Indian Prairie 204 reports rising share of students with autism, outlines STEPs and RISE reviews

District student‑services leaders told the Indian Prairie Unit District 204 Board of Education on April 6 that the number and proportion of students the district serves through individualized education programs (IEPs) has risen in recent years, with autism representing an especially large and growing share of the district’s special‑education population.

"We are serving about twice as many students with autism as the state," said Christine Igoe, a new leader in the student services department, summarizing the district’s December 1 child‑count snapshot and comparing district rates with state and national averages. Igoe and colleagues emphasized that while the district’s overall IEP percentage remains below state and national averages, the composition of needs (notably more students with autism) changes program and staffing requirements.

Board members praised the presentations and pressed for comparison data and clarity. Board member Justin Karubas cautioned that a slide showing "23%" could be misread: "That is not 23% of our whole population — it's a percentage of students that have disability," he said, urging careful labeling when materials are published.

Presenters described targeted program work in response to these trends. Anne Dragosh outlined plans for STEPs (the district’s transition program) to implement a guaranteed and viable curriculum for transition, with functional ELA, functional math, independent‑living skills and community‑based instruction aligned to ISBE employability standards. Michelle Shabaker summarized the RISE elementary program review, noting a staff survey, formation of a representative working team, development of a program‑indicator rubric, and a gap analysis to prioritize multi‑year improvements.

Igoe said the district will convene a literacy review committee of general and special‑education teachers and administrators to examine core curriculum access and identify supports that would allow students with disabilities to participate more fully in general‑education classrooms. Staff said some changes and training are planned over the summer and ahead of the 2026–27 school year.

Board members and the superintendent gave strong verbal support for the effort; staff committed to sharing comparative metrics and follow‑up materials with the board.