Independent Living Skills Fact Sheet – Senate ... - The Arc of Illinois

SUPPORT SENATE BILL 1550 (Radogno-Delgado)Independent Living Skills for Students with DisabilitiesSenate Bill 1550 amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Codeby changing a section concerning IEP transition plans and services developed forstudents with disabilities starting when they reach age 14 ½.Currently, school districts' IEP teams are required to develop IEP transition planswith measurable individualized post-secondary goals related to training,education and employment, but are only required to include independent livingskills goals “where appropriate”.SB 1550 would remove the words “where appropriate” so that independent livingskills goals would be a required component of every IEP transition plan.Why is this change critically important for students with disabilities?All students with disabilities need to develop independent living skills regardlessof the nature or severity of their disabilities.Independent living goals are at least as important as education, training andemployment goals, which are mandated by law. Students, parents, communities and the State all benefit when a student is betterprepared to live as independently as possible because after high school thestudent's need to rely on support from family, community and the State, while perhapsnot totally eliminated, is likely to be reduced. The State of Illinois, with a current PUNS waiting list of over 20,000 individualsand no long or short term plan to eliminate that waiting list, needs to rely more on theeducational system to assist students with independent living skills development beforethey exit high school.

Independent Living Skills goals can include feeding, toileting, homemaking skills,personal financial skills, community living, leisure skills, social emotionallearning and other areas of need.Independent Living Skills as part of Transition Plans for Students with DisabilitiesShould NOT be left to the discretion of the IEP team. They should be required for allstudents.Please support SB 1550.For further information, please contact Tony Paulauski at 708-828-0188, Phil Milsk at 217-899-1566or Susy Woods at 217-638-8411.