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School City of East Chicago

East Chicago, Lake County, Indiana
★★★★★ Not yet rated by parents
👨‍🎓 3,225 students 📋 596 students with IEPs 🗣️ 0 parent reports ☎️ (219)391-4100
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These are parent-submitted experiences about School City of East Chicago as an institution, posted directly by parents. iep.tips is a neutral platform and does not verify these accounts — they are families' own statements and opinions, not verified facts or legal advice, and not a review of any individual employee. See something false or abusive? Use the Report link. Read our disclaimer.

No parent reports for School City of East Chicago yet.

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🛟 How to fight for your child's IEP — and who to call

If School City of East Chicago isn't giving your child the services they're legally owed, you have a clear, federally-protected path. Under IDEA these steps are the same everywhere — work them in order and put everything in writing.

Step 1

Request an IEP meeting — in writing

Email your child's case manager and the district's Director of Exceptional/Special Education. State the problem and the services you're requesting, and ask for a formal IEP-team meeting. Keep a copy of everything. District office: (219)391-4100.

Step 2

File a state complaint

If the district violated an IDEA rule in the last year, file a signed written complaint with your state's special-education dispute-resolution office (below). The state must investigate and issue a decision — usually within 60 days.

Step 3

Ask for mediation

Request free, voluntary mediation through the state — a neutral, trained mediator helps you and the district reach a written agreement. It's faster and less adversarial than a hearing.

Step 4

File for a due-process hearing

For serious disputes over identification, evaluation, placement, or FAPE, file for a due-process hearing — a formal legal proceeding. Consider getting an advocate or attorney first (see Protection & Advocacy below).

⚖️ Where to file & get free help in Indiana

Indiana Department of Education — Special-Education Dispute Resolution
File a state complaint (IDEA), request mediation, or a due-process hearing

File a written state complaint within 1 year of the violation, request free mediation, or file for a due-process hearing. Start here if the district is out of compliance.

Indiana Disability Rights
Protection & Advocacy — free legal help for special-education & disability rights
☎️ 317-722-5555 · 🔗 visit site

Your state's federally-funded disability rights agency. Free information, advice, and sometimes legal representation for IEP and special-education disputes.

📚 Know-your-rights resources

Your legal footing: Under IDEA every eligible child is entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and an IEP built to their needs. Section 504/ADA also bar disability discrimination.

• Parent Training & Information Center (PTI): free coaching for your state — find your center »

• CADRE (national dispute-resolution center): cadreworks.org »

• U.S. Dept. of Education OSEP (administers IDEA) & Office for Civil Rights for 504/ADA complaints.

Tip: bring a written list of requests to every meeting, ask for the district's response in writing, and never sign an IEP you don't agree with — you can consent to parts and dispute the rest.

💪 Not just your child? Use strength in numbers.

If other School City of East Chicago families are hitting the same wall, it's a district problem — and numbers change the outcome. Send this page to your social-media contacts and Facebook parent groups, and ask other parents at drop-off and pickup: is this happening to you too? Gather the stories here so the pattern is documented. Once you can prove a bigger issue: wear matching-color shirts for solidarity, protest peacefully, pack school-board meetings, reach out to government officials, give interviews, and send press releases to the local newsrooms below to bring the media in.

See the full step-by-step » Organize an event »

📣 Take action for School City of East Chicago

Systemic problems get fixed when they become public. Below is local press near this district and the officials responsible for Lake County.

📰 Local newsrooms

Show within
The Times of Northwest Indiana
Local newspaper
6 mi
· 🔍 find “The Times of Northwest Indiana” online
Post-Tribune
Local newspaper
11 mi
· 🔍 find “Post-Tribune” online
Chicago Tribune
Daily newspaper
19 mi
· 🔗 site
Chicago Sun-Times
Daily newspaper
19 mi
· 🔗 site
WBBM-TV (CBS)
CBS affiliate — TV
19 mi
· 🔗 site
WMAQ-TV (NBC)
NBC affiliate — TV
19 mi
· 🔗 site
WLS-TV (ABC)
ABC affiliate — TV
19 mi
· 🔗 site
WGN-TV (CW)
CW affiliate — TV
19 mi
· 🔗 site
WTTW (PBS)
PBS — TV
19 mi
· 🔗 site
WCIU-TV (Independent)
Independent — TV
19 mi
· 🔗 site
WFLD (FOX)
FOX affiliate — TV
19 mi
· 🔗 site
WSNS-TV (TELEMUNDO)
TELEMUNDO affiliate — TV
19 mi
· 🔗 site
WGBO-DT (UNIVISION)
UNIVISION affiliate — TV
19 mi
· 🔍 find “WGBO-DT (UNIVISION)” online
The Chicago Defender
Local newspaper
19 mi
· 🔍 find “The Chicago Defender” online
Daily Southtown
Local newspaper
20 mi
· 🔍 find “Daily Southtown” online
Chesterton Tribune
Local newspaper
21 mi
· 🔍 find “Chesterton Tribune” online
The News-Dispatch
Local newspaper
30 mi
· 🔍 find “The News-Dispatch” online
The Herald-News
Local newspaper
33 mi
· 🔍 find “The Herald-News” online
Naperville Sun
Local newspaper
37 mi
· 🔍 find “Naperville Sun” online
Harbor Country News
Local newspaper
38 mi
· 🔍 find “Harbor Country News” online
Herald-Argus
Local newspaper
39 mi
· 🔍 find “Herald-Argus” online
Daily Journal
Local newspaper
42 mi
· 🔍 find “Daily Journal” online
Daily Herald
Local newspaper
43 mi
· 🔍 find “Daily Herald” online
The Beacon-News
Local newspaper
43 mi
· 🔍 find “The Beacon-News” online
Kane County Chronicle
Local newspaper
48 mi
· 🔍 find “Kane County Chronicle” online
The Courier-News
Local newspaper
50 mi
· 🔍 find “The Courier-News” online
Morris Daily Herald
Local newspaper
53 mi
· 🔍 find “Morris Daily Herald” online
Lake County News-Sun
Local newspaper
54 mi
· 🔍 find “Lake County News-Sun” online
Berrien County Record
Local newspaper
57 mi
· 🔍 find “Berrien County Record” online
The Pilot News
Local newspaper
62 mi
· 🔍 find “The Pilot News” online
WNDU-TV (NBC)
NBC affiliate — TV
62 mi
· 🔗 site
WSBT-TV (CBS)
CBS affiliate — TV
62 mi
· 🔗 site
WNIT (PBS)
PBS — TV
62 mi
· 🔗 site
South Bend Tribune
Daily newspaper
62 mi
· 🔗 site
Benton Spirit
Local newspaper
62 mi
· 🔍 find “Benton Spirit” online
The Herald-Palladium
Local newspaper
62 mi
· 🔍 find “The Herald-Palladium” online
Northwest Herald
Local newspaper
62 mi
· 🔍 find “Northwest Herald” online
Daily Star
Local newspaper
64 mi
· 🔍 find “Daily Star” online
Kenosha News
Local newspaper
70 mi
· 🔍 find “Kenosha News” online
Daily Chronicle
Local newspaper
70 mi
· 🔍 find “Daily Chronicle” online

🏛️ Officials for Lake County

Indiana Department of Education
State education agency — special-education oversight · IN
· 🔍 find “Indiana Department of Education” online
Office of the Governor of Indiana Eric Holcomb
Governor · IN
· 🔗 site
U.S. Dept. of Education — Office for Civil Rights
Disability discrimination complaints (504/ADA) · National
✉️ OCR@ed.gov · ☎️ 1-800-421-3481 · 🔗 site
U.S. Dept. of Education — OSEP
Federal special-education oversight (IDEA) · National
✉️ OSEP@ed.gov · ☎️ 1-800-872-5327 · 🔗 site