Board renews contracts for specialized special-education services and funds professional development

District 207 approved several actions to maintain and strengthen special-education services: continuing the contract with House of Light for orientation and mobility and vision services, extending an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Niles Township Day School Consortium for placements for students with complex needs, and contracting Empowered Education Consulting to support professional development and implement recommendations from the district's special-education program review.

Administrators said House of Light provides certified teachers and orientation-and-mobility services required by students' individualized education programs (IEPs). The district reported difficulty recruiting certified staff for these highly specialized roles and said the vendor has provided satisfactory service; the board approved continuing the contract.

The IGA with Niles Township Day School Consortium was described as longstanding and necessary for students whose needs cannot be met in-district. Administrators said one additional student has been placed there, increasing the agreement cost slightly; the placement follows an IEP determination that district schools cannot meet the student's needs.

Empowered Education Consulting (Empower Ed) will continue work supporting the district's special-education program review and provide professional development for co-teachers and inclusion facilitators. Administration said part of the vendor's role this year will be to train district LBS1 staff to deliver future PD internally, making the program more sustainable. Funding for Empower Ed services will come from the Individuals with Disabilities Education grant.

Board members voted to approve all three actions.