Skip to main content

Cicero School District 99

We Move Forward Together!

Schools

Popular Links

  1. Departments
  2. Special Education

Special Education

People

Special Education

Supporting every learner. Celebrating every strength. Empowering every success.

 

Our Special Education Department is committed to ensuring that all students with disabilities receive a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment, as outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). We believe every child can learn and thrive when given the right supports, opportunities, and care.

Our mission is to provide individualized instruction, services, and supports that empower students to access the curriculum, participate meaningfully in school life, and develop skills for lifelong success. We serve students ages 3–21 who qualify for special education through a collaborative team evaluation that includes educators, specialists, and families.

We are dedicated to inclusive practices, with students receiving instruction alongside their peers whenever possible. Supportive services are delivered by qualified special education teachers in partnership with general education staff, either in the regular classroom or a resource setting.

Our programs are designed to help students meet Illinois State Standards and district learning expectations, while building their capacity to become independent, resilient problem-solvers and lifelong learners. Above all, we value families as essential partners in every step of the process.

 

  • Literacy Footprints Logo
    Literacy Footprints

    A small-group guided reading program used in both general education and Instructional Self-Contained classrooms. It provides targeted support to help students strengthen early reading skills and build confidence as readers.

  • Unique Learning System
    Unique

    An alternative curriculum used in specialized programs like AIP/AIPM and STR. Unique Learning System focuses on foundational academic skills in reading, writing, and math, while promoting independence through structured life skills instruction.

  • Sandi Online Assessment
    SANDI Assesment

    A comprehensive assessment tool used in specialized programs to evaluate student strengths and needs. SANDI helps guide individualized instruction and supports the development of meaningful IEP goals for each student.

Individual Education Plans (IEP)

Children with disabilities in general education settings access the core curriculum—reading, writing, math, social studies, and science—with accommodations and modifications outlined in their Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Students in more restrictive settings, such as Instructional Self-Contained classrooms, also engage with the general education curriculum in these subject areas, supported by accommodations specified in their IEPs. These students follow a specialized pacing guide tailored to meet their individual learning needs.

Child Find

The State of Illinois requires each school district to actively identify and evaluate all children from birth through age 21 who may be eligible for special education and related services—including those not enrolled in public schools.

A musician plays guitar while a person smiles and looks on.As an elementary school district serving children ages 3 through 15, Cicero School District 99 recognizes this responsibility and provides screening and evaluation services to identify children who may have a disability impacting their educational performance.

Referrals for screening or evaluation can be made by a parent, teacher, school personnel, a child, an employee of a community service agency, a professional familiar with the child’s needs, or an employee of the Illinois State Board of Education.

 

  • Screening and evaluation services are handled through:

    Child and Family Connections #7

    📞 Please Call For An Appointment: (708) 449-0625

  • Screenings take place all year round:

    D99 Early Childhood Center

    📞 For an appointment call: (708) 982-4500

  • Contact the building principal or assistant principal to discuss your concerns. The Pupil Personnel Service Team will discuss with the parent the steps they will take to determine if the child has a disability that impacts educational performance.

  • Annual Vision Screenings are provided for the following groups to identify suspected vision impairments:

    • Special education students
    • Preschool-aged children
    • Kindergarten, 2nd grade, and 8th grade students
    • New or transfer students
    • Students referred by school staff

     

    Annual Hearing Screenings are provided for the following groups to identify suspected hearing impairments:

    • Preschool-aged children
    • Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade students
    • Special education students
    • New or transfer students
    • Students referred by school staff

AAC Devices In District 99

The goal is to meet the individual and unique needs of every student by providing strategies and educational opportunities that empower them to become problem solvers, decision-makers, and independent, productive citizens. Learn how we incorporates augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices in classrooms to support students with speech and language impairments in expressing themselves and connecting with others. For students who communicate differently, we provides tools and technology that help them find their voice and use it effectively and meaningfully. AAC includes a wide range of communication methods—from sign language and gestures to writing, picture exchange systems, and high-tech speech-generating devices. These tools support both expressive and receptive language, helping students thrive in all aspects of learning and social interaction.