Education Resources
Sertoma Star Services in Illinois
Sertoma Star Services (SRS) is a not-for-profit community organization dedicated to challenging the limits and changing the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental illness in the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana areas. Services include vocational, educational, therapeutic, recreational and residential programs.
Sertoma Star Services programs include:
- Special recreation services for children, teens and adults
- Community living and home-based services
- Life skills enrichment program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- Janitorial and e-recycling vocational training and long-term job opportunities for adults
For more information, contact Deanna Wetzel at intake@sertomastar.org or (708) 300-8527.
SIP Arts Foundation, Inc. is an Illinois nonprofit supporting individuals with disabilities and their families. It offers community education on special education laws, disability rights and advocacy. The foundation also offers opportunities to provide a voice and foster healing through creative expression in the arts. SIP Arts Foundation programs include:
- One-on-one person-centered planning that maps each family’s goals and next steps
- Free community meals that reduce isolation and bring families together
- Group advocacy workshops where every family leaves with a personalized binder organizing their child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), rights and records
- Pathways to Expression, an inclusive studio arts program in Belleville for children ages 4 to 12 with and without disabilities
- Self-advocacy programming in St. Clair and Madison counties that helps young people find their voice and prepare for the transition to post-secondary education and employment
For questions, please visit SIP Arts Foundation’s “Let’s Connect” page or email info@sipartsfoundation.org.
Southern Illinois Pathways is a grassroots initiative led by individuals with disabilities, family members and professionals to support families navigating disability, special education and mental health systems across metro east Illinois. It offers free, plain-language workshops for families, students, young adults, and individuals with disabilities. It helps make disability rights, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), mental health supports, local services and self-advocacy easier to understand.
Southern Illinois Pathways offers free:
- Resources for families
- A local workshop series on Saturday mornings at libraries in each county. The workshops cover disability rights, IEPs and services in plain language.
- Events
Southern Illinois Pathways is a program of SIP Arts Foundation, Inc., an Illinois nonprofit advancing arts, disability advocacy and education across Madison, St. Clair and Monroe counties in metro east Illinois.
For questions, please contact Southern Illinois Pathways at (618) 816-8834, (618) 623-2423 (direct) or info@southernilpathways.com.
Special Education and Inclusion in Early Care and Education
The Illinois Early Learning (IEL) Project provides this Special Education and Inclusion in Early Care and Education resource list for early childhood special education and inclusive childcare for children ages 3 to 5 years old. The resources include tip sheets on choosing child care for infants and toddlers, choosing a preschool, inclusion in preschool classrooms and special education assessment for preschool-aged children.
If you have questions, please contact IEL online or call (877) 275-3227. EIL will try to reply to inquiries within one week.
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 (IEL) 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.
For questions, please contact IEL online or call (877) 275-3227.
Special Needs Resource Project
The Special Needs Resource Project provides information and ideas for parents of children with chronic health issues and disabilities. topics include education, housing design, accessibility and remodeling, ramps, transition to adulthood and more.
Storyline Online features famous people reading books aloud to kids – no login needed.
Suburban Access, Inc. is an independent service coordination and advocacy agency that links children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to life-enhancing services, programs, experiences and personal supports to empower them to live life without limits. Suburban Access offers a variety of programs to help people with intellectual disabilities overcome barriers and advance their independence, learning and community connections.
Suburban Access has locations in Homewood and Hillside. It serves south and west suburban Cook County. For more information, call (708) 799-9190.
SUPE: Substance Use Prevention Education
SUPE: Substance Use Prevention Education provides free resources to help individuals of all ages and backgrounds learn about the dangers of drugs and how to help those who may be affected by substance use. Educational materials are available in English and Spanish and include engaging videos targeting kids, teens, parents, teachers, employers and more.
SUPE offers up-to-date, easy-to-understand information on topics such as:
- Edibles and vaping education and prevention for kids
- Tips for talking to grandchildren about substance use
- The link between bullying and substance use
- Do’s and don’ts for teachers speaking to students about drugs
Supporting 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.