2025 Illinois Parent Survey–Special Education & Support Services
Dr. Steven Isoye, Chair of the Board
Dr. Tony Sanders, State Superintendent of Education
About the Survey
Each year in accordance with Indicator 8 of the Illinois State Performance Plan (SPP), the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is required to conduct a survey with parents of children with disabilities in order to receive feedback regarding their perceptions of how schools facilitated their involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with disabilities. The 25-question survey was developed by the National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring (NCSEAM) and is mailed to a representative sample of parents throughout the state. The survey results are used for program improvement and reporting in the Annual Performance Report (APR) to the United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Districts can use their data to improve parent involvement, programs, services, and supports for their students.
Invitations to complete the online survey were mailed to parents/guardians of children with disabilities throughout the state in January 2025.
About the Reports
Each report has two sections:
Indicator 8 Summary, which shows respondents' average agreement across all 25 survey items.
Survey Item Analysis, which shows, for each of the 25 survey items, the total number of respondents, the item mean, and the percentage of all parents responding at each level of agreement (1 to 6).
Understanding the Indicator 8 Report (click to view) - This resource provides detailed information about how the ISBE Parent Survey - Special Education and Support Services data are calculated and reported.
The linked report summarizes the survey results from parents of students with disabilities across the state.
These data only reflect a snapshot of parent perceptions at a given point in time. For more information regarding Indicator 8, please visit the ISBE website at https://www.isbe.net/Pages/SPP-APR-Indicator-8.aspx.
Indicator 8 Profile 2025
Resources to Support Parent Involvement Efforts
ISBE has several resources available that may assist you in supporting your parent involvement needs. They can be accessed on the ISBE Special Education - Parents/Guardians Information webpage, and the ISBE Indicator 8 Parent Involvement webpage.
Resources include
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Illinois Student Records Keeper - For Parents of Students Who Receive Special Education Services;
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Information on ISBE Secondary Transition from school to work, effective dispute resolution processes, and ISBE Parent Rights Guide Chapter 7 - Least Restrictive Environment; ISBE Autism Technical Assistance Project, and links to many other resources.
Questions
If you have additional questions about the Indicator 8 parent survey, you may contact Jill Baranowski at jbaranow@isbe.net or Paula Powers ppowers@isbe.net or call (217) 782-5589.
Questions regarding this web page can be directed to ISBEParentSurvey@MeasInc.com or call toll-free (877) 881-7077.
