Special Education Department

The Special Education Department provides a full continuum of services and placement to meet the needs of students between the ages of 3 and 22 who are found to be eligible for special education due to a disability that adversely impacts their educational functioning. This includes Extended School Year Programming for maintenance of skills. Eligibility for Extended School Year is based on evidence of substantial regression and recoupment issues. 

Once students are found eligible for special education and Individualized Educational Program (IEP) is developed. The IEP details the student’s needs as well as what will be done to address those needs. Related services are designed to support students in benefitting from special education and include but are not limited to social work, psychological services, speech/language therapy, transportation, assistive technology, occupational and physical therapy, and adaptive physical education. It is important to note that related services are determined based on educational needs and differ in eligibility and services provided within a medical model.

Students with disabilities who do not qualify for an Individualized Education Program (“IEP”) may qualify for services under Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, if the student: (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (2) has a record of a physical or mental impairment, or (3) is regarded as having a physical or mental impairment. 

If you believe your student meets one of the above categories and requires reasonable accommodations, you may contact the Executive Director of Special Education, Erica Ekstrom, at erica.ekstrom@cusd200.org or 630-682-2019 for more information regarding the identification, assessment, and placement of your student.