Resources

Key Topics

Lending Library

Categorical Search

Key Topics

Data

Reporting of school's scores on testing is availalbe at The ISBE eReport Card Public Site and at Interactive Illinois Report Card.

FAQs

The U.S. Department of Education’s website provides a "one-stop shop" for resources related to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and its implementing regulations. Click on Question and Answer Document for responses to specific special education topics.

The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) has created a document, “Questions Often Asked by Parents about Special Education Services.” The document covers questions ranging from eligibility to resolving disputes.

Illinois Learning Standards

The Illinois Learning Standards (ILS) define what all students in all Illinois public schools should know and be able to do in the seven core areas (English Language Arts, Fine Arts, Foreign Languages, Physical Development & Health, Mathematics, Science, and Social Science) as a result of their elementary and secondary schooling.

Learning at home

The U.S. Department of Education provides valuable resources for parents to monitor and assist their child's education.

The U.S. Department of Education provides the Helping Your Child publication series, which aims to provide parents with the tools and information necessary to help their children succeed in school and life. These booklets feature practical lessons and activities to help their school aged and preschool children master reading, understand the value of homework and develop the skills and values necessary to achieve and grow.

RtI

Response to Intervention (RtI) is what good teachers have always done to help students learn. School districts are now mandated to provide good instructional practices and evaluation of academic progress for all children. The basic idea of RtI is to collect data over time and adjust instruction until the child achieves success.

Illinois Aspire, a technical assistance project of the Illinois State Board of Education, provides a parent page on their website. Additional information regarding RtI is available through our websites categorical search.

Section 504

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is major federal legislation that impacts entities that receive federal funding. It is civil rights legislation for persons with disabilities, designed to prevent any form of discrimination based on disabilities.

The National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) provides information regarding Section 504.

Service Agencies

IllinoisParents.orgprovides Illinois families a link directly to local programs, services, and community agencies.

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) serves the nation as a central source of information on: disabilities in infants, toddlers, children, and youth, IDEA, which is the law authorizing special education, No Child Left Behind (as it relates to children with disabilities), and research-based information on effective educational practices.

www.families.comis a portal that allows access to blogs, discussions, coupons and deals.

Social and Emotional Learning

The Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) standards describe the content and skills for students in grades K - 12 for social and emotional learning. These standards have been developed in accordance with The Illinois Children’s Mental Health Act of 2003 (Section 15(a) of Public Act 93-0495) This Act calls upon the Illinois State Board of Education to "develop and implement a plan to incorporate social and emotional development standards as part of the Illinois Learning Standards."

This ground-breaking legislation established a new direction for education in Illinois. It embraces the idea that public schools can integrate SEL instruction with core academic subjects, and that children who require these skill are more successful in school, work and life.

You may visit the Illinois Children’s Mental Health website to view their resources regarding Social and Emotional Learning.

The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) envisions a world where families, schools, and communities work together to promote children's success in school and life and to support the healthy development of all children. In this vision, children and adults are engaged life-long learners who are self-aware, caring and connected to others, and responsible in their decision-making. Children and adults achieve to their fullest potential, and participate constructively in a democratic society.

Special Education

The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs’ (OSEP’s) IDEA website was created to provide a "one-stop shop" for resources related to IDEA and its implementing regulations, released on August 3, 2006.

ISBE Parent Guide: Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois is a document, developed by the Illinois State Board of Education for parents and others to learn about the educational rights of children who have disabilities and receive special education services. (Updated 6/09)

Title I

Title 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (formerly known as No Child Left Behind) is the largest federally funded educational program. This program, authorized by Congress, provides supplemental funds to school districts to assist schools with the highest student concentrations of poverty to meet school educational goals Section 1118 of Title 1 is the section outlining Parent Involvement. You may view the Title 1 Parent Involvement Requirements document to learn the Local Education Agencies and schools must and may activities.

To view an alphabetical listing of Illinois school districts receiving Title 1 funding click on allocations. Districts and schools receiving Title 1 are required to have policies and programs in place to partner with parents in order to receive this funding . To view the Illinois State Board of Education resources regarding Title 1 visit their Innovation & Improvement page.

National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE) is a coalition of major education, community, public service, and advocacy organizations working to create meaningful family-school partnerships in every school in America.

back to top

Lending Library

The Illinois Statewide Technical Assistance Center (ISTAC) maintains a lending library including books, videotapes, and DVDs related to various aspects of special education, general education and parenting. Requested materials are mailed with return postage included.

To Search:To search our online library at Library World, follow this link. In this website's search entry field, type ISTAC. No password is required. On the next page, type ISTACP in the search entry field and click the Search button. This will display all of the materials in our library. If you see an item you might like to borrow, add it to your clipboard. Once you have found everything you would like to borrow you are ready to request the items.

To Request Items: If you see something you would like to borrow, please submit a request through our online request form. Enter the items you have added to your clipboard on this page.

back to top

Search by Category

Resources are listed alphabetically by topic. You may either scroll down the resource list, or you can use our search engine at the left. Please review our library for other resources.

To request a bibliography of materials, or to request a specific item, please call the ISTACP at (877)317-2733 or email us.

back to top