Education Resources

Parent Institute Lectures for Families of Children With Hearing Loss

The Institute for Parents of Preschool Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing is a one-week program for parents of young children who have a significant hearing loss. It takes place on the campus of the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville each June.

Participating parents attend daily lectures by experts in the field to learn about raising a child with hearing loss. Lecture topics include the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), advocacy, communication options, language, assistive listening devices, literacy and amplification.

UIC’s Division of Specialized Care for Children (DSCC), a supporter of the Institute, has made these presentations available online so they can benefit more families of children with hearing loss. Visit the 2019 Parent Infant Institute Video Recordings page on the Illinois Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Program website.

Parents of Extraordinary Children

Parents of Extraordinary Children (PEXC) is a nonprofit that aims to inform, empower, support and help advocate for families of children and young adults with disabilities within the southeast side of Chicago.

With the help of volunteers and representatives from city-wide organizations, PEXC provides opportunities for Individualized Education Program (IEP) training, learning to navigate the special education process, understanding terminology, initiating the process of evaluation,  the transition to adulthood and more.

PEXC has a Sensory Space and Resource Center and offers an “All Inclusive Support Group” on a monthly basis for families.

For more information, call (312) 600-5479 or email admin@pexc10thward.com.

Peoria Friendship House/La Familia

The Peoria Friendship House offers wraparound services to empower families and meet changing community needs. Its services include a program supporting the Latino community, citizenship classes, a food pantry, health support services and youth programs. The Peoria Friendship House also provides:

• A parent mentor program
• S.T.E.A.M.S Academy for students focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and math
• La Familia healing support across the lifespan
• A financial stability program
• Pantry on the Move to help reduce barriers to receiving food

Perkins School for the Blind College Readiness Resource Center

Perkins School for the Blind College Readiness Resource Center helps students and the many people involved in assisting them prepare for success. Students, families and education professionals can access helpful planning and assessment tools, checklists and resources for going to college, pre-college training programs or heading straight to work.

The College Readiness Resource Center includes:

• Resources for families to start planning early
• Information on the laws that affect the transition from high school to college
• How to get students ready for life after high school
• The College Readiness Checklist and Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments (TVI) Toolkit

Physical Restraint, Time Out and Isolated Time Out (RTO) Bill of Rights

The Illinois State Board of Education’s (ISBE) RTO Parent Bill of Rights is a resource for parents and guardians to help understand their rights, the rights of students, how to file a complaint and other important information related to physical restraint, time out and isolated time out in schools.

More details and helpful documents about restraint, time out and isolated time out, including multiple translations of the RTO Parent Bill of Rights, are on ISBE’s website.

PKU Organization of Illinois Andrew Craig Memorial Scholarship

The PKU Organization of Illinois awards the Andrew Craig Memorial Scholarship annually to qualified individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU) or allied disorders. Eligible applicants may receive scholarships of up to $2,000. The scholarship applicant requirements include:

• Having PKU or an Allied Disorder diagnosis
• Currently residing in Illinois
• Enrolling to attend an accredited college, university or vocational school for the fall semester of the current calendar year

A student may receive more than one scholarship during their secondary education but not in consecutive years.

Progress Center for Independent Living Serving Suburban Cook County

The Progress Center for Independent Living serves over 133 municipalities throughout suburban Cook County. It is a community-based, non-profit, non-residential service and advocacy organization operated for people with disabilities, by people with disabilities. Progress Center provides a variety of training and education services, housing assistance, and tools and resources for people with disabilities to live independently in their own homes. These include:

• Youth transition to adulthood program
• Independent living skills training
• Peer counseling
• Housing assistance
• Deaf services
• Braille classes
• Radio Independent Living 24/7

Project LEAP – Launching Equity in Access to Preschool

Equip for Equality’s Project LEAP (Launching Equity in Access to Preschool) helps children with disabilities from birth to 6 get Early Intervention and early childhood special education services so that they’re ready to succeed in school. Project LEAP can help your child:

• Move from Early Intervention to early childhood education
• Receive the tests needed for special education services
• Access behavior supports and assistive technology

Project LEAP can also go to your child’s Individual Education Program (IEP) meetings, mediation and due process hearings in select cases.

For more information or to schedule a time to talk, please contact Equip for Equality at EFEProjectLEAP@equipforequality.org or call the Equip for Equality Special Education hotline at 1-866-KIDS-046 or (866) 543-7046.  You can also complete an online intake form at www.equipforequality.org/get-legal-help-from-efe/.

QuestBridge

QuestBridge is a nonprofit that connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds to scholarships, financial aid and other learning opportunities to help them attend top colleges nationwide. QuestBridge also provides a Student Resource Center featuring a student workbook, checklists and tips for preparing, applying and paying for college. Its programs include:

• The College Prep Scholars Program helps high school juniors become strong applicants to top colleges.
• Quest for Excellence Awards provide high school juniors opportunities to receive scholarships, laptops and funding for partner college visits.
• The National College Match is the next step for high school seniors. College Match participants can apply for free to colleges and be considered for early admission and a full four-year scholarship.
• The QuestBridge Regular Decision program provides finalists who do not match an opportunity to be considered for admission and financial aid through a partnering college.

Visit the QuestBridge website for up-to-date program information, application deadlines and information about other programs.

RAMP- No Limits Center for Independent Living (CIL)