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ETHS Special Education report: co‑teaching gains, growing vocational placements and concerns about chronic absenteeism
Summary
Special education leaders presented the district’s 2023–24 outcomes on May 12, reporting high pass rates in special‑education classes and co‑taught sections, growing vocational and postsecondary supports, and a longstanding concern about chronic absenteeism disproportionately affecting students with IEPs.
Evanston Township High School District 202 special‑education leaders presented the 2023–24 annual report to the board on May 12, citing strong course completion rates for students with individualized education programs (IEPs), expanded vocational partnerships, and continuing concerns about chronic truancy.
Director of Special Education Amy Verbeck and her leadership team described program outcomes: semester‑one data showed about 86% of students with IEPs earned A, B or C grades in special‑education classes and 93% earned passing grades, the presentation said. The district highlighted that students in co‑taught general‑education sections are outperforming peers in non‑co‑taught classes, and staff described the co‑teaching model as a priority for sustaining inclusion.
The district’s therapeutic day school, founded in 2020, has graduated 37 students to date and officials said 18 students had been reintegrated or dually enrolled in the main building this year. The report also cited vocational outcomes: 35 students were placed on campus or in community‑based vocational sites and the district maintains 12 community vocational partners; staff said three new partners were added this year. For postsecondary support, 39 students applied to the Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) for college or trade‑school funding this year and 18 had been approved as of the meeting.
The special‑education team presented targeted concerns. Attendance and chronic‑truancy measures showed sharp disparities. The board packet and presenters reported that about 38% of students with IEPs had seven or more unexcused absences in the year’s reporting window, compared with roughly 6% for all students — an imbalance district staff said requires further attention and early intervention.
Leaders told the board that the number of students requiring private‑day or private‑residential placements has edged up; the department will monitor whether the increase reflects unmet needs on the main campus or changes in referral patterns. The team said it is expanding tiered interventions, strengthening problem‑solving processes with deans and case managers, and developing attendance‑based interventions targeted to students in the “bubble” between good and poor attendance.
Board members asked for clarification about the district’s role in prevention versus referral and requested continued focus on professional development for classroom teachers so teachers can meet more students’ needs earlier. Presenters said they were expanding partnerships with instructional coaches and community organizations such as Center for Independent Futures to support transition planning, paid summer employment and other post‑secondary outcomes.
No formal board action was taken; the presentation served as the department’s annual report to the board and a request to continue programmatic work and community partnerships.
