Special Education

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. 
 

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.

No. The provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship, does not constitute work or tasks for the purposes of this definition. Since they are not trained to perform a specific job or task, they do not qualify as a service animal under the ADA.

The handler is responsible for caring and supervising the service animal, which includes toileting, feeding, grooming and veterinary care. 

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. 

Please fill out this form and submit it to the Superintendent, building Principal or Director of Special Education for approval. 

No. People with disabilities have the right to train the animal themselves and are not required to use a professional service training program.

No. The ADA does not require an animal to wear something specific to identify themselves.

The handler is responsible for caring and supervising the service animal, which includes toileting, feeding, grooming and veterinary care. 

The District balances the rights of other students or staff members who have disabilities through interactive dialogue process to determine what accommodations may be needed for competing educational interests (i.e. service animal presence, student with allergies).

The service animal is required to be under the control of the handler at all times. For example, the service animal should not be allowed to bark repeatedly in the classroom. However, if a dog barks just once, this would not mean that the dog is out of control.

For answers to other commonly asked questions, please reference the Department of Justice document, Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA