Procedural Notification Requirement – Related Service Logs

The District maintains related service logs that document the type and number of minutes of related service administered under a student’s individualized education program (IEP).  These related service logs will be available to parents/guardians at a student’s annual review IEP meeting. Parents/guardians may also request a copy of any IEP related service log maintained for their child.  Please direct any requests for a copy of a related service log for your child to your building administrator or your child’s special education case manager. 

School Contact Information – IEPs and 504 Plans

All students with IEPs or 504 Plans have a case manager is responsible to coordinate the development of the plan and ensure it is implemented as written.

•  If you have questions or concerns about your child’s IEP or 504 plan, you should first contact your child’s case manager. You are always welcome to request a meeting with your child’s IEP or 504 team by contacting your child’s case manager. 
•  If you do not know who you child’s case manager is or still have concerns after contacting your child’s case manager, please contact the administrator listed below who has primary responsibility for coordination and supervision of special education services and 504 plans at each school.
• If you believe that your child may have a disability and would like to request an evaluation for eligibility for an IEP or 504 plan, please contact the administrator listed below who will assist in notifying the appropriate staff at the school to follow up on your request.
• Students with disabilities who do not qualify for an Individualized Education Program (“IEP”) may qualify for accommodations and supports under Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, if the student: (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (2) has a record of a physical or mental impairment, or (3) is regarded as having a physical or mental impairment. Parents who are deaf or do not typically communicate using spoken English are entitled to the services of an interpreter when participating in a Section 504 of IEP meeting.  If you believe your student meets one of the above categories and requires reasonable accommodations and/or wish to request an interpreter for a meeting, you may contact the administrator listed below.

1. Urbana Early Childhood: Katie Madigan, Principal | Phone: 217-384-3616 | kmadigan@usd116.org
2. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Elementary: Michelle Turner, Principal | Phone: 217-384-3675 | rturner@usd116.org
3. Dr. Preston Williams Jr Elementary: Danielle Jackson, Principal | Phone: 217-384-3628 | dmjackson@usd116.org
4. Leal Elementary: Craig Keer, Principal | Phone: 217-384-3618 | ckeer@usd116.org
5. Thomas Paine Elementary: Andrea Jackson, Principal | Phone: 217-384-3602 | ajackson@usd116.org
6. Yankee Ridge Multilingual School: Patricia Valente, Principal | Phone: 217-384-3607 | pvalente@usd116.org
7. Urbana Middle School: Julia Lowry | Phone: 217-384-3685 | jlowry@usd116.org
8. Urbana High School: Jessica Hines | Phone: 217-384-3505 | jhines@usd116.org
9. Gerber School: Jennifer Rohn, Principal | Phone: 217-367-4064 | jrohn@usd116.org

Scope of Services Provided

USD116 provides programs for students with disabilities, ages 3 to 22.  USD has 4,350 students and 802 of those students have an individualized education program (IEP) and 142 students have a 504 plan.

A full continuum of services and programs are available including:

• Services for Students with Intellectual Disabilities
• Services for Students with Emotional Disabilities
• Services for Students with Specific Learning Disabilities
• Services for Students with Developmental Disabilities
• Services for Students with Speech/Language Impairments
• Services for Students with Severe/Profound Multiple Disabilities
• Services for Students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing
• Services for Students who are Visually Impaired
• Services for Students with Physical Disabilities
• Services for Students with Health Impairments
• Home/Hospital Instruction
• School Social Work Services
• School Psychological Services
• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Alternative Special Education Programs

Special Education Services are provided at all ten of our school buildings, and students also receive services at therapeutic day schools such as Circle Academy, Pavilion Foundation School, the Regional Safe School (READY) program, and Residential Placements. USD employs the following student services staff who have school support personnel endorsements:

• 15 full-time School Social Workers
• 14 full-time Speech Language Pathologists
• 7 full-time School Psychologists
• 1 full-time and 1 part-time Occupational Therapist
• 1 full-time Physical Therapist
• 7 full-time School Counselors

Parent Rights in Brief

If you object to the special education services or 504 plan that are being proposed for your child, you may request a meeting to review the individualized education program or 504 plan. This review will include a meeting with the professional staff who provided information upon which this decision was made. You or your representative may, prior to the local review conference, request the opportunity to examine all information on which the placement decision was made. In summary, it is important that you know and understand that you have the following rights:

• To inspect and review records.
• To be notified before the school initiates or changes (or refuses to initiate or change) the identification, evaluation or placement of your child.
• To an independent educational evaluation.
• To give consent before an evaluation is conducted and before initial placement is made in special education.
• To request an impartial due process hearing to question the agency’s identification, evaluation or placement of your child or to question the agency’s provision of a free appropriate public education.
• To have a full and individual evaluation of your child’s educational needs.
• To have your child educated with non-disabled children to the maximum extent possible.
• To restrict access to your child’s records by withholding consent to disclose records.
• To be informed of changes to to your child’s educational status prior to the change
• To revoke your consent for special education and related services or 504 plan at any time.

Dyslexia: Resources for Parents and Educators

According to the International Dyslexia Association definition as adopted by the Illinois State Board of Education, Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

If you have concerns that your child or student has dyslexia or has been diagnosed with dyslexia, please contact the principal or school psychologist at your child’s school, so the school team can work with you to determine whether an evaluation for eligibility and services for special education is warranted.