Specialized Programs

ELS

Educational Life Skills

ELS is a cross categorical instructional program for students with intellectual disabilities and/or other disabilities with similar characteristics.

ELS classrooms offer a small, structured environment and are staffed on two student to one adult ratio, with an emphasis on functional academics and life skills, community living skills, and social and pragmatic language skills. Pre-vocational skills are taught beginning in middle school and continued through high school.

Key components of ELS include:

• Program emphasis is on the development of critical academic and life skills through a collaborative team based approach.
• Curriculum content is aligned with Illinois standards and general education curriculum as appropriate.
• The program provides intensive educational experiences for students learning and generalizes skills across a variety of settings.
• Students work towards individual goals and highly individualized instruction that will enable them to maximize their potentials.
• In high school, students work on learning pre-vocational skills in class, within the school and at pre-vocational training sites. A vocational specialist and job coaches assist students in pre-vocational training in the community.
• Integration opportunities with typically developing peers are available as indicated on the IEP to meet students’ needs.
• Adapted Physical education classes are provided weekly for elementary programs and dally for middle and high school programs