Special Services

The Special Services Department provides leadership in the referral and evaluation processes in accordance with both Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), commonly known as special education, and Section 504 (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973). The department consists of a professional staff including school psychologists, social workers, speech/language pathologists, occupational therapists, early childhood specialists, and teaching specialists. In addition, paraprofessionals are employed to assist students with special needs in their general education settings.

The Department oversees the following:

• Special Education
• Little Sprouts Preschool (Early Childhood Program)
• Screening for Little Sprouts Preschool
• Extended School Year
• Gifted  and Enrichment
• Parents' Guide to Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports
• Health Services
• Homeless Services
• Home-schooled, and private school students.

EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR (ESY)

The Extended School Year or ESY is available for eligible students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).  The student’s IEP team makes this determination and considers the following factors: rate of progress, regression and recoupment of skills over breaks and severity of disability.  The student must qualify for each service received as part of ESY.  Furthermore, a student may only receive related services as part of ESY if they are necessary for a student to benefit from special education services received during ESY.  Per IDEA, ESY is provided for the maintenance of acquired skills and knowledge, not the acquisition or continued development of new skills. 

ISBE ESY FAQ March 2021