Student Assistance Commission

    The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) provides Illinois students with information and assistance to help make education beyond high school accessible and affordable.

    ISAC offers free comprehensive, objective, and timely information on education and financial aid for students and their families. Help includes:

    • The ISAC Student Portal with free online tools, events and resources for students, as well as short videos about college planning and financial aid.
    • State scholarship and grant programs
    • ISAC College Q&A, a free texting service that allows any student to submit their financial aid and college planning questions and receive a response from ISAC staff.

    ISAC also offers assistance through the agency’s call center at (800) 899-4722 (ISAC).

  • Illinois Student Records Keeper: For Parents of Students Who Receive Special Education Services

    The Illinois Student Records Keeper booklet from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is for parents to use to keep important information about their child and their special education and related services. It is a companion to A Parent’s Guide – Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois.​​​​​​​

    Records play an important role as you plan your child’s education. Dates, people, meetings and reports are important throughout your child’s educational career. ISBE developed the records keeper to help parents prepare for Individualized Education Program (IEP) and transition meetings; get ready for evaluations and reevaluations; and keep track of paperwork and other materials.

  • Illinois Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

    The Illinois Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (ITDHH) focuses on promoting the professional growth of teachers and the quality of education for people who are deaf and hard of hearing throughout Illinois. The organization hosts an annual conference and provides annual scholarship opportunities for teachers and students.

    ITDHH annual scholarship and grant opportunities for Illinois students and teachers include:

    • The “Hazel Bothwell Memorial Scholarships and Grants For Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing” provides funding to teachers to help strengthen learning and educational services for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. You must be a current ITDHH member to apply.
    • The “Jacki Marcus Memorial Scholarship for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students” is for high school seniors planning to pursue a two- or four-year college degree. 
    • The “Pierce-Scherer Student Scholarship for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students” is for high school seniors planning to attend a vocational or trade school.

  • Illinois Transformative Justice Law Project

    The Illinois Transformative Justice Law Project (TJLP) provides free information, training resources and life and gender-affirming legal services to everyone on the gender spectrum regardless of financial status. TJLP also provides:

    • Workshops for organizations and groups wanting to learn more about allyship for trans and gender-expansive communities
    • Free in-person and virtual name change services
    • Name change guides
    • Educational resources

    For questions, please contact TJLP at (312) 558-1472 or namechange@tjlp.org.

  • Inclusion Brochure from the Illinois State Board of Education

    The Illinois State Board of Education’s Inclusion Brochure provides an overview of early childhood inclusion, the benefits of high-quality inclusive programs, teaching models that support inclusion, and more. It can also help families and professionals to better explain least restrictive environment (LRE) and inclusion.

    The brochure is also available in these languages:  Arabic Inclusion Brochure, Cantonese Inclusion Brochure, French Inclusion Brochure, Japanese Inclusion Brochure, Mandarin Inclusion Brochure, Polish Inclusion Brochure and Spanish Inclusion Brochure.

  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

    The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes a free appropriate public education available to eligible children with disabilities nationwide and ensures special education and related services for those children.

    The U.S. Department of Education’s IDEA website has information for parents, students, educators, service providers and more on resources for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. The site includes the IDEA Parents and Families Resource page.

  • Instituto del Progreso Latino

     Instituto del Progreso Latino (Instituto) is a nationally recognized education hub serving over 8,000 participants from across Cook County and low-income communities on Chicago’s southwest side. Instituto programs and services include adult basic education, English Language Acquisition (ELA) classes, workforce development, career pathway and employment support, and wrap-around social services.

    Latino immigrants and their families can also gain skills that foster full participation in society while preserving cultural identity and dignity through citizenship and adult education courses, family literacy, immigration legal aid services, employment training, youth development programs and more. Instituto del Progreso Latino also includes:

    • Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy for high school students seeking to focus on a career in the health sciences field
    • Instituto College, which prioritizes the recruitment and retention of non-traditional, first-generation college students and values the training of bilingual and bi-culturally sensitive nursing professionals.
    • Online and in-person English, citizenship and adult education courses

    For questions, please call Instituto del Progreso Latino at (773) 890-0055.

  • ISBE Resiliency Toolkit

    The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)’s Resiliency Toolkit is a collection of resources designed to foster safe and healthy school climates. In response to the growing mental health challenges that Illinois youth face, this toolkit offers developmentally appropriate tools to help students, parents, caregivers and school personnel build the resilience necessary to thrive.

    ISBE’s Resiliency Toolkit topics include:

    • Mental health
    • Discrimination and harassment
    • Preventing and addressing bullying
    • Substance use prevention and more

    For questions, please contact ISBE’s Wellness and Student Care Department at (217) 782-5270.

  • Job Corps

    Job Corps is a comprehensive program that provides essential academics and career skills training. The program helps eligible youth ages 16 through 24 complete their high school education, trains them for meaningful careers, and assists them with obtaining employment.

    For questions,  please visit the contact page on Job Corps’ website.

  • John Wood Community College Services for Students With Disabilities

    John Wood Community College (JWCC) offers various support services to help students in Adams and Brown County succeed in the classroom. Students with disabilities can get help exploring career options, finding resources to pay for college, tutoring and more. Other programs include:

    If you have questions, please email Alisa Cameron or call  (217) 641-4302.