Welcome from the Executive Director

Welcome to the LaGrange Area Department of Special Education (LADSE) website! The LADSE cooperative consists of seventeen school districts located in west Cook and east DuPage counties in the near west Chicago suburbs. LADSE was the first special education cooperative established in Illinois and retains all sixteen of its founding member districts.

The purpose of our site is to provide an overview of our multi-district programs, services, and professional development activities. The site identifies resources that are available to parents, LADSE staff, and member districts. I would also like to refer the user to our online application process for those seeking employment.

LADSE is committed to the delivery of innovative programs and services with the goal of improving the education and quality of life for all of the students and families we serve. We hope that the information we have included will provide all interested parties with meaningful information about our programs, services, and staff.

Please do not hesitate to contact me or any member of the LADSE staff for further assistance.

Dr. Jim Surber, Executive Director