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Special Education and Support Services
Maercker School District 60 complies with the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and provides free appropriate public education (FAPE) for all individuals with identified disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21. In order to be responsive to the diverse educational needs of the students, the Special Education Department of District 60, in conjunction with the SASED Cooperative for Special Education, offers a continuum of services in the least restrictive environment. This includes Early Childhood programming, resource and instructional programs for children with developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, social and emotional disorders, mental and physical handicaps, and speech and language disorders. Support services are available in Speech and Language, Social Work, Health, Occupational and Physical Therapy, Vision and Hearing, and Assistive Technology.
Students with disabilities who do not qualify for an individualized education program, as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 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.
The Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 requires a public school district to use a portion of its Federal Part B special education funds to provide students with disabilities who attend private schools within the district with the opportunity to participate in special education services offered by the district.
Each year, the administrators of the private schools within Maercker School District boundaries and parents of home-schooled children are invited to a meeting at the district office. Information is shared pertaining to how students who are suspected of having one or more disabilities may access the district programs.
Notice Regarding Related Service Logs
Students with disabilities may receive related services as part of their individual education programs (IEPs). District 60 will maintain related service logs that record the type and number of minutes of the related service(s) administered to such students. Parents/guardians of students with disabilities may request copies of their child’s related service logs at any time.
