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Franczek’s Seclusion and Restraint Conference: Implementing ISBE’s Emergency Rules

CONFERENCE MATERIALS
Timed Agenda
Legal Overview Presentation Materials
Legal Overview Recording


Lives in the Balance Training Handouts

Moving From Power and Control to Collaboration and Problem Solving
ALSUP Guide
ALSUP Discussion Guide – Lagging Skills and Unsolved Problems
Plan B Cheat Sheet
Drilling Cheat Sheet
Problem Solving Plan

Friday, January 24, 2020
8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Franczek P.C. is pleased to invite you to a complimentary, full-day conference addressing recent changes to Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) rules. Our speakers and panel presenters will provide a wide range of perspectives on this issue, including the history of the reports that led to the emergency rule revisions and therapeutic and legal responses.  

Highlights of the program include:

  • Analysis from our experienced special education attorneys on the legal requirements in ISBE’s emergency rules;
  • Exclusive insight on the background of and findings in their reports from the reporters who investigated and authored the Chicago Tribune and Pro Publica Illinois article that led to ISBE’s sweeping emergency reforms; and
  • Training on the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (CPS) Model by the nonprofit organization Lives in the Balance. CPS is a non-punitive, non-adversarial, trauma-informed approach that uses collaborative and proactive problem-solving to prevent and manage challenging student behaviors.

This program is offered by Franczek P.C. in partnership with the Education Law and Policy Institute at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and the parent-side special education practice at Grund & Leavitt P.C.

Background

School leaders and educators are moving quickly to implement ISBE emergency rules banning the use of isolated time out in and providing additional regulation of non-isolated time out and physical restraint. ISBE released the rules shortly after the Chicago Tribune and Pro Publica Illinois published a critical report on the use of isolated time out as a behavioral intervention in Illinois schools. The special education team at Franczek has fielded many of your questions during this time of rapid legal change and recognizes the importance of understanding this issue from all sides, including perspectives from the investigative team, attorneys representing parents and schools, and experts in child mental health and behavior.

Speakers

Dana Fattore Crumley is a partner at Franczek P.C. She serves as general counsel to K-12 public schools with an emphasis in the areas of labor and employment, special education, student rights, and school board policy and governance.

Jennifer Smith is a partner at Franczek P.C. Her practice involves representing education clients on a wide range of issues, including matters related to student rights, special education, labor and employment law, policy development, and litigation. She has extensive experience representing school districts in civil rights investigations and litigation, as well as sensitive internal investigations and audits. 

Jodi S. Cohen  and Jennifer Smith Richards are the journalists whose article, “The Quiet Rooms” preceded the changes to ISBE’s rules. Jodi is a higher education reporter for ProPublica Illinois and previously worked as an investigative reporter and editor at the Chicago Tribune. Jennifer has been a data reporter at the Chicago Tribune since 2015. She previously covered schools and education for more than a decade at other newspaper and her reporting has touched on a range of topics including sexual abuse in schools, police accountability, and school choice. **Note: Ms. Cohen and Ms. Smith Richards will not provide legal, educational, or therapeutic guidance.**

Kendra Yoch is a partner at Franczek P.C. She represents public school districts, charter schools, and private schools in a variety of education law matters. Kendra counsels and provides trainings to clients related to student issues, including special education, discipline, residency, bullying, records, and free expression. 

Louis Kraus, MD is the professor and chief of child and adolescent psychiatry in the Department of Psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center. He is the founding director of the Autism Assessment, Research, Treatment and Services Center (AARTS Center).

Miranda Johnson is a clinical professor of law and the director of the Education Law and Policy Institute at Loyola University. She teaches the Education Law Practicum and other experiential learning courses in education law. She also supervises law students in the representation of parents and students in school discipline and special education cases.

Micki Moran is a partner at Grund & Leavitt, P.C. She was the founding partner of The Child and Family Law Center of the North Shore, a firm dedicated to serving the needs of children and families in special education, mental health, DCFS defense, juvenile law and divorce and parenting issues.

Nicki Bazer is a partner at Franczek P.C. She focuses her legal practice on policy and governance issues, student privacy rights, teacher evaluation, teacher misconduct issues, educator licensure compliance, general public school compliance.

Event Schedule:

Registration, Breakfast, and Networking: 8:30 a.m.
Welcome and Introduction: 9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Legal Overview: 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Panel Discussion: 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Q&A: 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Lunch and Break: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Lives in the Balance Training: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Location: 

Loyola University School of Law
Ceremonial Courtroom
25 E. Pearson St.
Chicago, IL 60611