[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6288008,"mediaKeyId","2545331-fb03c7294c7740d8a4872c5aa7e3769b","parentId",2545331,"title","Indian Prairie details special‑education enrollment, preschool growth and assistive‑technology program","audioSeconds",302,"startMs",1373000,"endMs",1675000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2545331-fb03c7294c7740d8a4872c5aa7e3769b&start=1373&end=1675","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2545331-fb03c7294c7740d8a4872c5aa7e3769b/thumbnail_1373000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6288008/Illinois/Indian-Prairie-details-specialeducation-enrollment-preschool-growth-and-assistivetechnology-program","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6288008-aca61e709af71d0c6537a2f9f0fc07c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810610&Signature=WqdpSALepw0OzpetRwn5LkMiVG~90S~WrzCVbzqr9pJWqbbwEWSpqP-thkPNd7kblvjxXzC-TOjuIw7Ymx3ImPRlhEq0iokwzimcFYRel3iAwYN3Yb8RpfPmz0UHKHodosjEizVhQyEYO-9LpFNU8dZhDbYhF8b4mJlQsu1QWYsPNhl3kf1-cAZo3kXD44W23XOE9cYTEgGpCo24ub1qRLrBjMk0cllcyewNXRWBHV-aKIGN4G1SQlZFAL2AmiA4YqOCxpDDPH56owK12Xqor~4JaSJUQeB~fkFx~g1sJdtCFpvV6Lususrm4pgOY2cxsjvffEnufbOQXbxLLjANLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Indian Prairie CUSD 204","date","2025-03-11T01:24:54Z","article","District 204 staff told the Board of Education March 10 that the district’s special education population continues to grow and described a range of supports from preschool through transition services, with a focus on assistive technology (AT), training and cost‑saving in‑house fabrication.

Student services staff reported that the district’s December child count was 3,107 students receiving special education services. Preschool enrollment in the district’s program was 724 students as of the December count and rose to 745 as of Feb. 28, 2025. Staff said the preschool operates 27 classrooms at three sites (Shoreline: 19 classrooms; Graham: 6; Georgetown: 2) and that about 57% of preschool families list a primary language other than English; staff said they identified about 58 languages currently spoken in the preschool program.

Sally Osborne, principal of Prairie Children Preschool, summarized the preschool program and instruction, noting dual‑certified teachers, playgrounds designed for motor development and alignment to Illinois early learning standards. \"We have 27 classrooms at 3 sites,\" Osborne said, and described family engagement practices and the preschool’s Gold Circle quality designation from the Illinois monitoring process.

District staff also described targeted supports and staffing: the district reported 104 young adults in its Steps program, about 140 students placed out of district (typically in private therapeutic day schools paid for and monitored by the district), and one student in residential placement. Staff said speech and social‑work services remain the most widely accessed supports. The district’s special education percentage was reported at 11% of enrollment compared with a state level of 16% and a national norm near 15%.

Assistive technology presentation and examples
Assistive‑technology specialists demonstrated a range of AT devices from \"low tech\" (pencil grips, slant boards, picture communication books) and mid‑tech items (single‑message devices, adaptive scissors, proximity switches, adaptive pouring cups) to high‑tech systems (communication apps on tablets, eye‑gaze devices). The team described a tiered approach to communication supports intended to get systems into students’ hands more quickly while providing training and implementation coaching.

One specialist cited the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) when describing the legal definition and scope of assistive technology: \"If I was reading what assistive technology is defined, as via IDEA, it is any item, piece of equipment, or product, system, whether acquired commercially, off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of a person with a disability.\" The team also described local examples of cost savings from in‑house fabrication: a commercially purchased Communicate AT accessory listed at about $185 can be 3D printed in district for roughly $0.66; a switch that costs about $75 commercially can be 3D printed for about $1.07; and staff adapted inexpensive toys and devices for switch activation at low cost.

Training and implementation
Staff said training for school staff and families is required under IDEA when devices are included in an IEP; the district has expanded training options, including on‑demand modules through Infinitec and live virtual sessions. Assistive‑technology staff handle device inventory and record keeping; the district’s technician (a 12‑month employee) manages ordering, budgeting, repairs and device distribution. Staff said AT purchases and training are funded primarily through the IDEA grant, but costs for some high‑end devices can exceed several thousand dollars for a single student.

Questions from board members covered out‑of‑district placements, the preschool’s growth and staffing, demographic changes, record keeping and training logistics. Staff said out‑of‑district placements are for students whose needs exceed the district’s capacity, that the district funds tuition and transportation for those placements and monitors students’ returns when appropriate.

Why it matters: the presentation highlighted expanding needs and supports for students with disabilities, early‑childhood enrollment growth, multilingual family engagement and the district's efforts to use training, device standardization and in‑house fabrication to increase access and control costs.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting 03/10/2025","oneSentenceSummary","District 204 staff updated the board March 10 on special education enrollment, preschool expansion and the assistive‑technology program, reporting a December child count of 3,107 special‑education students and preschool enrollment growing from 724 (Dec.) to 745 (Feb. 28, 2025).","taxTitle","Indian Prairie CUSD 204, School Boards, Illinois","taxId",13067,"location","Illinois","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6288013,"Indian Prairie Board approves Gregory Middle School principal, adopts calendar and MOU on parent‑teacher conferences",556,839000,1395000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2545331-fb03c7294c7740d8a4872c5aa7e3769b&start=839&end=1395","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2545331-fb03c7294c7740d8a4872c5aa7e3769b/thumbnail_839000.jpg","/articles/6288013/Illinois/Indian-Prairie-Board-approves-Gregory-Middle-School-principal-adopts-calendar-and-MOU-on-parentteacher-conferences","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6288013-679b12c2165c98837f5ea8ce47d12897/orig.mp4?Expires=1770810610&Signature=Hr8WImQ~5GJ8uA7mSYNSagKuyfgm4wxPfygPQuYneuEOUkdCGPCnFnfs9UDphmS0BUGP1PeY-4kXLIgO5V--q08YuQ4T07huoBeXg-ads5McTly2YKjm2OxCFSuhGUwDLrFTbNrSrAi4mt3Xyf8C9FW3x9N6HZCZzhslWLaobz4V4sP9jRYzIiQxQPzgYzfMZERoM1JAnsynoQ2dzrQ3JA6wOH9tUR4R9OcRo84PWsda-Xw5M~38WZcYWEegdO~5YWBJWNnLH322~03SbF38bxQU9w~Zua0DjDJhYr5f7Wa~yWyNMPWBDgfZcDZ7iMTLcB-Ene34-fj6Qj3I7EWLeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Indian Prairie School District 204 Board of Education voted unanimously March 10 to appoint Patrick Raleigh as principal of Gregory Middle School effective July 1, 2025, to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Prairie Education Association on parent‑teacher conferences, and to adopt the 2026–27 school calendar.

The actions came during the board’s regular meeting after Superintendent Dr. Talley recommended the appointment and staff presented the conference schedule changes. The appointment motion passed on a roll call with all members voting in favor. Patrick Raleigh, currently an assistant principal at Gregory, said he was \"beyond excited\" for the opportunity and introduced family members who attended the meeting.

Board members and staff framed the memorandum of understanding as a limited, schedule‑specific agreement to allow flexibility for parent‑teacher conferences. \"It is all about our conferences that we have and parent teacher conferences,\" a district administrator explained, saying the agreement follows the same approach used for the 2025–26 school year with one notable exception: the district will include the first week of November as a potential window for fall conferences to allow flexibility around major election dates. Under the calendar option the board adopted (Option B), one conference date moves to a Monday evening and the following Tuesday is an off day for students for the election and a staff SIP (school improvement) day.

Why it matters: the MOU and calendar change affect when families and staff schedule conferences, and the calendar adoption sets the district’s instructional and noninstructional days for the 2026–27 school year.

Details from the meeting:
- Appointment: Patrick Raleigh, effective 07/01/2025; motion approved on a roll call with unanimous support.
- Memorandum of Understanding: approved; language permits fall conferences to occur in late October or extend into the first week of November to accommodate election schedules and provide scheduling flexibility for families and staff.
- 2026–27 school calendar: the board adopted Option B, which moves one parent‑teacher conference to a Monday evening and designates the following Tuesday as a non‑student day for elections and a SIP day; the board noted Option B received 65% support in staff surveys presented during the meeting.

Board procedure and votes were handled by roll call. The consent agenda (items labeled E through N) was also approved earlier in the meeting by roll call.

The board did not debate changes to district policy language during the meeting; staff said the calendar and MOU are consistent with prior practice and previous memoranda used in 2025–26.

Looking ahead, the newly adopted calendar and MOU will be used for planning by schools, families and staff; parents were reminded in the meeting that details and timelines for conference sign‑ups would come from individual schools.

","The Indian Prairie School District 204 Board of Education voted unanimously March 10 to appoint Patrick Raleigh as principal of Gregory Middle School, approve a memorandum of understanding with the district teachers' association on parent‑teacher conference scheduling, and adopt the 2026–27 school calendar (option B).","actionData","errors"]

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Indian Prairie details special‑education enrollment, preschool growth and assistive‑technology program

Indian Prairie Board approves Gregory Middle School principal, adopts calendar and MOU on parent‑teacher conferences