Special Education
The Glenbrook High Schools are committed to providing an excellent education for all students. Every student has the right to a free and appropriate public education that is designed to meet his or her individual needs.
The special education department is committed to providing supports and services to enable students to develop educational, personal, and vocational skills. In order to meet the needs of all children, we provide a continuum of special education and related services. In addition, the school district works in partnership with TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 (formerly NSSED). This partnership allows District 225 to take advantage of educational opportunities and services for staff and families.
In This Section
Our Staff
Service Animal FAQ
At a regular board meeting on February 14, 2022, the Glenbrook High School District 225 Board of Education approved a new procedure for service animal access to its students.
Board policy procedure 7110 states, “A student with a disability, as defined under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”), is permitted to have a service animal, as defined in this Administrative Procedure, to accompany that student to all school and school-related functions, whether in or outside the classroom to the extent permitted by federal and state law. District personnel shall use this Administrative Procedure to manage legal and practical issues when a student with a disability uses a service animal at school or school-related activities.”
Please review our Frequently Asked Questions on additional qualifications for a service animal:
- What is a service animal?
- What does ‘do work or perform tasks’ mean?
- Are emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion animals considered service animals under the ADA?
- Who is responsible for the care and supervision of a service animal?
- What is a handler?
- I am the parent of a child with a disability who has a service animal at home. How do I request access for my child's service animal to attend school functions?
- Does the ADA require service animals to be professionally trained?
- Do service animals have to wear a vest or patch to identify themselves?
- Who is responsible for the care and supervision of a service animal?
- How do you accommodate others with disabilities that may be in proximity with a service animal?
- How will the animal not disrupt the classroom environment?
- Additional FAQ about Services Animals and the ADA
What is a service animal?
A service animal is defined as a dog or miniature horse trained or being trained as a hearing animal, guide animal, assistance animal, seizure alert animal, psychiatric service animal, autism service animal, or animal otherwise trained to assist an individual with a physical, mental, or intellectual disability, according to State law, 105 ILCS 5/14-6.02; 720 ILCS 5/48-8. Federal law defines service animal as any dog or miniature horse that is individually trained to perform tasks or work for the benefit of a student with a disability. 28 C.F.R. §§35.104 and 35.136.
Federal law also explains that other specific animals, whether wild or domestic, trained, or untrained, are not service animals. Further, emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion animals are not considered service animals under the ADA.
What does ‘do work or perform tasks’ mean?
The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the individual's disability. Examples of work or tasks include, but are not limited to, assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision with navigation and other tasks, alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to the presence of people or sounds, providing non-violent protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair, assisting an individual during a seizure, etc.
Are emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion animals considered service animals under the ADA?
Who is responsible for the care and supervision of a service animal?
What is a handler?
A handler is an individual (typically a student) who has and maintains control over the service animal at school and school-related functions. This individual may be the student using the service animal. Control of the service animal means using a harness, leash, or other tether, unless the handler is unable because of a disability to use one of these devices or their use would interfere with the service animal’s safe, effective performance of work or tasks. If or when these devices are not used, control of the service animal must be accomplished through voice control, signals, or other effective means. The school is not responsible for handling, care for or cleaning up after the service animal.
I am the parent of a child with a disability who has a service animal at home. How do I request access for my child's service animal to attend school functions?
Does the ADA require service animals to be professionally trained?
Do service animals have to wear a vest or patch to identify themselves?
Who is responsible for the care and supervision of a service animal?
How do you accommodate others with disabilities that may be in proximity with a service animal?
How will the animal not disrupt the classroom environment?
Additional FAQ about Services Animals and the ADA
For answers to other commonly asked questions, please reference the Department of Justice document, Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA
Resources
- Board Procedure: Education of Students with Disabilities
- Homebound Medical Certification Form
- Notice of Procedural Safeguards for Parents/Guardians of Students with Disabilities
- Services For Students With Disabilities: Special Education and Section 504
- *Updated* Notice of Procedural Safeguards for Parents/Guardians of Students with Disabilities Regarding Related Service Logs
Suicide Prevention
- Text-A-Tip: a 24/7 anonymous text-communication system for youth needing immediate mental health assistance for themselves or a friend. Students can text "GBS HELP" or "GBN HELP" and their message to 1-844-823-5323
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a Crisis Counselor
- Safe2Help Illinois Helpline