Screening

D102 Developmental Screening
D102 provides free developmental screening for all children ages 3-5 living within the D102 boundaries. During this process, children are screened in five developmental areas including fine and gross motor, speech and language, concepts/pre-academics, self-help, and social-emotional. Children also participate in an English language assessment if they are exposed to another language at home and a hearing and vision assessment. The purpose of the screening is to 1) answer questions parents may have about their child’s development; 2) identify children who may need a more comprehensive evaluation to understand their needs; 3) identify children who qualify for free preschool based on certain risk factors. During the screening, children rotate through 4 to 5 different stations where they complete a series of activities in each developmental area while parents complete a short interview with our early childhood social worker. Screenings are conducted multiple times during the school year and are available by appointment only (please see schedule below). All children must attend our screening in order to be eligible for enrollment in the program.

2024-2025 Screening Dates:

  • August 6th

  • August 7th

  • September 6th

  • September 13th

  • October 11th

  • December 6th

  • February 6th

  • February 7th

  • March 6th

  • March 7th

  • April 11th

Screening Process

Scheduling a Screening
The first step in scheduling a screening is to complete the New Student Pre-Registration form. Make sure to share any information about your child’s development, including their strengths and any concerns you may have. Once this form is complete, a member of the Early Learning team will contact you to schedule your child’s screening.

Preparing for Screening
Once your screening appointment is scheduled, the following steps must be completed in order to participate in the screening.

  1. Residency documents should be submitted to Jenny Share, Meridian Early Childhood Secretary, no later than 3 days before your screening appointment.
    – Review the Residency Verification Form to identify necessary documents

  2. The language questionnaire emailed in the screening confirmation email must be completed no later than 1 week before your screening appointment.

  3. The developmental rating scale (entitled: DIAL-4 Parent Questionnaire) should be completed and brought with you on the day of your screening appointment.

After Screening
Within one week of your screening appointment, a member of the Early Childhood team will reach out to you to share the results of your child’s screening and how this will impact your child’s enrollment (At-Risk, Tuition-Based, or further evaluation to consider Special Education services). You will also be informed if your child has been accepted into the program or placed on the waitlist based on availability.

Please contact Jenny Share, Early Childhood Secretary, for more information.
Jenny Share
Email Jenny Share
(847) 955-3501

How to Qualify

Children qualify for the Early Childhood Program by meeting one of the criteria:

At-Risk: Children who are at risk for delay in one or more areas of their development without effective intervention. The qualifying factors are weighted differently depending upon severity. Other risk factors will be considered based on the Family History Survey, Home Language Survey, and At-Risk Checklist.

Special Education: Students receiving services through early intervention or identified through our screening process may be asked to participate in a more thorough evaluation with parent consent. Based on the evaluation, the school team will partner with parents to determine whether the child is eligible to receive special education services.

Paid: Children who do not qualify for either of the above eligibilities may attend as a tuition-paying student. Tuition students pay a monthly fee of $444.44. There is no reduction in tuition due to absences, vacations, or school breaks.

Note: Students must attend screening prior to completing registration. Students who are eligible for the Early Childhood Program as At-Risk or through Special Education services qualify for free and receive transportation.