An LRE Initiative of the Illinois State Board of Education and
Partner in the Illinois Statewide Technical Assistance Center

• Partnering with CHOICES
  • Coaching Q & A
  • What Makes Inclusion Work?
  • Why Coaching?
  • What is Coaching?
• Professional Learning
  • Webinars
  • Early Childhood
  • Additional Learning Opportunities
• Focus on Families
  • Workshops for Families
• Resources
  • Articles
  • Newsletters
  • Links
• About Us
  • Meet the Team
  • Partnerships
  • Views from the Field
• Contact
  • Request Technical Assistance
  • Employment Opportunities

Project CHOICES History

Project CHOICES, a Least Restrictive Environment initiative of the Illinois State Board of Education, has provided technical assistance to school districts in Illinois since 1988. CHOICES began as an integration project with technical assistance focused on students, ages 18 to 21, and facilitated the return of high school students with significant disabilities from separate schools, centers, and cooperative programs to their home school (the school that they would attend if they did not have a disability). The project soon evolved into an initiative for the inclusion of children and youth ages 6-21.

During the next twenty years, CHOICES continually evolved in its work for the inclusion of children with disabilities. In 1990, the Early CHOICES component for children ages 3-5 was added. Early CHOICES provides technical assistance to private and public pre-school programs with early childhood special education programs, so that all children have the opportunity to grow and learn together. In 1994, Project CHOICES shifted its mission from integration to supporting education in the school and classroom where the student would be educated if not identified as having a disability. The training and technical assistance to schools focused on building skills for moving students with disabilities into the general education classroom and community environments.

Today, Project CHOICES partners with school districts in an integrated systems approach. As a partner in the Illinois Statewide Technical Assistance Center (ISTAC), CHOICES collaborates with other state board funded ISTAC projects to provide access and equity for all students through general education. Currently, any district in Illinois can request services from Project CHOICES by committing to work within two or more schools.

Project CHOICES Brochure

Click on the thumbnail below to download our latest brochure.