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Frequently Asked Questions 

What should I do if my child has a summer birthday? 

If your child turns three between May 1st and August 31st they can receive extended services through the summer months until school begins again. 

What about magnet schools? 

Magnet schools should follow the same rules as normal public schools. If your child requires school placement for their IEP they can get placed at a magnet school just like they would any other public school. If your child does not require placement you can choose to apply to a magnet school just like any other student. For selective enrollment schools, including charter schools, the same placement roles apply. If a child does not require placement they can apply the same way other students do. 

What are the criteria for the different environments? 

There are no specific criteria for being placed in a more or less restrictive environment. It is actually within the law that environment decisions cannot be based on any one factor, and this actually protects children from being placed without proper evaluation. However when deciding on placement they do take into account; 

  • Behavior 

  • Cognitive skills 

  • Adaptive skills 

  • Communication skills 

They have to take into account everything about the child, and if the related services, special education, and supplementary aids and services will be enough to achieve goals.

Childcare for children with disabilities? 

By law children with disabilities cannot be excluded from a child care center because of their disability. There are no child care centers specifically for children with disabilities, but children with disabilities are welcome at lots of centers in the city. 

What will my child do during the summer? 

During summer some children qualify for extended school year (ESY) services, which are school services into the summer. However these don't last the whole summer. There are day camp programs for children with disabilities in the city. 

How do I pick the right school for my child? 

If you are going into a public school then they have the job of finding a school that can meet your child's needs. You can choose to put your child in a different school if you choose in which case its important to visit the schools, do research, and speak to school staff to make sure they can meet your child's needs. 

What if I want to wait to send my child to school? 

Children in Illinois have to go to school starting at age six or there are legal consequences for caregivers. Before that age caregivers can choose to wait to put their children in school. If your child has an evaluation and gets an IEP at 3, you can still choose not to enroll them until later. Depending on how long they might have to be reevaluated later. 

My child qualified for transportation services. Is it safe? 

This website resource created by UIC OTD student Talia Anson Neuhaus as a part of a doctoral capstone project. All information is up to date as of March 2025. This website is being provided as a resource not offering any official advisement or endorsement for any programs or entities mentioned in the site. 

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