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Special
Kids: A Special Needs Resource & Referral Guide
Welcome to Special Kids, a guide to public and private programs, organizations and services in the Greater Chicago area for children from birth through high school.
Special Note: The online listings for private schools, child care centers, and service providers are limited to those who are a member of the ParentLink Partners Group ($25 annual membership fee). ParentLink has also put together an offline version of this publication, in which all the listings are free. An online table of contents and ordering information for Special Kids is here now.
Public
Schools:
The public schools are required by law to provide a "free and appropriate education" for special needs children from ages 3-21 in the least restrictive setting possible (generally, the "regular classroom", as much as possible). For a child who has (or may have) a special need, here's how it works:
Step 1) Preschool Screening - Just about every district offers developmental screenings at least once a year to all preschoolers in the district. Some districts also offer early intervention (birth-3) testing and/or services. Children who show difficulties in one or more areas (e.g., cognitive-thinking, social, gross motor (climbing, walking), or fine motor (cutting, holding a pencil), can be tested further by school personnel (psychologist, therapists, etc.). Those who qualify can receive educational and, if necessary, therapy services (speech, occupational, physical), counseling, etc. Parental consent is required for testing and placement.
Step 1 (school-aged) For school-aged children, the testing process can be started at the request of the parent(s) or suggested by a teacher, if there are concerns about a child's performance that suggest a disability of some kind. A team consisting of the teacher, psychologist, social worker, and, often, therapists (speech, occupational, physical) evaluate the child. Parental consent is required for testing.
Step 2) The "Individual Education Plan" (IEP). This is a statement of what the child's special needs are, what services will be provided to the child, what program the child will be placed in, and what goals there are for that child. This is done when the child is first evaluated, and then annually. Generally, the parent, teacher, principal, special needs coordinator, psychologist, and, possibly, therapists, participate in the IEP. Depending on circumstances, the child may also contribute to the IEP.
Special
Education Coops./Districts
These are consortiums of public school districts that provide services for less common and/or more intensive special needs (e.g. hearing- & vision-impairments, mental retardation, autism/ppd, behavioral disorders, etc.).
Here is a list of these coops:
Cooperative Association for Special
Education (CASE). 1464 S. Main St. in
Lombard, 630-932-5200. DuPage County School Districts 15, 16, 41, 44, 87, 89,
and 93 (Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, Lombard, Carol Stream).
DuPage West Cook Low Incidence Programs. 1500 S. Grace St. in Lombard, 630-629-7272. DuPage
& Western Cook Counties. Services for children with vision, hearing, and
physical disabilities (SASED Highland Hills School program), testing for
children birth-3.
Early Childhood Development Center. 7431 Astor Ave. in Hanover Park, 630-837-6445.
Hanover Township, Bartlett, Streamwood, Hanover Park. Assessment &
outpatient services for children up through age 12.
East DuPage Special Education District
(ESSED). 502 E. Van Buren St. in
Villa Park, 630-279-4726 or 630-617-2647. School Districts 4, 45, 88, and 205
(Addison, Villa Park, Elmhurst).
La Grange Area Department of Special
Education (LADSE). 1301 W. Cossitt
Ave in La Grange, 708-354-5730. DuPage County School Districts 53, 61, 62, 86,
181 (Hinsdale, Oakbrook, Burr Ridge, Darien, Clarendon Hills), Western Cook
County School Districts 94, 95, 96, 101, 102, 103, 105, 106, 107, 204, 208
(LaGrange, Riverside, North Riverside, Brookfield, Lyons).
North DuPage Special Education Cooperative
(NDSEC). 132 E. Pine St. in Roselle,
630-894-0490. School Districts 2, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 100, 108 (Roselle, Itasca,
Bensenville, Medinah, Wood Dale, Bloomingdale).
School Association for Special Education
in DuPage County (SASED). 6S331
Cornwall Rd. in Naperville, 630-778-4500. School Districts 20, 25, 33, 34, 58,
60, 63, 66, 68, 69, 94, 99, 180, 201, 202 (Lisle, Westmont, West Chicago,
Winfield, Downers Grove, Darien, Clarendon Hills).
Aero Special Education Coop. 7600 S. Mason Ave. in Burbank, 708-496-3330.
Southwest Cook Cooperative. 6020 151st. St. in Oak Forest, 708-687-0900.
Northern
Suburban Special Education District
(NSSED). 760 Red Oak Lane in Highland
Park, 847-831-5100. School Districts 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38,
39, 65, 67, 106, 109, 112, 113, 203, 225 (Deerfield, Glenview, Glencoe,
Highland Park, Kenilworth, Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, Northbrook, Northfield,
Wilmette, Winnetka). Programs & Services for children ages birth-21. Early
Childhood (birth-3) services provided in collaboration with Glenkirk (3504
Commercial Ave. in Northbrook, 847-272-5111).
Special
Education District of Lake County
(SEDOL). 18160 Gages Lake Road in
Gages Lake, 847-548-8470. Thirty-seven member school districts in Lake County.
SPEED
Coop (Special Education Joint
Agreement #802). 1125 Division Street
in Chicago Heights, 708-481-6100. Programs for children and families from birth
through age 21. School Districts 144, 153, 161, 162, 163, 167, 168, 169, 170,
172, 194, 201U, 206, 207, 233 (South Suburbs including Markham, Homewood,
Flossmoor, Park Forest, Glenwood, Sauk Village, Ford Heights, Chicago Heights,
Park Ridge, Harvey, Steger, Crete, Olympia Fields, Hazel Crest, Matteson).
Niles Township Department of Special
Education (NTDSE). 8701 Menard Ave.
in Morton Grove, 847-965-9040. School Districts including 68, 69 (Skokie).
Proviso Area for Exceptional Children
(PAEC). 1000 Van Buren St. in
Maywood, 708-450-2100.
Special
Education District of McHenry County
(SEDOM). 1200 Claussen Dr. in
Woodstock, 815-338-3622. School Districts 3, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18, 26. 36. 46,
47, 50, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 165, 200 (Fox River Grove, Spring Grove,
Richmond, Johnsburg, McHenry, Alden-Hebron, Cary, Harrison, Crystal Lake,
Harvard, Marengo, Union, Huntley, Woodstock). Classes in districts in Cary,
Crystal Lake, Huntley, Johnsburg, McHenry, Union, and Woodstock.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Books/Publications
Parent Guidebook. Betty Borgacz, Author. Email: parentguidebook@yahoo.com
I wrote this book while dealing with the many
complicated issues involved with special education. Being the mother of a child with Sensory
Integration Dysfunction, I have been forced to constantly advocate for an
educational situation that is compassionate and friendly for my child.
What I realized along the way is that I need
to understand the legal rights of my child and that to not follow those legal
rights would be against his civil rights.
Writing this book has been a vehicle for me to give an understanding of
the policies and laws regarding special education to other parents free of
charge and in entirety. I hope that this
makes a difference for them as much as it has for me. I hope we can all work together to make this
system more friendly to parents and children, through knowledge and through
holding schools, districts and federal organizations accountable.
This book is available to view and print for
free on http://oneparent2another.4t.com ________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Support
Groups/Nonprofit Organizations
CHADD (Children & Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder):
Chicago Chapters:
South
Suburban CHADD 17922 State Line Rd.
Lansing IL 60338 708-802-4233
North Suburban CH.A.D.D. Winnetka IL 847-501-5662
Northwest Suburban CH.A.D.D. Rolling Meadows IL 847-303-1189
Lincolnshire Area CH.A.D.D. Buffalo Grove IL 847-634-3915
LaGrange CH.A.D.D. LaGrange IL 708-352-1368
Near West Suburban CH.A.D.D. Elmwood Park IL 708-452-5841
Elgin CH.A.D.D. Elgin IL 708-695-4817
Glenbard CH.A.D.D. Glen Ellyn IL 630-415-3078
West Suburban CH.A.D.D. Naperville IL 630-961-0161
Bolingbrook CH.A.D.D. Bolingbrook IL 630-972-1150
Kendall County CH.A.D.D. Naperville IL 708-357-4791
Aurora CH.A.D.D. Aurora IL 708-892-4811
McHenry County CH.A.D.D. McHenry IL 816-653-7108
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Autism Society of America Chicago
Area Chapters:
Autism Society of Illinois 2200 S. Main St., Suite 317, Lombard IL 60148,
630-691-1270
Near West Suburban/Chicago 2513 N. Sayre Ave., Chicago IL 60707, 773-237-4003
Chicago/South Suburban 2915 Polly Lane, Flossmoor IL 60422, 708-206-0379
North Suburban
199 Shadow Bend Dr., Wheeling IL 60090, 847-541-9969
Northwest Suburban 1085 Gannon Dr., Hoffman Estates IL 60194, 847-885-4164.
Far West Suburban P.O. Box 9166, Downers Grove IL 60515, 630-969-1094
Northeast Illinois 708 Crossland Dr., Grayslake IL 60030, 847-548-8745
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
National Association for Down Syndrome
Chicago Area Chapters
Chicago South Beverly/Evergreen
Area (773) 881-8949 Chicago South & Southwest (708)
396-3701 Chicago (Spanish) (773) 925-5026
North Shore (847)
509-9283, (773) 777-9537 Chicago North (773) 404-9244 Lake
County (847) 566-4431 McHenry County (815) 459-4415
Aurora Area (630)
554-9888 Far South Suburban (708) 430-4234 West
Suburban (630) 369-6309 Northwest Suburban (847)
298-3674
Far West Suburban (815) 627-9356 Elgin Area Jayne Shover Rehab. Center
(847) 742-3264
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
International Dyslexia Association
Illinois Branch
751 Roosevelt Road, Building 7, Suite 301, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137, 630-469-6900
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pathways Awareness Foundation (a not-for-profit organization dedicated to education
for and about children with movement and physical challenges, and their
families). 123 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago IL 60606, 312-710-3050 or 1-800-955-2445.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Indian Prairie School District 204 Special Needs
PTA (non-profit district-wide organization
featuring monthly meetings with speakers on topics of interest to the special
needs community)
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
We Grow Dreams Foundation (non-profit organization providing job training and
employment for youths and young adults with disabilities)
Recreation
Special Recreation Associations:
Western DuPage Special Recreation Association (WDSRA).
116 N. Schmale Road, Carol Stream IL 60188. 630-681-0962. Recreational programs
for special needs individuals of all ages. Cooperative extension of the Park
Districts of Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Lombard, Naperville,
Roselle, Warrenville, West Chicago, Wheaton, and Winfield.
Northeast Special Recreation Association (NEDSRA)
1770 W. Centennial Place Addison IL 60101 630-620-4500 Recreational programs
for special needs individuals of all ages. Cooperative extension of the Park
Districts of Addison, Bensenville, Glendale Heights, Itasca, Medinah, Oakbrook
Terrace, Roselle, Villa Park, Wood Dale.
South East Association for Special Parks and
Recreation
(SEASPAR) 4500 Belmont Rd Downers Grove IL 60515, 630-960-7600 Recreational
programs for special needs individuals of all ages. Cooperative extension of
the Park Districts of Brooklyn, Clarendon Hills, Darien, Downers Grove,
LaGrange, LaGrange Park, Lisle, Westchester, Westmont, Western Springs,
Woodridge.
Gateway Special Recreation Association (Gateway
Fox Valley Special Recreation Association (FVSRA).
1 N Lincolnway North Aurora, IL 60542, (630) 896-6066. Recreational programs
for special needs individuals of all ages. Cooperative extension of the Park
Districts of Fox Valley (Aurora, Montgomery, North Aurora, Sugar Grove, Yorkville,
Wayne), Geneva, Oswego, St. Charles. Also serves smaller communities in the Fox
Valley area.
Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA) 3000 W. Central Rd., Rolling Meadows, Ste. 205,
847-392-2848. Recreational programs for special needs individuals of all ages.
Cooperative extension of the Park Districts of Arlington Heights, Bartlett,
Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove, Hoffman Estates, Mt. Prospect, Palatine, Prospect
Heights, Schaumburg, Streamwood, and Wheeling. Also serves smaller communities
in the area.
Jayne Sheover Easter Seal Center, 700 S. McClean Blvd., Elgin IL 60123 847-742-3264,
ext. 243 (TDD 742-3202). Recreational programs in the Elgin Area.
Northern Illinois Special Recreation Association
(NISRA). 3333 Commerce Dr., Crystal
Lake IL 60014, 815-459-0737. Recreational programs for special needs
individuals of all ages. Cooperative extension of the Park Districts of
Barrington, Cary, Crystal Lake, Dundee Township (Carpentersville, East &
West Dundee, Sleepy Hollow), Harvard, McHenry, Wauconda, Woodstock
West Suburban Recreation Association (WSSRA), 2915 Maple St., Franklin Park IL 60131,
708-455-2100. Recreational programs for special needs individuals of all ages.
Cooperative extension of the Park Districts of Berwyn, Cicero (Clyde), Elmwood
Park, Forest Park, Franklin Park, Harwood Heights, Norridge, River Forest. Also
serves smaller communities in the area.
Northern Suburban Special Recreation Association
(NSSRA). 7 Happ Rd. Northfield, IL
60093 (847) 501-4332. Recreational programs for special needs individuals of
all ages. Cooperative extension of the Park Districts of Deerfield, Glencoe,
Highland Park, Highwood, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Northbrook, Northfield, and
Wilmette.
Maine-Niles Special Recreation Association (M-NSRA). 8950 Gross Point Rd., Skokie IL 600767 847-966-5522.
Recreational programs for special needs individuals of all ages. Cooperative
extension of the Park Districts of Des Plaines, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove,
Niles, Park Ridge, and Skokie.
Special Recreation Association of Lake County (SRACLC). 1401 N. Midlothian Rd., Mundelein IL 60060,
847-566-2277. Recreational programs for special needs individuals of all ages.
Cooperative extension of the Park Districts of Libertyville, Mundelein, and
Vernon Hills. Also serves smaller communities in the area.
Special Recreation Association of Round Lake,
Lindenhurst and Zion (SRARLZ).
Recreational programs for special needs individuals of all ages. Cooperative
extension of the Park Districts of Fox Lake, Lake Villa, Round Lake, Lindenhurst
and Zion.
Warren Special Recreation Association (WSRA). 17801 W. Washington Street, Gurnee IL 60031,
847-244-6619. Recreational programs for special needs individuals of all ages.
Cooperative extension of the Park Districts of Gurnee, Wildwood.
Waukegan-Foss Special Recreation Association. 732 N. Genesee St. (Douglas House/Upton Park)
Waukegan IL 847-370-4761. Recreational programs for special needs individuals
of all ages. Serves the Waukegan area.
Southwest Special Recreation Association (SWSRA), 12521 S. Kostner Ave., Alsip IL 60482, 708-389-9423.
Recreational programs for special needs individuals of all ages. Cooperative
extension of the Park Districts of Alsip, Blue Island, Justice.
Oak Lawn Park District Special Recreation Programs at Oakview Recreation Center, 4625 W. 110th.
St., 708-857-2200. Recreational programs for special needs individuals of all
ages. Serves the communities of Chicago Ridge, Evergreen Park, Hickory Hills,
Oak Lawn, and Worth.
South Suburban Special Recreation Association (
Lincoln-Way Special Recreation Association. 329 W Maple St New Lenox, IL 60451, (815) 485-9517
Recreational programs for special needs individuals of all ages. Cooperative
extension of the Park Districts of Frankfort, Mokena, New Lenox, and Peotone
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Other sports/recreation organizations:
AYSO-
AYSO Directory-Chicago Area, Web Addresses:
Area 6 (Chicago-Lakefront,
Chicago-Rogers Park, Deerfield, Evanston, Glenview, Highland Park, Morton
Grove, Rolling Meadows, Skokie, Winnetka-New Trier Township): www.playsoccer.org/area6d/.
Lake Forest: http://ayso163.org Hinsdale: www.ayso210.org Mundelein: http://wdstudio.net/ayso372
Chicago Lakefront: http://members.aol.com/PSchuneman/ayso418/index.htm Chicago-Hyde Park: www.ayso751.org Winnetka & New Trier Township: www.playsoccer.org River Forest: www.rfsoccer.org
Winthrop Harbor: www.mcs.net/~telamm/playsoccer
AYSO Directory-Chicago Area, Email Addresses:
Harvard: pfngs104@gateway.net Mundelein: jlb4soccer@aol.com (registrar), AndyRC372@aol.com (commissioner)
Winthrop Harbor: AYSORegion980@yahoo.com Hinsdale: soccer@ayso210.org
AYSO Directory-Chicago Area, Phone numbers:
Chicago-NW Side:
(773) 381-0436 Chicago-Hyde Park: (773) 324-KICK Chicago-Lakefront:
(773) 929-KICK
Lake Forest:
(847) 615-2976 Highland Park: (847) 433-
Glenview:
(847) 729-2976 Winnetka: 1-800-910-AYSO Deerfield: (847) 604-1560
Evanston: (847) 328-2976
Rolling Meadows:
(847) 604-2471 Lake Zurich: (847) 726-2976 Grayslake: (847)
223-7989 Winthrop Harbor: (847) 604-1258
Mundelein:
1-847-949-6320 Harvard: (815) 334-
West Chicago:
(630) 686-0027 Hinsdale: 630-654-AYSO. Lemont: (630) 257-5120 Western
Springs: (630) 829-4344
River Forest:
(708) 345-1162
