School Closing Info

Special Education Parent Forum

December 30, 2011

Dear Parent and/or Guardian:

Our district has been selected by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for a focused monitoring review of the educational placement decisions for students with disabilities. The selection of our district was based on district data that we submitted to ISBE.

The focused monitoring process investigates compliance with federal and state special education laws and regulations. This monitoring effort additionally seeks to ensure that the district is following appropriate procedures in making educational placement decisions for students with disabilities. Educational placement refers to the setting or location where a student with a disability receives his/her education.

In order to inform all attendees of the focused monitoring process and to allow parents the opportunity to share their experiences and contribute their feedback on the process of determining the educational placement for their child, a public forum is held by ISBE as one of the initial steps in the focused monitoring process. The purpose of the public forum is to gather information about how our district works with parents and guardians when deciding how and where students with disabilities will be educated. The public forum will be facilitated by an ISBE team leader and a parent member from the focused monitoring team who has the experience of also being the parent of a child with a disability.

The input collected during the forum will be reviewed and considered by the team leader. All information gathered during the focused monitoring process is anonymous and reviewed collectively. The team leader will provide a report to the district superintendent that may include recommendations to the district regarding the procedures and practices for making educational placement decisions.

The meeting agenda will include:

·         An explanation of how districts are selected for focused monitoring by ISBE and what the process entails, and

·         A discussion which is open to the public about how the district collaborates with parent and guardians on determining the educational placement (classroom setting and services) for students with disabilities.

Verbal or written comments will be accepted by the team leader at the public forum. If you are unable to attend, you may review the PowerPoint online at www.ridgeland122.com. If you need a specific accommodation such as an interpreter, materials in an alternate format/language, or a translator if English is not your primary language, please contact Julie Shellberg at (708) 599-5550 ext. 218 by January 25, 2012. (Arabic, Polish, and Spanish Translators will be available at this meeting.)

To provide an opportunity for parents to engage in open and honest dialogue with the state focused monitoring team, ISBE has respectfully requested that district staff and administration do not attend the forum. Opportunities are provided at the district and school levels for the staff and administration to contribute information to this process.

 We hope you will be in attendance on January 31, 2012, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Harnew Elementary School cafeteria.  

Best regards,
Thomas Smyth

Focus Monitoring Parent Forum - Presentation Slides