Kankakee School District 111 requires that all students with disabilities be provided with a high quality and appropriate education in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) as mandated by Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). Children with disabilities must be educated with their grade level peers to the maximum extent appropriate with the use of supplemental aids and services needed. The Illinois State Board of Education has published a comprehensive guide to Understanding Special Education in Illinois. This guide can be accessed by clicking on the below link. 

Special Education - Parent Rights

In Kankakee School District 111, services are provided for children who qualify for an Individual Education Plan through the following eligibility categories:

Autism

Cognitive Disability

Deaf-Blindness

Deafness

Developmental Delay (ages 3-9)

Emotional Disability

Hearing Impairment

Multiple Disabilities

Orthopedic Impairment

Other Health Impaired

Specific Learning Disability

Speech and Language Impairment

Traumatic Brain Injury

Visual Impairment

Child Find/Eligibility: Students are identified for special education through a child find process as required by federal and state guidelines. For students who are 3-5 years old, developmental screening and services are available through the Preschool Program.

For students who are currently attending our K-12 buildings, the district uses a Problem Solving process to provide early interventions to supplement research based core instruction for academic or behavioral concerns. The building Problem Solving Team regularly reviews classroom performance and assists in connecting students to appropriate interventions. The data from this process then provides the foundation for a Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) approach, which may result in a referral for screening and a possible determination of eligibility for special education services.  Please note that an MTSS process is specifically mandated by the State of Illinois in the determination of a Specific Learning Disability. 

Referrals:  Students who may be eligible and in need of special services may be identified through the Kankakee School District 111 Problem Solving Process or by referral.  Students can be referred for an evaluation by their parents, their teacher or any other concerned adult.  The student's health, vision, hearing, social-emotional status, general intelligence, academic performance, communication status and motor abilities are all components of an evaluation that are considered at the Domain Review.  Students are found eligible for special education services following the evaluation if they exhibit deficits that impede their learning.

 To request an evaluation, please address a letter to your building principal and the Kankakee School District 111 Director of Student Support Services including the following information: name, age and grade of your child; the reason you are requesting an evaluation; and, your compete name and address.  Any questions you have regarding the referral process or special education services may be directed to Dr. LaTonya Wilks, Director of Student Support Services.

Programming Continuum:     Kankakee School District 111 provides access to a full continuum of special education programming including: resource, instructional and self-contained levels of support.  District 111 adheres to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) with a commitment to educating students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment (LRE).  To meet the individual needs of all students, programming and related service options are based on the nature and degree of intervention needed for each student.

While the vast majority of our students receive services in their home school, if a student's needs cannot be met with support at his/her neighborhood school, the educational team will determine an appropriate, least restrictive service delivery option that best addresses his/her current needs. If students have sufficient need for a self-contained and intensive setting, specialized classrooms are available in specific buildings across the district. District 111 partners with special education cooperatives and private facilities that provide services for children with low-incidence disabilities. These partnership agreements ensure the provision of a continuum of services for students who require intensive and/or therapeutic interventions.   

Related Services: Each building is staffed with personnel who are qualified to provide the appropriate services and support, as determined by the Individual Education Plan (IEP). Social work, psychological services, speech/language therapy, occupational and physical therapy, and adaptive physical education are some of the related services provided as individual student needs deem necessary. The intent of these services is to support the participation of students in the general education classroom through all educators working as a collaborative team. Related service staff members are listed on building staff rosters, and can be contacted through the home school. Some staff, such as vision and hearing itinerant staff, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and adaptive physical education staff are assigned to buildings based on student needs.

Special Services Transportation:  Transportation needs for students with disabilities are discussed at the student's IEP meeting.  If you have any concerns regarding transportation, please contact your child's teacher, the building principal, or the Director of Student Support Services to schedule an IEP meeting.