Officials at Chicago Public Schools say they are set to hit the refresh button at the district’s special education department amid cries from parents that change can’t come soon enough.

One of the nation’s largest school districts, Chicago is known as a tough place to get services for children with disabilities. Parents often report struggling just to get a child evaluated for special education services. And even those who do secure an individualized education plan, or IEP, for their child often must fight for specified services to be delivered.

It is so bad, some say, that an attorney is practically a requirement to get a child more than a basic special education placement.

But after years of complaints and a public hanging in the local media, Chicago Public Schools officials say they’re ready to make some major changes with an eye toward making the district’s 45,000-student special education program more parent-friendly.

Under the new approach, it is suspected that the department’s top boss, Deborah Duskey, will be replaced. However, officially the district will only say that plans include improved tracking of students with disabilities starting when parents first make contact with their local school. Further, district officials indicate that they will pay more attention to parent complaints, reports the Chicago Tribune. To read more click here.

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