Education Resources
Free Virtual IEP Check-up
The Family Resource Center on Disabilities (FRCD) is offering free virtual support to help parents navigate their child’s individualized education program (IEP).
During the Virtual IEP Check-up, a certified FRCD Parent Trainer will go through a child’s IEP to ensure they have the appropriate supports to start the school year off on the right foot.
Complete the center’s registration form to sign up.
The FRCD serves the following eight Illinois counties: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will.
Frequently Asked Questions About Adapted Physical Education
SHAPE America provides guidance to Frequently Asked Questions About Adapted Physical Education for students with disabilities. The document was developed as a resource for physical educators, adapted physical educators, school district administrators and parents as they work to provide consistent adapted physical education (APE) services for students with disabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions for Special Education During Remote Learning
The Illinois State Board of Education has posted a frequently-asked-questions document focused on special education during remote learning for the COVID-19 pandemic.
GiGi’s Playhouse: Down Syndrome Achievement Centers
GiGi’s Playhouse: Down Syndrome Achievement Centers provide free, nationwide on-site and virtual educational, therapeutic-based and career development programs for individuals with Down syndrome, their families and the community. Programs are available for individuals of all ages focusing on speech and language, social skills, cooking and fitness.
GiGi’s Playhouse Illinois locations include:
Chicago
Deerfield
Fox Valley
Hoffman Estates
McHenry County
Quad Cities
Rockford
Tinley ParkGiGi’s Virtual Playhouse offers opportunities to build relationships and community connections and access free programming and resources tailored for individuals with Down syndrome. The playhouse serves individuals with Down syndrome of all ages, expecting moms and dads, caregivers, siblings, parents, grandparents, doctors, educators, volunteers and more.
GiGi’s Virtual Playhouse provides a variety of programs focused on therapeutic needs, educational needs, career development and global acceptance.
Guidance for Return to School for Transplant Families
Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago provides this guidance to help parents decide if their transplanted child or their siblings should return to school during the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes recommendations on minimum requirements to prevent infection and how to assess your child and family’s risk.
Hands & Voices Guides and Resources for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Plus
Hands & Voices provides a variety of resources specific to children who are deaf/hard of hearing plus – the combination of being deaf or hard of hearing and having additional medical complexities or other needs.
Information includes the “Connecting Families of Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Plus (DHH Plus) with Resources and Support” guide, an Educational Plan Checklist for D/HH-Plus Students and presentations, articles and other guides for families of children who are D/HH plus.
Homework Tip Sheets for Families and School Staff
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has created a useful tip sheet with strategies to support parents and guardians who help children complete homework. The “Homework Help Strategies for Caregivers” tip sheet includes a link to a database of helpful homework support websites. It can be found under “Family and Community Resources” on ISBE’s Family and Community Engagement webpage.
School and district professionals as well as school board members can also find tip sheets on how they may help with best practice regarding homework.
How to Teach Children About Disabilities and Inclusion
Inclusion is the law, but it takes more than legal compliance to create an environment where all children feel included and valued. Educating children about disability and inclusion can protect vulnerable students from bullying and encourage empathy and kindness among students.
Baylor University’s “How to Teach Children About Disabilities and Inclusion” outlines age-appropriate ways to teach children about disabilities and strategies for fostering empathy and understanding in school or any social environment.
Understood.org gives parents step-by-step instructions for how to create an individualized education program (IEP) binder that sorts their child’s evaluation reports, IEP, report cards and other paperwork. The site includes an IEP binder checklist, school contact sheet, parent-school communication log and IEP goal tracker that parents can download and print.