Special Education
Heather Miehl
The Office of Special Education oversees the following:
- Eligibility for special education services.
- Implementation of Individual Education Plans (IEP).
- Maintenance of special education records.
- Monitoring of special education rules and regulations.
- Preschool screening.
- Child Find and Proportionate Share
- Related services including speech and language, social work, occupational therapy, etc.
- Response to Intervention (RtI).
Interpreters for Special Education/504 Meetings
Effective June 10, 2022, school districts must provide qualified interpreters for parents who do not normally speak English, and licensed interpreters for deaf parents, at multidisciplinary meetings, mediations, Section 504 meetings and due process hearings. If you would like to request an interpreter for any of these meetings, please contact Teri Johnson, Administrative Assistant for Special Education at (847) 498-2610 ext. 5130 or johnson.t@nb27.org.
Procedural Safeguards for Parents/Guardians of Students with Disabilities (PDF)
PUNS stands for “Prioritization for Urgency of Needs for Services.” PUNS is a statewide database in Illinois through the Department of Human Services that records information about individuals with developmental disabilities who are planning for or seeking services. Families are encouraged to register their child with developmental disabilities with PUNS. The state has developed a guide for Understanding PUNS for parents. If District 27 parents have additional questions, please contact Heather Miehl, Director of Special Education - miehl.h@nb27.org and 847-205-3504.
Eligibility
Students with disabilities who do not qualify for an individualized education program (IEP), as required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and implementing provisions of the School Code, may qualify for services under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 if the child (i) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (ii) has a record of a physical or mental impairment, or (iii) is regarded as having a physical or mental impairment. Please contact your school building administrator or Heather Miehl, Director of Special Education with any questions.