District Documents - Exceptional Learners Collaborative

Community Guidelines

Material posted on official channels and associated accounts should reflect the ELC's Mission, Vision and Values, and should be consistent with the Employee Code of Conduct.

We do not allow:

Obscene, racist, defamatory, libelous, vulgar, abusive, offensive or disrespectful comments or posts. Profane words include those that use symbols, abbreviations and alternative spellings.
Posts that are threatening or demeaning to others or criticizing a specific person.
Off-topic or disruptive interactions.
Comments that include stereotypes of any group.
Graphics or posts that raise privacy concerns.
Posts that advocate illegal activity.
Promotion of products, services, political organizations/campaigns, or religious beliefs/organizations.
Infringement of copyrights or trademarks, including graphics, music and ELC logos.

Freedom of Information Act Requests

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a state statute that provides the public the right to access government documents and records. The premise behind FOIA is that the public has a right to know what the government is doing. The law provides that a person can ask a public body for a copy of its records on a specific subject and the public body must provide those records, unless there is an exemption in the statute that protects those records from disclosure (for example: records containing information concerning trade secrets or personal privacy).

In accordance with FOIA and ELC Board of Education Policy 2:250, the district's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) officer will respond to requests from anyone desiring to inspect and/or copy a district public record.

Requests will be approved, unless the requested material is (a) not a "public record" as defined by Policy 2:250; (b) exempt from inspection and copying by the Freedom of Information Act or any other state or federal law; or (c) not required to be preserved or cataloged. Also, FOIA requests can be denied if complying would be unduly burdensome.

FOIA requests may be submitted to ELC's FOIA Officer, Director of Business and Operations Jennifer Cox at jcox@elced.org.

Frequently Asked Questions By the Pubic (Illinois Attorney General's office publication)

McKinney-Vento Act

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Information

McKinney-Vento Definition of Homelessness

The term "homeless children and youths"--

(A) means individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence (within the meaning of section 103(a)(1)); and

(B) includes--

(i) children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations; are living in emergency or transitional shelters; or are abandoned in hospitals;*

(ii) children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings (within the meaning of section 103(a)(2)(C));

(iii) children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and

(iv) migratory children (as such term is defined in section 1309 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) who qualify as homeless for the purposes of this subtitle because the children are living in circumstances described in clauses (i) through (iii).

For all questions related to the education of children who may be experiencing homelessness, please contact:

Megan Clarke
mclarke@elced.org
224-513-6447

McKinney-Vento Documents and Resources

ELC Board Policy 6:140: Education of Homeless Children

McKinney Vento Resources

National Center for Homeless Education

Illinois Homeless Youth Handbook

PADS: Lake County Illinois

Policies and Procedures

Salary and Benefits

Salary Data

2023-2024 Administrator and Teacher Salary and Benefits Report

Transparency in Coverage - Machine Readable Files
On November 12, 2020, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and the Treasury finalized the Transparency in Coverage Rule that requires health insurers and group health plans to post publicly available machine-readable files that include in-network negotiated payment rates and out-of-network charges for covered items and services between plans and providers.

*Information about Illinois Public Act 097-0609 is available at the District Office.

Technology

Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA)

We are committed to maintaining the safety and security of our students. In this digital age, that commitment includes the protection of our students' data and personal information.

Effective July 1, 2021, the Student Online Personal Protection Act (SOPPA) requires every Illinois school district to provide additional guarantees that student data is protected when collected by educational technology companies and used for beneficial purposes only (105 ILCS 85).

What does this mean, specifically?

All digital tools and applications that collect student data — which includes a wide range of personally identifiable information — will be reviewed, approved, and have a data privacy agreement in place before use by any faculty or staff. Personally identifiable information collected by companies through these applications will be for the benefit of educational purposes only.

While we have always made and will continue to make every effort to protect the privacy of our students, SOPPA requires us to implement additional safeguards, including a more rigorous vetting process of digital solutions that capture students' personal information.

How does this impact our students and families?

Moving forward, the District will publicly post a database of information related to the digital solutions used in our classrooms. The database, which updates in real-time, includes a list of applications used at Exceptional Learners Collaborative, vendor agreements, and captured data elements.

Students and families can review that information anytime here.

The SOPPA regulations we adhere to will not impact the teaching and learning experience in any way. If you have any questions about SOPPA or our data security measures, don't hesitate to contact us.

Title IX Training

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 provides federal protection of people from discrimination based on sex in educational programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. We are committed to providing a safe, equitable teaching and learning environment for our students, staff and faculty.

Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure

Sexual harassment affects a student’s ability to learn and an employee’s ability to work. Providing an educational and workplace environment free from sexual harassment is an important District goal. The District does not discriminate on the basis of sex in any of its education programs or activities, and it complies with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) and its implementing regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106) concerning everyone in the District’s education programs and activities, including applicants for employment, students, guardians, employees, and third parties.

Information regarding the sexual harassment grievance procedure and required information can be found using the links below.

· Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure.

· Non-Discrimination Policy