Chicago Public School District 299 Charter Schools and Special Education

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Chicago Public School District 299 Charter
Schools and Special Education

• Kathleen Gibbons
• Senior Assistant General Counsel
• Chicago Board of Education
• June 18, 2012

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Charter Schools and the LAW

• Individuals with Disabilities Education
  Improvement Act (IDEA)
• 20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq. and its implementing
  regulations, 34 C.F.R. Parts 300 and 301
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
  (Section 504)
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

• Article 14 of the Illinois School Code and its
  implementing regulations, 23 Ill. Adm. C. Part
  226
• Federal Education Rights Privacy Act (FERPA)
• Illinois Student Records Act
• No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

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Special Education In Action

• Charter schools are expected to offer full
  continuum of services
• Serve students both in and out of general
  education classroom
• Charter schools must hire sufficient number of
  staff with appropriate certification to implement
  IEPs
• Special Education Teachers
• Paraprofessionals
• Related Service Providers
• Charter schools must ensure all students IEPs
  are fully implemented

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CPS Charter Schools

• Chicago Public Schools is the local education
  agency (LEA) pursuant to IDEA
• CPS and charter schools are PARTNERS in ensuring
  students with disabilities receive a free
  appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least
  restrictive environment (LRE)
• CPS represents charter schools when parent files
  an ISBE complaint, due process request, or
  compliant with the US Department of Education
  Office of Civil Rights (OCR)
• CPS and charter school must work together to
  resolve these complaints

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CPS Supports for Charter Schools

• Portfolio Office Office of New Schools
  Programs
• Carly Bolger, Executive Director of New Schools
  Programs
• School Incubation Support
• 125 S. Clark St, 5th Floor
• Phone [phone] Fax [phone]
• Email NewSchools_at_cps.k12.il.us
• Office of Special Education and Supports
• Maureen Komperda, Director Access
  Opportunities
• 125 S. Clark St. 8th Floor Phone [phone]
• Luis Rodriguez, Director Dispute Resolution
• 125 S. Clark St. 8th Floor Phone [phone]

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CPS Charter Schools

• All CPS charter schools are expected to use the
  CPS electronic IEP and 504 Plan
• Comply with all CPS policies, procedures and
  guidelines relating to special education
• OSES website -http//www.cpsspecialeducation.org/
  

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Special Education Class Size At-A-Glance
Classroom Number of Students with Disabilities Number of Special Education Teachers Number of Paraprofessionals
General Education No more than 30 per class period, excluding students who receive no accommodations or modifications during class period
Separate Special Education Classroom ARS 20 or less 15 1 0
Separate Special Education Classroom ARS 20 or less 16 or 17 1 1
Separate Special Education Classroom ARS 21 to 60 10 1 0
Separate Special Education Classroom ARS 21 to 60 11 to 15 1 1
Separate Special Education Classroom ARS 61 and over 8 1 0
Separate Special Education Classroom ARS 61 and over 9 to 13 1 1
Separate Special Education Classroom 3 through 5 year olds 5 1 0
Separate Special Education Classroom 3 through 5 year olds 6 to 10 1 1
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QUESTIONS