Advocacy – Agencies or individuals acting on behalf of themselves or others.

Annual Goal – A statement in an IEP of what a student needs to learn and should be able to learn in his/her special education program within a year.

Annual Review – A review of a student’s special education program each year which includes an update of the student’s progress, a review of the current IEP, and development of a new IEP for the upcoming year.

Assessment – A way of collecting information about a student’s special learning needs, strengths, and interests to help make educational decisions. An assessment may include giving individual tests, observing the student, looking at records, and talking with the student and his/her parents.

Behavioral Intervention – A method or technique used to influence a student’s actions.

Behavioral Intervention Plan – A written plan developed as part of the IEP to address a serious behavioral problem. It is based on a functional behavioral assessment of the student’s behavior, describes the interventions to be used, methods of evaluation, and provisions for coordinating with the home.

Business Day – Monday through Friday except for Federal and State holidays.

Consent – A voluntary agreement by parents to let the school take action which affects their child. Consent is shown by the parent’s signature on a form or letter which describes the action the school wants to take. Consent is also required to release confidential information and to implement a child’s initial IEP.

Day – A calendar day, unless otherwise indicated as a “business day” or “school day.”

Date of Referral – The date on which written parental consent to complete an evaluation is obtained or provided.

Disability – A problem or condition that makes it hard for a student to learn or do things in the same way as most other students.

Due Process – A legal term that assures that persons with disabilities have the right to challenge any decision made on their behalf.

Due Process Hearing – A formal meeting held to settle disagreements between parents and schools in a way that is fair to the student, the parent, and the school. The meeting is run by a hearing officer.

Duration – The length of time a student will need a special education program or services during the school year or extended school year, as documented on the IEP.

Early Childhood – Programs and services provided to infants and toddlers with disabilities from birth through age 2.

Educational Surrogate Parent – A person who protects the educational rights of a student with disabilities who has no parent/guardian available or who is under the guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS).

Eligibility Conference – A conference held to determine, review, terminate, or consider changes in a student’s eligibility for special education.

Eligibility Conference Summary Report – A written report containing a summary of the results of the evaluation and the determination of eligibility for special education.

Eligible – A decision that determines a student meets the requirement for and is in need of special education and related services. The decision is based on the results of the evaluation and the conclusions reached at the eligibility conference.

Evaluation – Collecting information about a student and any problems that may affect his/her educational development for the purpose of determining eligibility for special education and related services.

Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) – The words used in the federal law IDEA to describe the rights of a student with a disability to receive special education and related services which will meet his/her individual learning needs, at no cost to the parent.

Hearing Officer – An impartial person in charge of a due process hearing who issues a written decision based upon the evidence presented at the hearing.

Independent Educational Evaluation – An assessment conducted by someone who is not employed by the district. The person completing the assessment must be fully trained and qualified. Independent evaluations may be at the school district expense or at the parent expense, depending upon the circumstances.

Individualized Educational Program (IEP) – The written educational plan for a student receiving special education and related services with goals and objectives to be attained during a calendar year.

Individualized Educational Program (IEP) Team – The group of individuals who determine the special education and related services to be provided to an eligible child.

Individualized Educational Program (IEP) Conference – A meeting held to develop, review, and consider changes in a student’s special education and related services and educational placement.

Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) – A written plan for eligible children aged birth through 2 receiving early intervention services.

Initiation Date – The date, month, and year in which a program or service will begin as documented on the IEP.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) – The requirement that children with disabilities shall be educated to the maximum extent possible with children who do not have disabilities.

Mediation – A process in which parents and school personnel try to settle disagreements with the help of a trained mediator provided by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Placement – The identification of special education and related services and development of an instructional program and setting for a student.

Present Levels of Performance – Statements in an IEP that specifically describe what a student can or cannot do.

Reevaluation – An assessment that occurs every three years, or more if needed to determine continued eligibility for special education.

Referral – The process of requesting that a student be evaluated for special education and related services. Any concerned person may refer a student, including teachers, principals, parents, other agency personnel, or the student.

Related Services – Support services needed by a student in order to benefit from special education services. These may include transportation, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech/language therapy, school social work services, etc.

School Day – Any day, including a partial day, during the regular school year that students are in attendance at school for instructional purposes.

Screening – A review of all children in a given group to identify those students who may need an evaluation to determine the need for special education.

Short-Term Instructional Objective/Benchmarks – Statements in an IEP that describe small steps a student must learn or master before s/he can reach the “annual goals” set forth.

Student Permanent Record – File that includes the following information: parent(s) name and address(es), student name, address, birth date, birth place, gender, transcripts, grades, class rank, graduation date, grade level achieved, scores on college entrance exams, attendance reports, accident reports, health records, release of information forms, honors/awards received, and participation in school sponsored activities and events. Must be maintained for 60 years after the student leaves the district.

Student Temporary Records – File that includes, but is not limited to, family information, intelligence test scores, aptitude scores, special education evaluations, achievement level test results, participation in extracurricular activities, disciplinary information, eligibility conference summary reports, IEPs, reports or information from non-educational persons or agencies, and other information of relevance to educate the student. Must be maintained for 5 years after the student leaves the district.

Suspension – Removal from school programs by administrative action for gross disobedience or misconduct.

Parent dictionary terms were taken from “A Parent’s Guide: The Educational Rights of Students with Disabilities, Revised 2001” published by the Illinois State Board of Education.