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Advancing the Human & Civil Rights of People with Disabilities in Illinois

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EFE’s Recent Work

A boy – and his parents – make huge strides

We represented a young boy who is hearing impaired, has Down syndrome and has significant behavior difficulties. We negotiated for this boy to be placed at an appropriate school that could address his need for instruction in total communication, as well as his significant behavior difficulties. We represented the family at IEP meetings and eventually prepared the parents to represent themselves at an IEP meeting. Through the IEP process, this boy was placed at a new school.  He has made tremendous progress in his academic skills, behavior and social interaction. At his old school, he was isolated in a classroom of one because of his behavior and communication differences. Today he has friends and participates in a classroom with other students. Almost as significant, his parents have worked to repair a very tense relationship with the school district and were able to negotiate effectively on their own at the annual review.

The right services make the difference

We represented a teenage student with behavioral problems and a severe learning disability to secure more intensive academic services for him.  The school agreed to place the student in a multi-sensory program at another public high school.  The school also completely rewrote the student’s IEP to include several multi-sensory reading goals and the use of high-tech assistive technology. The student’s academics, behavior and attendance have improved in the new school setting.

Intervention leads to support and an aide

The mother of a court-involved sixth-grade student with mental illness sought help to ensure that the school implemented her son’s IEP and provide her son with additional services. We represented the student at an IEP meeting and in negotiations with the school. The school improved the student’s IEP, providing him with additional behavioral support, including a dedicated aide.


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Last updated: March 25, 2021

This website is made possible by funding support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, both the Administration on Developmental Disabilities and the Center for Mental Health Services of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; and the U.S. Department of Education, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The contents of this website are solely the responsibility of Equip for Equality and do not necessarily represent the official view of any of these agencies.

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