COVID-19 Resources - All in One Place

We are attempting to keep all of your COVID-19 Resources in one place.  Additionally, if you have a special education related question, it's probably being thought about.  Send it our way using this form and we will see if we can get it answered.

COVID-19 Resources
2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV):CDC has provided buttons and badges for public use. The graphic can be placed in any way that works best for your particular site. We are hoping to see this graphic on as many sites as possible to enhance access to up to date information on 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV).Centers for Disease Control - Guidance for Schools (UPDATES REGULARLY)
Illinois Department of Public Health - Guidance for Schools (UPDATES REGULARLY)

COVID-19 Communication Templates (Donovan Group)
COVID-19 Special Education Resources

COVID-19 ISBE Information
ISBE COVID-19 Webpage
03/26/2020 - Emergency Rules - Private Special Education Facilities
03/18/2020 - Special Education Guidance
04/20/2020 - Updated FAQ on Special Education

COVID-19 Illinois Medicaid Information
03/20/2020 - Medicaid Notice re: Telehealth

COVID-19 Resources from the Federal Government
(All Resources Posted Here)
FERPA Considerations (Department of Education)
OSERS Questions & Answers (Department of Education)
OCR Fact Sheet (Department of Education)
OSERS & OCR Additional Information (Department of Education) - 3/21/2020
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#FundTheFormula Communications

Between now and March 31, the Funding Illinois' Future Coalition will execute a campaign that urges members of the Illinois General Assembly to allocate at least $350M for Evidence-Based Funding in the FY21 Budget while also raising awareness that an investment of $650M over the next 15 years is what is needed to fully fund the formula for IL students.  IAASE has always worked with the Funding Illinois' Future Coalition and we are proud to once again do so now.
Image result for funding illinois future
Our efforts will be focused on the House Representative and State Senator for your district and school community and members of the House and Senate Education Appropriations Committees.

KEY LEGISLATOR TWITTER HANDLES 
@HouseDemsil
@ILSenDems
@ILSenateGOP 
@ILHouseGOP 
@TagYourLegislator

You can find your legislator by clicking here.  In addition, find ALL legislator contact information and Twitter handles here.

There are LOTS of great resources including suggested social media posts in the Funding Illinois' Future toolkit.  It's available when you click here.

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Updated Information - Public Charge

Two federal agencies’ regulations on the public charge grounds of inadmissibility went into effect on February 24, 2020. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations will apply to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services processing in the U.S. of applications for adjustment to Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status submitted electronically or postmarked on or after February 24th. State Department regulations apply immediately to applications for visas and LPR status processed at U.S. consulates outside of the country.
In an effort to support student services administrators who may face questions from parents and families surrounding this issue, we are sharing this resource document from the Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition.
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Legislative Update - Week of 3/2/2020

There is so much happening in the legislature related to special education.  Here is a rundown of a few bills we are keeping our eyes on:

Restraint and Seclusion

Prohibits a school district employee or volunteer or an independent contractor of a school district from placing a student in seclusion; defines seclusion. Provides that this prohibition does not apply to the use of seclusion in a court-ordered placement, other than a placement in an educational program of a school district, or in a placement or facility to which other laws or rules apply. Requires State Board of Education rulemaking.
Requires Equip for Equality, a State protection and advocacy system, to establish a monitoring team to work in collaboration with the State Board of Education to:  
(1) conduct monitoring of time out and physical restraint in schools and programs;
(2) develop criteria for selecting schools and programs where onsite monitoring shall be conducted;
(3) develop protocols for monitoring activity, including frequency and methods for gathering information and data; and
(4) determine the frequency and format of reporting by the investigation unit to the State Board of Education.  
Requires Equip for Equity to submit an annual report to the Governor, General Assembly, and the State Superintendent of Education.
Payments to Private Facilities
HB3973 - Wheeler (R-North Aurora)
HEARING ON MARCH 4, 2020 - FILE A WITNESS SLIP OPPOSING THIS MEASURE BY CLICKING HERE.
Allows a private special education facility in this State that is a nonprofit entity and that provides special education services only to students who are referred to it by a public school district in this State to require tuition payments by a school district monthly prior to the provision of special education services in accordance with a student's individualized education program for the period that the student is enrolled in the facility pursuant to a placement contract between the facility and the student's school district. Provides that, at or before the end of each regular school term and each summer school term, the private special education facility shall refund to a school district any tuition funds collected by the facility for days that a student was not enrolled in the facility, and if, for any reason, the facility does not satisfy the requirements of the Article or any rules adopted by the State Board of Education regulating private special education facilities, then the State Board, at the request of the school district, may determine that the facility shall refund any tuition funds collected by the facility for days that it was determined by the State Board that the facility was in noncompliance with special education rules.
Dyslexia Screening
HB 4406 - Parkhurst (R-Kankakee)
HEARING ON MARCH 4, 2020 - FILE A WITNESS SLIP OPPOSING THIS MEASURE BY CLICKING HERE.
Provides for dyslexia screening guidelines and rules. Requires the State Board of Education to employ at least 5 dyslexia specialists or dyslexia therapists with a minimum of 5 years of field experience in screening, identifying, and treating dyslexia and related disorders to provide technical assistance and training. Provides that, beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, each school district must screen students in grades kindergarten through second (and in higher grades under certain circumstances) for the risk factors of dyslexia using a universal screener approved by the State Board. Sets forth what the screening must include. Provides for additional screening for a student who is determined to be at risk, or at some risk, for dyslexia to determine if a student has the characteristics of dyslexia. Requires the use of a multi-tiered system of support framework if screening indicates that a student has some risk factors for dyslexia or has the characteristics of dyslexia. Sets forth provisions concerning exceptions to screening, dyslexia intervention services, and reporting.
Transition Age
HB 3897 - Hurley (D-Chicago)
Provides that a student whose 22nd birthday occurs during the school year is eligible for special education services through the end of the school year (rather than being eligible for services only until the day before his or her 22nd birthday).

SB 2281 - Cunningham (D-Chicago)
Makes an amendment to the bill and allows students to stay in their transition program through the end of the semester (rather than the end of the year or the day after their 22nd birthday).

Other Issues
HB 5327 - Crespo (D-Hoffman Estates) - Rules Committee in House
Provides that the Protection and Advocacy System for the State of Illinois, Equip for Equality, shall expand its Special Education Rights Clinic and Parent Helpline. Provides that the Special Education Rights Clinic shall partner with the State Board of Education to ensure that its materials for parents are visible and accessible locally, engage in rights training, and provide parents with information and strategies to resolve problems themselves through its parent helpline. Provides that Equip for Equality shall work in partnership with the State Board to ensure that all parents are able to learn about and have access to specified resources. Provides for an annual report. Provides findings provisions.
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Attract, Prepare, Retain: OSEP National Summit on Improving Effective Personnel for Children with Disabilities

The Office of Special Education Programs will live stream Attract, Prepare, Retain: OSEP National Summit on Improving Effective Personnel for Children with Disabilities virtually on March 19, 2020. Details related to live stream access will be available closer to the summit date.  

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is hosting a summit focusing on strategies to attract, prepare, and retain effective personnel—general and special education teachers, early childhood personnel, and related services providers—who have the knowledge and skills needed to provide effective instruction, interventions, supports, and services to children with disabilities. This is a topic that is important for schools, states, communities, businesses, districts, and professional organizations. This topic disproportionately affects children with disabilities and their families due to the many unfilled positions and high attrition rates among special education teachers, early childhood personnel, and related services providers. The summit is an opportunity to bring together these various stakeholders and explore potential strategies and innovative approaches to address this critical need. OSEP is also taking this opportunity to bring together the many professional organizations across the country that are working to improve attraction, preparation, and retention of effective personnel.

The summit will take place from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. Eastern time and we encourage viewing gatherings and discussions. Improving how we attract, prepare, and retain effective personnel for children with disabilities is a critical need that will only be resolved by prioritized and collaborative efforts.

Click here for more information.
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The IRIS Center - A Resource You Should Check Out

When Laurie VanderPloeg, Director of the Office for Special Education Programs was at our conference last week, she mentioned the free resources available to us through the IRIS Center.  We wanted to make sure that all of our members had access to these great resources.

Supported by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs and located at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, the IRIS (Innovative Resources for Instructional Success) Center develops and disseminates free, engaging online resources about evidence-based instructional and behavioral practices to support the education of all students, particularly struggling learners and those with disabilities. These resources, designed to bridge the research-to-practice gap, are intended for use in college teacher preparation programs, in professional development (PD) activities for practicing professionals, and by independent learners. The array of IRIS resources includes modules, case studies, information briefs, course/PD activities, a high-leverage practices alignment tool, and an online glossary of disability-related terms as well as supporting products to enhance their use in coursework and PD activities.

Developed in collaboration with nationally recognized researchers and education experts, our free online resources address instructional and classroom issues of critical importance to today’s educators: classroom behavior management, secondary transition, early childhood, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and many others.

Click here to get started with all of these great resources from the Iris Center.
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Department of Education Releases Annual IDEA Report to Congress

Last week, the U.S. Department of Education issued the 41st Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Since its enactment, IDEA has required an annual report to inform Congress and the public about implementation of the law in four main domains:
  • providing a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) for students with disabilities and early intervention for infants and toddlers,
  • ensuring that the rights of students with disabilities and their parents are upheld,
  • assisting states and localities to provide IDEA services to all students with disabilities, and
  • assessing the effectiveness of efforts to provide IDEA services.
Key findings [from 2017 state-reported data] include:
  • 2 percent of special education teachers providing special education and related services for students aged 3 through 5 were highly qualified.
  • 9 percent of special education teachers providing special education and related services for students aged 6 through 21 under IDEA Part B were highly qualified.
  • 9 percent of students ages 6 through 21 served under IDEA Part B were educated in the regular classroom for at least some portion of the school day.
  • In Illinois, we are serving 11 percent more students now (2017) than we were in 2008.
Click here to download the report.
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