Action Needed for Illinois Special Education Bills by May 1 at 2 PM

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Please File Witness Slips In Support of HB 3586 and HB 3302

 State Representative Fred Crespo has introduced two important special education bills, HB 3586 and HB 3302, with the support of special education advocates. HB 3586 addresses issues critical to the education of students with disabilities in Chicago Public School (CPS) and throughout the state. Federal law establishes parents of children with disabilities as full team members when developing an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for their child. HB 3586 provides parents with sufficient time, educational information, and means to express concerns to enable them be informed, effective advocates for their children.

The bills will be heard in the Illinois Senate Education Committee TODAY at 2 pm. We need people to show their support for these bills by filing witness slips. To do a witness slip, when you go to each link to file your slip, fill out the info about who you are and who you represent. If you do not represent a group, you can say “self” in Section II, Representation. In Section III, Position, check “proponent,” which means you support the bill amendment. In Section IV, Testimony, check “record of appearance only” to show that you are only filing electronically.

As a quick recap:

HB 3302 was introduced in order to ensure the opportunity to redress CPS’s illegal delay and denial of special education services. Although the ISBE corrective action plan was approved on May 16, 2018, no compensatory services mechanism has yet been proposed. Students with disabilities are still waiting to find out how ISBE intends to have CPS redress the service failures that the district intentionally imposed on students. As time passes, the statute of limitations for filing a state complaint (one year from the date of the alleged violation) is running out for families.

HB 3586 addresses issues critical to the education of students with disabilities in CPS and throughout the state. Federal law establishes parents of children with disabilities as full team members when developing an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for their child. HB 3586 provides parents with sufficient time, educational information, and means to express concerns to enable them be informed, effective advocates for their children.

Links for special education bill witness slips:

HB 3586 link for witness slip

HB 3302 link for witness slip

Please file a witness slip for each of the above by 2 pm today! Thank you.