Private/Parochial Schools & Home Schools

Parent Referral for Evaluation

Special Education Procedures for Students Attending Private, Parochial & Home Schools

A student who attends a private, parochial, or home school in Oak Park is eligible for consideration of a special education evaluation and services in accordance with IDEA 2004-section 612. When there is reason to believe that a student may have a disability requiring special education and related services, the student can be referred for a special education evaluation. Referral may be made by any concerned person, including,  but not limited to school personnel, the parent/guardian of the student, an employee of a community service agency, professional having knowledge of a student’s problem, a student, or an employee of ISBE.

Service Plan:

During our annual “Timely and Meaningful Consultation Meeting” each fall with the staff from private, parochial and home schools, we work together in determining special education services for the academic year for students who attend those schools in Oak Park. Students who attend these schools receive a service plan if they are eligible for special education services.

If students have a current service plan the parent registers in the District Office with the assistance of the Department of Special Education. The parent/guardian or school completes a registration form, provide proof of school attendance and health records. After these documents are obtained the Assistant Director of Special Education assigns the student to a case manager based on their caseload.

We only service as many students as we are given through our proportionate share dollars through ISBE. Therefore, if many students want services in a given school year students are sometimes, unfortunately, placed on a waiting list as a service plan student.

Dual Enrollment:

Parents who enroll their student in a private/parochial or home school have an option of registering in their resident school for Dual Enrollment to obtain a full range of services that are afforded through an IEP. Each district defines “Dual Enrollment” differently. If a student/parent who resides in Oak Park wants to obtain services through an IEP they must register in the District as a Dual Enrollee. District 97 defines Dual Enrollment as a private/parochial student who lives in Oak Park and must attend a local District 97 school 5 days a week for a minimum of 40 minutes in a general education setting and then receives their special education services.

To apply for Dual Enrollment the parents would go to the District office to complete the registration process before services begin. The parent would complete a registration form, sign consent of information form to obtain school records and provide health records.