In 2007, Schiller Park School District 81 disagreed with the funding formulas for LASEC and decided to go it alone.  By 2008, Schiller Park School District 81 had disassociated from LASEC.

Now with the ongoing budget and funding crisis in the educational system of the State of Illinois, Norridge School District 80 has taken a leadership role in questioning the costs of LASEC and their ongoing benefits to the District.

At the October 10, 2017, Norridge SD 80 Board Meeting the Board adopted a resolutionNorridge School District 80 Resolution Regarding Special Education empowering the School Superintendent to investigate the special education services currently provided to the District and report/make recommendations to the Board of Education.  This investigation will include reviewing the costs of special education services provided inside  and outside the District to its students with IEP’s.    This process will include examining options for revising SD 80’s relationship with LASEC.

What has to be examined is whether money that currently is being used for administrative services for another organization would be better served providing services to District 80 students in amore inclusive manner within the District 80 classrooms.

In parallel, Elmwood Park CUSD #401 is also reviewing their ongoing relationship with LASEC Elmwood Park CUSD 401 Letter Regarding Internalizing Special Education Services and Personnel as they expand their Student Services Department.   SD401 is proceeding to take over certain functions of the Leyden Area Special Education CoOperative which in they past LASEC has performed.    SD 401 projects that currently are funding approximately $400,000 of LASEC’s administrative costs which they hope to return to SD401 to provide those funds as services directly to the Elmwood Park students.

As the time proceeds, both Districts are attempting to enter into a meaningful dialogue with LASEC to achieve a mutually satisfactory working relationship with LASEC while protecting the taxpayers dollars as well as making sure the maximum amount of funds are available for the students’ services with IEP’s.

Future posts will explore the impact upon other partner school’s remaining in the CoOp as these relationships are redefined.

Furthermore, it is important to enter into a discussion as to whether withdrawl from LASEC is beneficial to the students and not just the taxpayers.

Such success or failure of SD 81’s Special Education Program upon their withdrawl in 2008 will be further explored in future posts as well.