2020.11.02 Ltr to ISBE - Systemic Complaint

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November 2, 2020
Sent Via Email
Trisha Olson
Legal Officer
Illinois State Board of Education
E: TOLSON@isbe.net
Re: Special Education Services at Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center /
Nancy B. Jefferson High School
Ms. Olson:
We write to outline and share concerns about the implementation of and access to special
education services at Nancy B. Jefferson High School (“Nancy B.”). Nancy B is a Chicago
Public School (“CPS”) and is located at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention
Center (“JTDC”).
CPS has stated, through their Senior Assistant General Counsel Marlene Fuentes, as well as
the assigned Office of Diverse Learners Supports and Services District Representative Hope
Sharp, that youth who reside at the JTDC are only receiving academic instruction via remote
learning. This is to be expected during the pandemic. However, this remote learning consists
of one laptop, hooked up to a television, with a single teacher streaming lessons from home.
CPS is not providing special education instruction or related services. The remote teacher is
not a special education teacher. Students with and without IEPs are all receiving the same
instruction, while IEPs are being disregarded. While we have not been able to access the JTDC
to do a more comprehensive review, below are some examples of what we have encountered
or are hearing from our clients and probation officers.
Equip for Equality (“EFE”) has found that current IEP’s are not being implemented at Nancy B.
EFE is representing a student at the JTDC whose IEP dictates 100% special education
instruction in a separate day school as well as social work support. Even with this
requirement listed in the IEP; this student is not receiving any specialized instruction or
related services at Nancy B. Instead, he receives the same instruction as the rest of the
students within his pod, which consists of watching his teacher on the television.
Legal Aid Chicago has determined that IDEA-mandated evaluations are not being conducted
at Nancy B. Legal Aid Chicago is representing a student who was until recently detained at the
JTDC. Prior to the student’s detention, CPS agreed to complete an initial Case Study
Evaluation to determine eligibility for an IEP. While the student was attending Nancy B., CPS

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