NEWS For Immediate Release December 15, 2017 FOR MORE INFORMATION Jackie Matthews 217-782-4648 Illinois’ first-ever Public Inquiry will examine special education services in Chicago Public Schools New Public Inquiry process facilitates fair and transparent factfinding SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) today launched the state’s first-ever Public Inquiry to examine the special education procedures and services in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The new Public Inquiry process will facilitate fair and transparent fact-finding on a matter of public concern. Special education advocates, parents, and teachers shared their concerns regarding perceived systemic problems with the delivery of special education services in CPS at the Nov. 17, 2017, State Board of Education meeting. “ISBE is convening the Public Inquiry to address the central question of whether there is a policy environment in CPS preventing students from being served,” said State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith, Ph.D. “The framework of the new Public Inquiry will allow ISBE to examine the issues in the most objective and transparent way possible and to keep the focus on students. The goal is not to reach a resolution, but to come to a true and trustworthy understanding of how special education services are being delivered in the district.” The Office of the General Counsel at ISBE will lead the Public Inquiry team, consisting additionally of a special education law expert, who will facilitate the Public Inquiry, and a representative from the special education advocacy community. The Public Inquiry team will examine systemic issues only. Specific parent and student complaints will follow the established Special Education Complaint Process. “Our first use of this Public Inquiry framework will be a learning opportunity,” said ISBE General Counsel Stephanie Jones. “We have structured the process to be childcentered, specific, fair, and transparent. The Public Inquiry may provide a model for handling future matters of public concern, in which families and advocates come to ISBE with evidence of systemic problems in a local education system.” The Public Inquiry team will gather facts related to the identified issues by collecting documents and holding a series of public hearings involving both written and oral testimony from CPS and from experts and families. ISBE will post all documents, testimony, and recordings of the hearings on the ISBE website after redacting private student information in accordance with federal law. The Public Inquiry team will provide a report to the ISBE general counsel to present to the State Board by the April 2018 Board meeting. ISBE has an obligation to ensure the systems and procedures school districts implement provide a free and appropriate public education to all students requiring special education services. ISBE has the authority and an obligation under state and federal law to thoroughly review and guide the resolution of these matters. Learn more about the Public Inquiry at https://www.isbe.net/Pages/OfficeGeneralCounsel.aspx.