Special Education

District 63 is committed to providing special education services in the least restrictive environment (LRE) appropriate for each student. For this reason, special education services run along a continuum based on each student's unique needs as defined by his/her Individualized Education Plan (IEP) -- from support within the general education classroom to individualized support in a special education environment.  

Programs and services include:

• Early Intervention Transition Services: for all children with disabilities who receive early intervention services and who are turning three years old.
• Early Childhood Programs and Services: for all children with disabilities from three to five years of age.
• Speech and Language Therapy: for students with speech and/or language impairments that impact their education, to the extent that special education is necessary. 
• Resource Services: for students with mild to moderate disabilities who can progress in the general education setting with support and services.  
• Behavior Academic Social Emotional (BASE) Program: for students with primary needs in the areas of social, emotional, and/or behavioral learning who require a special education classroom.
• Life Skills Program: for students with mild, moderate, and severe cognitive/intellectual disabilities who require a special education classroom. 
• Structured Teaching for Independent Learning (STIL) Program: for students with autism or other developmental disabilities who require a highly structured special education classroom.
• Visual Impairment Services: for students with visual impairments who can progress in regular or special education classrooms with supportive services.
• Hearing Impairment Services: for students with mild to profound hearing impairments who can progress in regular or special education classrooms with supportive services.
• Assistive Technology (AT):  AT refers to items, equipment, devices, and services that maintain or improve the functional capabilities of a child with disabilities. D63 Special Education programs may provide AT as appropriate to support a student’s IEP services. 
• Occupational Therapy: a related service for students with fine motor and/or sensory needs that impact their education to the extent that special education is necessary.
• Physical Therapy: a related service for students with gross motor needs that impact their education to the extent that special education is necessary.
• Social Work Services: a related service for students with social, emotional, and/or behavioral needs that impact their education to the extent that special education is necessary.
• Homebound/Hospital Instruction: for students who cannot attend school due to a medical condition.

Families sometimes have questions about District 63's LRE policy, as students with special needs are placed in general education classrooms when appropriate. It is important to note that LRE is mandated by the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act(IDEA) because extensive research indicates that it is the best practice for students with disabilities -- with no negative impact on typically learning peers. Socially, LRE benefits all children: those with special needs and those with typical needs. 

If you have concerns about your child and believe that he/she has a disability that may require Section 504 Plan accommodations or special education services, please contact your child’s school administrator.

Under Federal Law, all students have the right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). If a student is determined to have a disability that impedes this right, s/he must be provided with special education services that ensure s/he receives the same education as typical needs students.   Special education services for District 63 students are coordinated through an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). To determine whether or not a student qualifies for an IEP, the District carries out a thorough assessment and evaluation process:  

• First, a student must be suspected of having or known to have a disability that affects his/her ability to receive a FAPE. Such students come to our attention in various ways:  through Child Find -- a process through which parents ask for an evaluation -- or through a referral by the school or other individuals. Often, a student is referred through the District's Response to Intervention (RTI), a multi-tier approach to the early identification and support of students with learning and behavioral needs. 
• Not all students suspected of having a disability are referred for further evaluation. However, for those who are, a team of District professionals and parents/guardians assess a student's ability to learn in the educational environment.
• The team may or may not determine that the student needs special education services. Again, the key factor is whether a disability affects the student's ability to learn. 
• Once eligibility is established, the student may receive services with the consent of the family. Goals and progress are tracked through an IEP.
• District professionals meet annually with the family to review the qualifying student's progress. The District must assess and re-evaluate the student's eligibility for services every three years.

Students who do not qualify for an IEP under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act may qualify for services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 if the child 1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, 2) has a record of physical or mental impairment or 3) is regarded as having a physical or mental impairment.

All children with disabilities have the right to a free, appropriate public education. If you have concerns about your child and believe that he/she has a disability that may require Section 504 Plan accommodations or special education services, please contact your child's principal to begin the referral process.

District 63 provides a continuum of services for preschool-aged children (3-5) with special needs. For more information, please visit our Early Learning Center, Special Education for Preschool page. 

• American Foundation for the Blind - Midwest
• Autism Society of Illinois
• Center for Independent Futures (CIF): a nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities live full and more independent lives.
• Community Alternatives Unlimited: provides services for people who are coping with both the short- and long-term effects of any disabling condition and supporting economically challenged families.
• Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago
• Family Resource Center on Disabilities (FRCD)
• Have Dreams: a Chicago-area nonprofit serving children, teens and young adults impacted by autism with after-school, workplace training and adult day programs.
• Illinois Assistive Technology Project: increases access to and the acquisition of assistive technology (AT) devices and services for individuals of all ages with disabilities.
• Illinois Early Childhood Intervention Clearinghouse
• Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Illinois Spina Bifida Association
• Learning Disabilities Association of Illinois
• Maine-Niles Association of Special Recreation (MNSAR)
• National Association for Down Syndrome (NADS)
• National Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)

Public Act 100-0421 – also known as the Accelerated Placement Act – was passed by the Illinois General Assembly on November 19, 2017, and went into effect on August 25, 2017.  Guidelines for the bill are as follows:

• Illinois public school districts to adopt and implement policies on acceleration that, at minimum, provide opportunities for... 
  • early entrance to kindergarten,
  • early entrance to first grade,
  • opportunities for accelerating a student in a single subject area and 
  • opportunities for “whole grade” acceleration (sometimes referred to as “grade skipping”).

The law requires that district acceleration policies include:

• A provision that states that participation in accelerated placement is not limited to those children who have been identified as gifted and talented, but rather is open to all children who demonstrate high ability and who may benefit from accelerated placement;
• A fair and equitable decision-making process that involves multiple persons and includes a student’s parents or guardians;
• Procedures for notifying parents or guardians of a child of a decision affecting that child’s participation in an accelerated placement program; and
• An assessment process that includes multiple valid, reliable indicators.

If you would like more information about having your child considered for early entry into kindergarten or first grade, or acceleration, please contact your building principal. Download a full description of acceleration procedures here.

Illinois State Legislature laws 105 ILCS 5/2-3.130 and Public Act 102-0339 limit the use of restraint and time out in Illinois schools, as well as require public schools to establish a committee to create an RTO Reduction Plan. According to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE):

• “Time out” means a behavior management technique for the purpose of calming or de-escalation that involves the involuntary monitored separation of a student from classmates with a trained adult for part of the school day, only for a brief time, in a non-locked setting.
  • Time out does not include a student-initiated or student-requested break; a student-initiated or teacher-initiated sensory break, including a sensory room containing sensory tools to assist a student to calm and de-escalate; an in-school suspension or detention; or any other appropriate disciplinary measure, including a student's brief removal to the hallway or similar environment. 
• "Physical restraint” or “restraint” means holding a student or otherwise restricting the student’s movements and includes only the use of specific, planned techniques.
  • Physical restraint or restraint does not include momentary periods of physical restriction by direct person-to-person contact without the aid of material or mechanical devices that are accomplished with limited force and that are designed to prevent a student from completing an act that would result in potential physical harm to himself, herself, or another person or damage to property.
  • “Momentary periods of physical restriction” are considered physical escorts under the definition provided by the U.S. Department of Education. Physical escort means a temporary touching or holding of the hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, or back for the purpose of inducing a student who is acting out to walk to a safe location. 

District 63 has developed a Restraint and Time Out (RTO) Reduction Plan. Most student behaviors that do not contribute to a safe learning environment can be addressed via a school’s social-emotional learning; positive behavior intervention and support; anti-bullying and anti-harassment strategies; restorative justice frameworks; and/or other local district policy, procedures, and programs. Behavioral interventions in District 63 prioritize the strategies above to avoid the use of isolated time out, time out, and physical restraint with students whenever possible.

• When an RTO event occurs, parents are notified within 24 hours of that event and provided with the ISBE Parent Bill of Rights. 
• A parent may request a meeting to discuss the RTO event within ten school days of the event. 
• If a student has more than two RTO events within a 30-day window, the parent and school team will meet to develop an Individualized Service Plan (ISP) to specifically address the student's needs and alternative methods the team may use to de-escalate the student and avoid the use of RTO.

If a parent has a complaint regarding an RTO event involving their child, they may use the ISBE RTO complaint and investigation process, through which any parent or guardian, individual, organization, or advocate may file a signed written complaint with the State Superintendent alleging that a school district or other entity serving the child has violated 23 IAC 1.285. 

The complaint shall only be considered for review if the alleged violation took place no more than 12 months prior to the date the complaint is received.

For questions regarding East Maine School District's RTO Reduction Plan, please contact Ashema Hubbard, Assistant Director of Special Services.

Parents play an essential role in developing a child’s Individualized Education Program. Under the Illinois Administrative Code, all parents/guardians of students with disabilities eligible for an IEP have a right to have an interpreter provided by the school district. A parent may also request the interpreter serve no other role in the meeting. 

To ensure meaningful participation, parents may have IEP documents translated into their native language, including: 

• IEP documents
• Parent/Guardian Notification of Conference and Conference Recommendations
• Notice of Procedural Safeguards for Parents/Guardians of Students with Disabilities
• Parent/Guardian Consent for Initial Evaluation or Reevaluation
• Evaluation Reports
• Eligibility Determination
• Manifestation Determination Review Documents
• IEP Progress Reports
•  Medicaid Consent Forms

If you would like to request an interpreter, have the above documents translated into your native language, or receive a translation that you find inadequate, please contact your child’s case manager. If you have concerns about the quality of language interpretation or translation provided, please contact Jen Pacheco,  Assistant Superintendent of Special Services.
 

Guidelines for Determining the Need for Compensatory Services
If a parent or guardian feels that their child has not received the services provided in the Individualized Education Plan and that, as a result, the child has failed to meet the goals set forth in their Individualized Education Plan (IEP), a parent may request compensatory minutes. Reasons that a student might receive Compensatory Services include, but are not limited to:

• a pattern of related services missed due to the related service provider being absent 
• a student excluded from education and all services on the IEP for discipline purposes beyond 10 cumulative days
• special education services not implemented within ten school attendance days of prior written notice of service was provided to parents
• a documented pattern of excessive student absence in relation to student's disabling condition

Compensatory minutes are provided in addition to the minutes prescribed in the IEP. In order to request Compensatory minutes, parents should contact their student’s case manager or building principal. Within 10 calendar days of receipt of the parent’s request, the student’s case manager or other designated staff member must send the parent/guardian a Notice of Conference and formally schedule a meeting. The IEP team will convene an IEP conference with the student’s parent/guardian and staff members who worked with the student previously and/or work with the student currently to determine whether the student needs compensatory services.

When considering the potential need for compensatory services, the IEP team must determine whether the reduced or non-implemented services during the period resulted in the student’s lack of progress or regression. Compensatory services are only available when it can be determined that a child(ren) had FAPE denied as mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) due to missed services.

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the District must provide students with disabilities with appropriate special education and related services to address their education needs.

Parents have the right to review and copy their student’s school records prior to any special education eligibility or IEP program review meeting, subject to the requirements of applicable federal and state law.

Parents may also request a copy of their student’s related service logs, which are developed and maintained by the District for the following related services: speech and language services, occupational therapy services, physical therapy services, school social work services, school counseling services, school psychology services, and school nursing services.

These related service logs include information regarding the type and duration of the related services administered to their student.

In addition, the District must provide parents of students with disabilities with written materials that will be considered at the student’s eligibility or IEP meeting, no later than three school days prior to the eligibility or IEP meeting, or as soon as possible if an IEP meeting is scheduled within three school days with the written consent of the student’s parent.

Parents have the right to choose the delivery method of these written materials, including regular mail, email, or pickup at school.

Special education records, including evaluation reports and Individualized Education Plans, as well as Section 504 evaluations and plans, are maintained as temporary student records as required by law. These records are maintained for five years after a student graduates, changes attendance centers, or transfers out of the school district. After five years, these records are destroyed. Parents, guardians, and students may want to consider requesting copies of Special Education and Section 504 records for future use in higher education or to facilitate applications for programs such as Prioritization of Urgent Needs (PUNS). Those wishing to obtain a copy of these records may contact the Special Services Department at 847-493-8420.

Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS) Database Information for Students and Parents or Guardians
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) maintains a statewide database, the Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS), that records information about individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities who may need services.

IDHS uses PUNS data to select individuals for services as funding becomes available, to develop proposals and budget materials, and to plan for future needs. The PUNS database is available to children with intellectual or developmental disabilities who have unmet service needs.

Registration with the PUNS database is the first step toward receiving developmental disabilities services in this State. A child who is not on the PUNS database will not be in the queue for State developmental disabilities services.

For more information and to sign up for PUNS, see the Illinois Department of Human Services PUNS information page. You can refer to the IDHS PUNS brochures in English,  Spanish, Korean, Hindi, and Chinese.

You may also contact the following District employees for assistance:

• Natalie Abidor – Melzer Elementary School
• Jennifer Bonk – Washington Elementary School
• Hanna Fradin – VH Nelson Elementary School
• Bari Kaplan – Early Learning Center, Apollo Elementary School
• Laura Mell – Gemini Middle School
• Laurie Sharp – Apollo Elementary School
• Kaarin VandenBranden – Gemini Middle School
• Sheila Wheatley – Mark Twain Elementary School
• Maria Zdunek – Gemini Middle School

IL ABLE Accounts make it possible for people with disabilities and their families to save and invest their money to later spend on expenses related to living with a disability. Eligible Individuals can save up to $100,000 without risking Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. IL ABLE offers several options to allow families to plan and save for future care. For more information on ABLE, please visit the IL ABLE Homepage or contact your child’s case manager.