Special Education Services Inc., represented at the hearing by Rory Conran, asked the Tazewell County Zoning Board of Appeals for a Class B special‑use permit to operate a private school for students with disabilities at an existing building in an A1 (ag preservation) district (case 2540S). Community development staff recommended approval; the Tazewell County Health Department said the property’s septic may be undersized and must be upgraded before the school can operate.

Conran told the board the organization partners with local school districts to provide services for students whose individualized education program (IEP) teams determine they cannot receive required services in their home district. “The students actually continue to remain public school students. They are just at our location receiving the services that they need,” Conran said. He described plans to rehab the existing building — including adding classrooms, HVAC and a sprinkler system — and to comply with Illinois State Board of Education health, life‑safety and licensing requirements before opening.

Conran and staff discussed anticipated operations: up to about 120 students could attend in total at peak, with many students transported by 10‑passenger vans and a small number by larger buses; typical daily hours would begin about 8:30 a.m. and end about 2 p.m. Conran said the program would draw students from local districts and could reduce long bus rides now required to reach programs in other counties; he said the nonprofit has 33 facilities nationwide and expects to relocate roughly 70 students back into the local area from other sites.

On funding and oversight, Conran explained that local school districts pay a per‑day tuition rate determined under state procedures and that after a certain threshold the Illinois Purchase Care Review Board/State reimburses some costs; the organization is subject to state cost‑containment rules for private providers. County staff noted the site sits on Highway 98 with adequate road access and that most activity will be contained within the existing building and parking area.

The board did not vote at the hearing; because this is a Class B special‑use case, the zoning board has final authority to decide. If approved, the petitioner must obtain health‑department approvals for septic/well upgrades, complete required fire and school inspections, and record any conditions attached to the special use prior to accepting students.