- TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804
- Our History
History | From NSSED to TrueNorth
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TrueNorth was first established as The Northern Suburban Special Education District (NSSED) to ensure that all students requiring special education would receive it even if their own districts did not have the facilities or staff to provide these services.
TrueNorth.mp4 from TrueNorth on Vimeo.
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The Evolution of our Mission
The Northern Suburban Special Education District (NSSED), one of the first special education joint agreements in Illinois, was organized in 1960 and grew out of loosely knit organization of North Shore schools that provided limited special education services for their students. Special education joint agreements were originally created in Illinois to enable school districts to collaborate to ensure the availability of special education services for all children, regardless of the nature of their disability. They provide an “economy of scale” in providing certain special education services, particularly in highly specialized areas where districts cannot provide those services cost effectively on their own.
Early in its history, NSSED had primary responsibility to provide special education and related services to most special education students on behalf of its member district. As service delivery models have changed, TrueNorth's mission has changed and now focuses on:
- Specialized instructional programs for students with low-incidence disabilities that are beyond the scope of most member districts (e.g., Education and Life Skills Program, North Shore Academy, Early Childhood Education)
- Delivering a "menu" of supportive services (e.g., assistive technology, behavioral intervention, vision services, and others); these services are only provided upon request of a district's IEP team
- Leadership in best practices in special education and professional development to support district special educators
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Putting it in Perspective
Read about the evolution of special education in America, and how TrueNorth has been at the forefront of progress since 1960.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the cooperative’s new name?
On July 1, 2021, the cooperative’s name changed to TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804.
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Are programs and services closing?
No. We remain the same organization with the same services and programs. However, like all organizations, we too will change and believe it positions us for growth in the years ahead as students, member district needs, and the educational field evolves.
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Why is this happening?
Our new name more accurately reflects our updated mission and vision statements. As federal law requires, and evidence-based research supports, students with disabilities should be educated with their nondisabled peers to the greatest extent appropriate, and the systems that support them should be integrated and comprehensive. Updating our name allows us to market to wider audiences across the region and expands the organization for long-term success, while making inclusion a moral imperative for all of us.
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Why was this name chosen?
The name TrueNorth Educational Cooperative 804 is grounded in values of justice, inclusion and equity.
- “True” reflects that we are committed to our values
- “North” reflects:
- the organization’s legacy and current program and service names,
- our location of the northern suburbs, and
- references each learner’s individual journey
- “Educational Cooperative” differentiates us from a typical school district and more accurately reflects our unique 18 member district composition
- 804 is our official district number from the State of Illinois
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I have more questions, what should I do?
Please contact your service or program administrator, or email info@truenorth804.org.