Early Childhood Programs

The District 54 Preschool for All (PFA) program is a state funded program designed to serve the most at-risk 3 to 5 year-old preschool children in our community. Program eligibility is determined upon multiple at-risk factors identified through a screening process. 

 To set up a screening please follow the two steps below:

 1.) Complete the district’s online registration.

•  If your family is new to the district, use this online registration link. Please select PK for grade.
•   If you have a student currently enrolled in District 54, you can register through your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account. If you do not have your login, please contact [email protected] Please select PK for grade.

2.)  After submitting the online application, you will receive an envelope at home with additional information about the process and forms to complete. Completed forms and documents are required to receive a screening appointment. You will also need to provide:

• A copy of your child’s birth certificate
• Proof of family annual income 
• Proof of Residence

*Please note that by completing these forms you are not registering your child in school.

If you do not have access to complete the forms online, please contact us at 847-230-1742 or email [email protected]

The Early Childhood Special Education Program (ECSE) is for children between the ages of 3 and 5 years old. This program serves children who are identified as having a disability and who are eligible for special education services through an evaluation process and an Individualized Education Program (IEP). For more information about this program please call 847-230-1763 or email [email protected]

Home Visiting Program (Prenatal- age 3)

Qualifying families partner with Parent Educators and receive support in the areas of parent-child engagement, child development and family well-being.  In addition, Parent Educators conduct regular developmental, health and family-based screenings and facilitate the access to community resources such as food pantries, clothing closets, and health and wellness.

To apply for this program, please follow the steps below:

1. Send an email to [email protected]: Parent educators will provide information about our programs.  You will receive an envelope (via US mail) with instructions on paperwork to complete.
2. Complete and Turn in Paperwork: Fill out all the forms you receive. Once all the paperwork is completed, Parent Educators will make arrangements to collect registration paperwork from you.
3. Family Interview: After receiving the necessary paperwork, Parent Educators will contact you to complete a family interview to determine if your family is eligible for our program.
4. Eligibility Results: You will receive a call indicating if your family is eligible for the Prevention Initiative Home Visiting Program.

Community Resource Centers (0-5 years old)

In these centers, located throughout the community, Parent Educators facilitate a variety of parent-child interactions opportunities for families living within District 54 boundaries. A calendar of events for the year can be found here. For more information about this program, please email [email protected]