Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Education Access topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parent urges District 211 to let ATP students join high‑school clubs, dances and tournaments
Summary
A parent told the Township HSD 211 board that students in the district’s ATP transition program are being denied access to clubs, dances, musicals, the Amy Rudolph tournament and other extracurriculars and asked the district to add access through an IEP review; the board asked administration for follow‑up.
A Palatine‑area parent urged Township High School District 211 trustees on March 12 to allow students enrolled in the district’s ATP transition program to participate in high‑school extracurricular activities, including dances, musicals, club events and the Amy Rudolph tournament.
Moren Surin spoke during public comment, saying her daughter is a second‑year ATP student at the Higgins Center and that, following multiple IEP meetings and district conversations, the family had been told the ATP program did not provide access to many high‑school activities. Surin said she provided the district with guidance she had obtained from an ISBE official indicating that students retained for transition services could be eligible to continue receiving services and that IHSA bylaws allow some forms of non‑eligible students to serve in managerial or bench roles rather than appearing in uniform.
"Exclusion makes us suffer, inclusion makes us thrive," Surin told the board and requested an IEP meeting to add access to her daughter’s IEP and asked the district to schedule follow‑up meetings with administration.
The board indicated it would ask administration for more information and follow up on the request. Later in the meeting a board member formally asked administration to provide an administrative response to the public comment; trustees did not make any immediate policy changes on the record.
What’s next: Administration is expected to meet with the family and report back to the board on how ATP students’ access to extracurricular activities can be addressed within district policy, IEP processes and IHSA rules.
