School & Education

Worried about doing this on your own?  You may be able to get free legal help.

Apply Online

Part of the Equal Education Library, sponsored by Perkins Coie.

Perkins Coie logo

Early intervention services for children with disabilities Link
PRINT
Print this to take with you
QUICK EXIT
Internet usage can be tracked. Use this to leave this site immediately. Remember to clear your browser history to hide activity.

A link that explains Early Intervention (EI) and Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) for children up to 3 years old with a disability or developmental delay. 

All early intervention services must start within 30 days of when the child’s parent or guardian consented to the IFSP.

Children can continue to receive early intervention services until the start of the school year after their third birthday if they: 

  • Receive early intervention services before their third birthday,

  • Have been found eligible for an Individualized Education Program (IEP), and  

  • Have a birthday between May 1st and August 31st.

This will take you to another website.

Go
Last full review by a subject matter expert
July 22, 2024
Last revised by staff
December 05, 2024

About our legal information

Take action

Mediation for Special EducationText article
Describes how mediation may be useful when resolving conflicts about Special Education.
Going to a due process hearing for special educationHow-To
Step-by-step guide on how to request a due process hearing for a special education issue, and how the hearing works.
Filing a complaint with the board of educationText article
Describes the process of reporting to the ISBE that your child's school is not following special education laws.

Learn more

Early intervention services for children with disabilities Link
Explains Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) for children with disabilities up to 3 years old.
Requesting a special education evaluation Text article
Learn how to ask the school to evaluate your child for special education and related services.
Special education evaluations and eligibility Text article
Learn how the testing process for special education works and the eligibility criteria for children to qualify for help.
Setting up an individualized education program or IEP Text article
Describes the Individualized Education Program for students with special educational needs.
504 plans Text article
Learn about when a student may be eligible for a 504 plan, how 504 plans are different than IEPs, and what to do if you disagree with the school about a 504 plan.
Resolving special education conflicts Guide
Explains how to resolve conflicts in special education.
Understanding discipline of special education students Guide
A student with a disability can be suspended for the same reasons as a student without a disability. But there is a limit to how many days a student with a disability may be suspended in the same school year.

Worried about doing this on your own?  You may be able to get free legal help.

Apply Online

Part of the Equal Education Library, sponsored by Perkins Coie.

Perkins Coie logo

Take action

Mediation for Special EducationText article
Describes how mediation may be useful when resolving conflicts about Special Education.
Going to a due process hearing for special educationHow-To
Step-by-step guide on how to request a due process hearing for a special education issue, and how the hearing works.
Filing a complaint with the board of educationText article
Describes the process of reporting to the ISBE that your child's school is not following special education laws.

Learn more

Early intervention services for children with disabilities Link
Explains Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSP) for children with disabilities up to 3 years old.
Requesting a special education evaluation Text article
Learn how to ask the school to evaluate your child for special education and related services.
Special education evaluations and eligibility Text article
Learn how the testing process for special education works and the eligibility criteria for children to qualify for help.
Setting up an individualized education program or IEP Text article
Describes the Individualized Education Program for students with special educational needs.
504 plans Text article
Learn about when a student may be eligible for a 504 plan, how 504 plans are different than IEPs, and what to do if you disagree with the school about a 504 plan.
Resolving special education conflicts Guide
Explains how to resolve conflicts in special education.
Understanding discipline of special education students Guide
A student with a disability can be suspended for the same reasons as a student without a disability. But there is a limit to how many days a student with a disability may be suspended in the same school year.

Supporting Law

If you want to learn more, you can use these resources as a starting point or learn more about doing your own legal research.
Early Intervention Services System Act, 325 ILCS 20/1 to 20/20.1 This will take you to another website.