Department of Special Education Overview
Maine Township High School District 207 provides a full continuum of services and placements for students found eligible to receive special education services. We are committed to providing a supportive environment in which our students can develop academic, social, emotional, vocational, and life skills. The department offers a full continuum of services and placements from support in the general education environment to specialized instructional courses, and/or related services. The primary focus and goal of the department are to assist students in becoming independent effective self-advocates.
SERVICES AND PLACEMENT OPTIONS
Maine Township High School District 207 coordinates and maintains specific procedures for referral, placement, and program development. Support and services for all students eligible are provided as outlined within a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). All eligible students are entitled to special education and related services within a variety of placement options for the team to consider including eligible students who require continued public school educational experience to facilitate a successful transition and integration into adult life through age 21, inclusive unless his or her 22nd birthday occurs during the school year, in which case the student is eligible for such services through the end of the school year. Services and placement are determined by an IEP team through a multi-disciplinary conference based on the student’s individual needs. Educational services and placement is provided along a continuum within the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).
ELIGIBILITY FOR SERVICES
Students may qualify for special education services under any of the following thirteen (13) categories: Autism | Deaf-Blindness | Deafness | Emotional Disability | Hearing Impairments | Intellectual Disability | Multiple Disabilities | Orthopedic Impairment | Other Health Impairment | Specific Learning Disabilities | Speech or Language Impairment | Traumatic Brain Injury | Visual Impairment
Click here to view the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) definitions of these disability areas.
Notice Regarding Students with Disabilities who do not qualify for an individualized education program (IEP), as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and implementing provisions of the School Code, may qualify for services under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 if the child (i) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (ii) has a record of a physical or mental impairment, or (iii) is regarded as having a physical or mental impairment.
Services and Placements at Maine Township High School District 207
General Education Environment
General Education with No Supplementary Aids or Services
General Education with Supplementary Aids or Services
Inclusive Support in General Education: Co-Serving (Full Collaboration) | Push-in (Partial Collaboration) | Inclusion Facilitation (Consultation & Coaching) | Teacher Assistant Support (Individual or Class Aide)
Special Education Environment
Resource | Specialized Instructional Courses
Educational Life Skills
Ralph J. Frost Academy (District 207 Public Therapeutic Day School)
Transition (District 207 Transition Services)
ISBE-approved Private Therapeutic Day Schools | Public Day Schools (Non-District 207)
ISBE-approved Residential Facilities
Home/Hospital Instruction
IEP MEETINGS
IEP meetings will be convened remotely and/or in-person as identified on the notification of conference. D207 is committed to providing parents meaningful participation in the special education process and will partner with families to determine the most practical format to conduct meetings. Parents may choose to receive the following via electronic mail 1) Prior Written Notice; 2) Procedural Safeguards Notice; 3) Notices related to a due process complaint.
Resources for IEP Meetings:
- Directions for joining an IEP – remote communication via Google Meet
- Eligibility Meeting Agenda
- IEP Meeting Agenda
- Blank Forms
Draft IEP Paperwork – Maine Township HSD 207 provides parent(s)/guardian(s) with ‘draft’ paperwork in advance of Eligibility and/or Annual Review IEP meetings via Electronic Mail (i.e. Email) using School Messenger in order to secure the confidential documents being sent electronically are encrypted and secure. If parents require forms in an understandable language or a different method of dissemination contact the school’s office of special education. For more information on the ‘draft’ IEP process click here
PARENT / GUARDIAN INFORMATION & RESOURCES
Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) – Special Education Parent Rights
ISBE – Notice of Procedural Safeguards for Parents/Guardians of Students with Disabilities
(June 2022)
ISBE 34-57J: Notice of Procedural Safeguards for Parents/Guardians of Students with Disabilities in Other Languages
A Parent’s Guide – Educational Rights and Responsibilities: Understanding Special Education in Illinois
This document is available in English and Spanish. The appendices also include quick references, a glossary of terms, and sample letters.
Annual Notice
Related Service Documentation
In accordance with Public Act 101-0515, Maine Township HSD 207 provides annual notice to parents/guardians regarding their rights in relation to the provision of related services to students who are eligible for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Please be advised that if your child receives related services (such as speech, OT, PT, or social work) as part of his/her IEP, the district will maintain related service logs documenting the minutes of each related service that your student receives. These logs will be available to you at your child’s annual review meeting. You may also request a copy of the logs at any time. If you have any questions about this notice or would like to request a copy of the service log outside of an IEP meeting, please contact the resident school Department of Special Education office.
Qualified Interpreters
Qualified interpreters are available at IEP team meetings upon request for parents/guardians whose native language is other than English. If a qualified interpreter is not available, the district may use outside vendors, including telephonic interpreters. Parents/guardians, including parents/guardians who are deaf, may request an interpreter at IEP team meetings by contacting the resident school special education office. Parents/guardians have the right to request that the bilingual interpreter provided at an IEP meeting by the district serve no other role in the IEP meeting than as an interpreter. Requests for an interpreter at IEP meetings should be made at least 2 days before such meetings whenever possible. Parents/guardians may contact Edward Pieczynski, Director of Special Education with any questions or complaints about interpretation services.
Forms in Other Languages
ISBE requires notice and consent forms to be provided to families in their native language which can be found online at: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Special-Education-Required-Notice-and-Consent-Forms.aspx
District’s Behavioral Interventions Policy & Procedural Documents
ISBE requires families to be notified of the district’s behavioral intervention policy & procedures for students with disabilities.
SCHOOL BOARD POLICY 7:230 MISCONDUCT BY STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES revised 10/2018
Prioritization for Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS)
The PUNS (Prioritization for Urgency of Need for Services) is a statewide waiting list of individuals with developmental disabilities that have applied for, and are awaiting, funding and/or services. http://www.cau.org/index.php
Understanding PUNS – English (pdf)
Entendiendo PUNS – Spanish (pdf)
Understanding PUNS – Tagalog (pdf)
Understanding PUNS – Korean (pdf)
Understanding PUNS – Hindi (pdf)
Understanding PUNS – Chinese (pdf)
Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE)
IL ABLE “Achieving a Better Life Experience” Accounts give people with disabilities and their families greater financial independence while preserving benefits. A high-quality, low-cost IL ABLE savings and investment Account can be opened by an Eligible Individual, or Authorized Individual, at any time, no matter what state they live in.
Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, all school districts shall provide information about the Achieving a Better Life Experience (IL-ABLE) account program to the parent or guardian of a student at the student’s annual Individualized Education Program (IEP) review meeting. This information will be sent home with completed paperwork upon the conclusion of each Annual IEP meeting and is accessible online IL-ABLE website or via the linked brochure.
Additional Resources for Families
- Information for Parents About Medicaid in Schools
- Transition Family Groups Seminar – Monthly Presentations held online via Zoom on the 3rd Wednesday of each month