Lake Forest School District 67

Notice of Special Educational Services for Exceptional Children
Lake Forest School District 67 provides special education services for exceptional children, ages three through fourteen. A Lake Forest child is eligible for special education services if he/she is: multi-disabled, physically impaired, other health impaired, learning disabled, developmentally delayed, speech/language impaired, visually impaired, hearing impaired, mild to severely mentally impaired, emotionally disturbed, autistic, or suffers a traumatic brain injury. Parents are urged to contact Student Services staff in your child’s building to share information or concerns, which may lead to additional support or intervention for students K-8.

Lake Forest School District 67 annually conducts a general screening for preschool children, ages three to five. Registration is required prior to the screening. Contact Carole Racansky, 847-604-7422 for more information.

Each child is entitled to nondiscriminatory evaluation for each identified and diagnosed disability. District procedures include the use of Response to Intervention (RtI) as part of the identification process. RtI is the practice of providing high quality instruction and interventions matched to student need, monitoring progress frequently to make decisions about changes in instruction and educational decision related to special education. A multi-disciplinary conference involving parents, teachers, and all members of the evaluation team review and determine eligibility based on RtI data.

Parents will be invited to participate in an annual review of their child’s Individual Educational Program (IEP) with full access to the child’s records and confidentiality as to their contents. If the parents’ or child’s primary language is not English, the child is evaluated by qualified personnel in his/her primary language and an interpreter may be provided if requested. If it is determined in the multi-disciplinary staff conference that the child’s disability is too severe or profound for a public school special education program, the school district will provide alternative placement. Public funds will pay for the child’s tuition to a private special education school only if it is determined as being appropriate and in the least restrictive environment. If the parents disagree with the Individual Educational Program proposed for their child or are dissatisfied with his/her present placement, or have been denied any of their rights, they have the right to an impartial due process hearing. The Illinois State Board of Education appoints an impartial hearing officer to hear both sides and renders a recommendation to the local education agency.

Parents are entitled to receive a copy of Rules and Regulations to Govern the Administration and Operation of Special Education, issued by the Illinois State Board of Education. A list of Parent Rights in brief will also be provided to the parent annually and will be reviewed with the parent at the time of the multi-disciplinary conference. Parents may request a list of free or low cost legal services through the Department of Student Services.

A temporary Special Education Record is also kept for all children referred for a case study evaluation and/or who receive special education services. This consists of the information referred to above and may also contain referral information, observation and screening data, psychological evaluations, staffing and progress reports, reports from physicians and other agencies having direct contact with the student and other verified information deemed relevant to the education of the student. This record is housed in the Department of Student Services at the District 67 Administrative Center. Annual notification shall be made to all residents of Lake Forest by the publication of this notice each year.

Questions concerning special education in Lake Forest School District 67 should be directed to Dr. Julie Cooley, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, School District 67, 300 S. Waukegan Rd., Lake Forest, Illinois 60045.

Again, a complete copy of the State Board of Education “A Parent’s Guide: The Educational Rights of Students With Disabilities” is available at the office. You are urged to consult this should your child be considered for special educational services. The Assistant Superintendent of Student Services or her agent will review this with you.