School District #47’s Special Education Department conducts child find activities, determines eligibility for special education services, and provides qualifying services to eligible students in grades Pre-K-8. Among the services provided include specialized instruction for students with Learning Disabilities, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Vision and Hearing Itinerant services, Emotional/Behavioral Disorders and Mild Cognitive Impairments. District #47 partners with The Special Education District of McHenry County (SEDOM) and private facilities to program for all low incidence disabilities. 

Programming – The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act 2004 (IDEIA 2004) provides for a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for all individuals with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21. In order to be responsive to the diverse educational needs of students, the Special Education Department of District #47 provides a continuum of services to be considered when determining the appropriate educational program for a student. These services are determined by the IEP team according to the needs of the student.

• Resource services are provided for students who require special education for less than 50% of the school day.
• Instructional classrooms are available to students who require special education services for more than 50% of the school day.
• Private placements may be appropriate to meet the needs of some students.
• Speech and Language services, Social Work services, Hearing Itinerant, Vision Itinerant, Physical Itinerant services, and other related services are provided for those students with disabilities in these areas that impact their education.
• Early Childhood Education is provided to students ages 3 - 5 with disabilities within an elementary setting.

Eligibility – District #47 determines a student’s eligibility for special education services based upon an individualized evaluation. Determination of having a disability and eligibility for special services based upon that disability are two separate decisions.  Not all individuals who have a disability require special services. 

District #47 is in conformance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA 2004) and state legislation as interpreted in the 23 Illinois Administrative Code as we determine and evaluate eligibility for special services in the following disability categories.

• Autism
• Deaf-Blindness
• Deafness
• Developmental Delay
• Emotional Disability
• Hearing Impairment
• Cognitive Disability
• Multiple Disabilities
• Orthopedic Impairment
• Other Health Impaired
• Specific Learning Disability
• Speech & Language Impairment
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Visual Impairment

 Click here to download Special Education forms.

Additional Website Resources:

DISCLAIMER

The Special Education Department provides links to other websites only as a convenience for persons who visit our website. The district does not guarantee the accuracy or propriety of any information, offered services, or products contained in any website linked directly or indirectly to ours.  Therefore, reasonable efforts should be made to verify information and check out services or product offerings contained in any website.

Council for Exceptional Children

Disabilities Resources on the Internet

Behavior Advisor

National Disabilities Organizations & Information Groups

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities

Autism Information Page

Physical Disabilities and General Information All Disabilities

Learning Disabilities Online

National Center to Improve Practice in Special Education Through Technology, Media and Materials

Preschool Zone

Special Education Resources on the Internet