Specialized Services and Instruction

District 204 provides Multilingual Learners (formerly English Learners/ELL/ESL) the opportunity to complete courses with appropriate linguistic support through our Multilingual/Bilingual program. Students who qualify as Multilingual Learners have access to ML and Bilingual specific courses designed for beginning and intermediate level students in this program as determined by ACCESS testing. If you have questions regarding the District’s Multilingual/Bilingual Program, please contact the Bilingual Coordinator, Ms. Julie Jacobo, at 708-579-6552.

Individuals with disabilities will be provided an opportunity to participate in all school-sponsored services, programs, and/or activities. Individuals with disabilities should notify an Associate Principal if they have a disability that will require special assistance or services and, if so, what services are required. This notification should occur as far in advance as possible of the school-sponsored function, program, or meeting.

District 204 provides a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment and necessary related services to all children with disabilities enrolled in the school. The term “children with disabilities” means children between ages 3 and the day before their 22nd birthday for whom it is determined that special education services are needed, except those children with disabilities who turn 22 years of age during the school year are eligible for special education services through the end of the school year.  Students who are identified as having a disability that adversely affects academic performance and as being in need of special education and related services are eligible for special education and related services pursuant to State and Federal law and Board Policy 6:120—Education of Children with Disabilities.

It is the intent of the school to ensure that students with disabilities are identified, evaluated, and provided with appropriate educational services. Any student who exhibits difficulties that indicate the child may have a disability and need special education services to benefit from an education should be referred to the building Student Services Team via the student’s counselor, social worker, Assistant Principal, or building school psychologist to determine if a case study evaluation is necessary. A variety of services and supports are available to meet the unique needs of each student.

For more detailed information, refer to the “Notice of Procedural Safeguards for Parents/Guardians of Students with Disabilities”. 

Students are identified as eligible for special education services through a referral process and a case study evaluation of the student. The results of the case study evaluation are used to develop an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for the student. Parents, general and special education teachers, and administrators meet regularly to review student progress, identify individual student needs, and monitor the implementation of the IEP. If you have questions regarding special education programs at District 204

or would like to refer your child to be considered for a case study evaluation, please contact:

Dr. Melissa Moore

Division Chair for Special Education  

Students with disabilities who do not qualify for an IEP, as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and implementing provisions of the 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. 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was enacted to prohibit discrimination based on disability in programs or activities receiving federal funds. Students who are unable to participate in school programs or activities because of a disability that affects one of their major life activities (such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, and learning) may be eligible for accommodations through a Section 504 plan. Inquiries about 504 plans should be directed to: 

Ms. Kate Wohlgemuth

Section 504 Coordinator

kwohlgemuth@d204.lths.net 

708-579-6343

District 204 will provide prior written notice to parents/guardians of any decision (a) proposing to initiate or change, or (b) refusing to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the child or the provision of a free appropriate public education to their child, and the reason for the change or the refusal to change. For more information see the Notice of Procedural Safeguards for Parents/Guardians of Students with Disabilities. 

Children with disabilities may need and are entitled to special equipment and services to ensure that they have access to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).

Assistive technology includes both devices and services. As defined in IDEA:

• an assistive technology device means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. (34 CFR 300.5)

• an assistive technology service means any service that directly assists a child with a disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. (34 CFR 300.6)

During the IEP process, assistive technology will be considered for every child and then provided if required in a child's IEP to access a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). Additional information can be found at ISBE website: https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Special-Education-Assistive-Technology.aspx or by contacting:

Illinois Assistive Technology Program 1020 S. Spring St.

Springfield, IL 62704

Phone/TTY: (800) 852-5110

Fax: (217) 522-8067

http://www.iltech.org

Student’s educational rights transfer from the parents/guardians to the student on the student’s 18^th birthday. For more information, visit ISBE Required Notice and Consent Forms – Delegation of Rights.

District 204 provides parents/guardians with a copy of all written material that will be considered at eligibility or IEP meetings so that they can participate as a fully informed member of the IEP team. Please note that nothing will be decided regarding your child's eligibility for special education services and/or the content of the IEP until the IEP team meets, discusses all relevant information, and makes its final determinations.

If you have any records, reports, or other information that you would like the IEP team to also consider, please provide it to your child's case manager as soon as possible.  

Written requests to inspect and/or copy the student records should be submitted to Dr. Melissa Moore, Division Chair for Special Education, Lyons Township High School District 204, 4700 S Willow Springs Rd, Western Springs, IL 60558.

For a student with an individualized education program (IEP), District 204 will maintain related service logs that record the type and minutes of each related service that has been administered. Copies of any related service logs will be available at your student’s annual review IEP meeting. You may also request a copy of the related service logs at any time.

If you would like to receive copies of your child's related service logs, please send your written request to your child's case manager.

Interpretation services are provided at IEP meetings for parents/guardians whose native language is other than English, or who are deaf, to assist with participation in the meeting. District 204 makes every attempt to provide interpretation services based on information gathered through online registration, enrollment, and/or communication with your student’s case manager. Parents/guardians have the right to request that the interpreter serve no other role in the IEP meeting other than as an interpreter and the District will make reasonable efforts to fulfill this request. If you have questions or concerns about an interpreter at your child’s IEP meeting, please contact your child’s case manager, the LEA Representative listed on the Notification of Conference, or the LTHS Special Education office at (708) 579-6521.

The parent/guardian of a student receiving special education services, or being evaluated for eligibility, is afforded reasonable access to educational facilities, personnel, classrooms, and buildings. This same right of access is afforded to an independent educational evaluator or a qualified professional retained by or on behalf of a parent or child.

For further information, please contact the Special Education Division Chair at (708) 579-6521.

If a child is deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or visually impaired, they may be eligible to receive services from the Illinois School for the Deaf or the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired. The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) has developed one-page fact sheets which includes information on each of these schools. IDHS, Services for People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.   

Students with IEPs who require services beyond 4 years of high school and have completed all of their graduation requirements have the right to participate in District 204 Graduation Ceremonies with their graduation cohort and receive a certificate of completion. Once students exit from Transition Programming/LTHS, they will receive their diploma with the date of their cohort graduation listed.  

Behavioral Interventions

Behavioral interventions shall be used with students with disabilities to promote and strengthen desirable behaviors and reduce identified inappropriate behaviors.  The School Board will establish and maintain a committee to develop, implement, and monitor procedures on the use of behavioral interventions for children with disabilities.

Discipline of Special Education Students

District 204 shall comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 and the Illinois State Board of Education’s Special Education rules when disciplining special education students.  No special education student shall be expelled if the student’s particular act of gross disobedience or misconduct is a manifestation of his or her disability.

Isolated Time Out, Time Out, and Physical Restraint

Isolated time out, time out, and physical restraint shall only be used if the student’s behavior presents an imminent danger of serious physical harm to the student or others, and other less restrictive and intrusive measures were tried and proven ineffective.  District 204 will not use isolated time out, time out, or physical restraint as discipline or punishment, convenience for staff, retaliation, as a substitute for appropriate educational or behavioral support, a routine safety matter, or to prevent property damage in the absence of imminent danger of serious physical harm to the student or others.  The use of prone restraint is prohibited. 

Your child’s individual education plan (IEP) includes special education and related services provided by our special education staff. One or more of the services included on your child’s IEP qualifies for reimbursement from Medicaid. Schools routinely access Medicaid funding to help meet costs of providing special education services. Federal special education law requires that school districts seek parental permission prior to submitting bills for reimbursement from public insurers such as Medicaid. This letter is asking your permission to bill Medicaid for services listed in your child’s IEP.

Granting this permission to bill Medicaid will not reduce your ability to seek other Medicaid-covered health-related services outside the school setting. This permission will not decrease lifetime coverage, increase premiums, or lead to the discontinuation of benefits, as Medicaid does not have a maximum number of eligible visits or a lifetime maximum for services.

Along with this request to bill Medicaid, it is also necessary that the district (“the School”) obtain your written permission to release information to Medicaid. This permission must be obtained prior to the School ever releasing your child’s personal information from educational records for billing purposes to a public benefits or insurance program. Medicaid requires documentation of the services our staff provided prior to making payment to the School.

You have the right to withdraw consent at any time. Your child’s free appropriate public education and related services will continue regardless of consent, refusal of consent, or withdrawal. If you choose to refuse consent or withdraw your consent, the school district is still required to provide the required services at no cost to the parents.

A child qualifies for home or hospital instruction if it is anticipated that, due to a medical condition, the child will be unable to attend school, and instead must be instructed at home or in the hospital, for a period of 2 or more consecutive weeks or on an ongoing intermittent basis. “Ongoing intermittent basis” means that the child’s medical condition is of such a nature or severity that it is anticipated that the child will be absent from school due to the medical condition for periods of at least 2 days at a time multiple times during the school year totaling at least 10 days or more of absences. There shall be no requirement that a child be absent from school a minimum number of days before the child qualifies for home hospital instruction. In order to establish eligibility for home or hospital services, a student’s parent or guardian must submit to the District a written statement from a physician licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, a licensed physician assistant, or a licensed advanced practice registered nurse stating the existence of such medical condition, the impact on the child’s ability to participate in education, and the anticipated duration or nature of the child’s absence from school. Home or hospital instruction may commence upon receipt of a written physician’s, physician assistant’s, or advanced practice registered nurse’s statement in accordance with the Illinois School Code but no later than five school days after the school district receives the physician’s, physician assistant’s, or advance practice registered nurse’s statement. For additional information, please refer to Board Policy 6:150 Home and Hospital Instruction. If you believe your student may qualify for home/hospital instruction, please contact your student’s school counselor.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act ensures the educational rights and protections of homeless children and youth so that they may enroll in school, attend regularly, and be successful. The Act requires a local homeless education liaison in every school district to assist children and unaccompanied youth in their efforts to attend school. This act guarantees homeless children and youth the following:

• The right to immediate enrollment in school, even if lacking paperwork normally required for enrollment.

• The right to attend school in the school of origin (if this is requested by the parent and is feasible) or in the school in the attendance area where the family or youth is currently residing.

• The right to receive transportation to his/her school of origin, if this is requested by the parent.

• The right to services comparable to those received by housed schoolmates, including transportation, supplemental educational services, and meal programs.

• The right to attend school along with children not experiencing homelessness. Segregation based on a student’s status as homeless is strictly prohibited.

• The posting of homeless students’ rights in all schools and other places around the community.

It is the goal of District 204 to create public awareness of the rights of homeless children and youth and to ensure compliance with the law at State and local levels.

Homeless children and youth, as defined by the Act are individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and includes:

• Children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship or similar reasons; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; are abandoned in hospitals; or are awaiting foster care placement.

• Children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

• Children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus/train stations or similar settings.

• Migratory children who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described above.

If you have any questions regarding homeless status and provision of educational services, please contact the Homeless Liaison for District 204 at 708-579-6300. The State Coordinator for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth can be reached at homeless@isbe.net.

For additional information, please refer to Board Policy 6:140 Education of Homeless Children