UNDERSTANDING SPECIAL EDUCATION IN ILLINOIS

The Illinois State Board of Education has published a comprehensive guide to Understanding Special Education in Illinois. This guide can be accessed in both English and Spanish on the state website.

In Morris Elementary School District 54, 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

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 and physical therapists, are assigned to buildings based on student needs.