Special Education and IEP Support

The following organizations can provide information and answer questions from families around the IEP process and Special Education.

• WI FACETS  assists families through their Help Desk line, with staff providing support in English and Spanish. Their website features archives of webinars on various special education and related topics.  wifacets.org/training/training-archives/
• WSPEI (Wisconsin Statewide Parent Educator Initiative) supports families and school districts, with Family-School Partnership Coordinators based in local CESAs. You can request IEP support by filling out this form, call 833-879-7734 or emailing WSPEI at WSPEI@cesa12.org. They also host training and groups throughout the school year, virtually and in-person.
  • Robyn Morris, CESA 5 (Portage and Wood counties)
    • Phone: (608) 745-5436
      Cell: (608) 535-1097
      E-mail: morrisr@cesa5.org
  • Heidi Lehman, CESA 9 and 10 (Marathon, Lincoln, Langlade, Taylor, Oneida, Vilas)
    • Cell: (715) 360-2656
      E-mail: hlehman@cesa9.org
  • Sara Nerenhausen, CESA 8 (Florence and Forest counties)
    • Phone: (920) 617-5615
      E-mail: snerenhausen@cesa7.org
  • Stephanie Lulich CESA 12 (Ashland, Bayfield, Iron, Price, Sawyer)
    • Phone: (715) 685-1848
      E-mail: stephaniel@cesa12.org
• WI Family TIES has Parent Peer Specialists who can support families in navigating the special education system around questions about children’s mental health services, behavior supports, and seclusion and restraint. Phone: 1 608.267.6800
• Midstate Independent Living Choices-Consultants: MILC can help families navigate the special education process and provide advocacy in their North Central service area. You can reach out to Madison Matijevich at 715-344-4210 or mmatijevich@milc-inc.org. 
• Disability Rights Wisconsin is the state of Wisconsin’s protection and advocacy agency, providing advocacy and legal support, including inclusive education. 

Information

DPI Special Education website: dpi.wi.gov/sped

What happens when my child turns 3?: What is the difference between an IEP and an IFSP? Fact Sheet from Pacer Center- www.pacer.org/guides/early-childhood/ec-600/

Special Education in Plain Language is a helpful guide from the Department of Public Instruction:
dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/sped/pdf/spec-ed-plain-lang-english.pdf

Positive Student Profile (Fill out before the IEP meeting to help parents/guardians be an active participant in the child’s IEP meeting. “Parent Concerns” should be added to the document.):
wspei.org/documents/positive-student-profile.pdf