Accessibility

School District 15 is committed to making this website accessible to visitors with disabilities and is continually working to increase its accessibility and usability.

In order to comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, websites must meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1, level AA criteria.

School District 15's WCAG PDF Accessibility Action Plan Statement

District 15 is committed to ensuring that all digital documents, including PDFs, are accessible to every student, family member, staff member, and community partner. We will align our practices with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards so that individuals using assistive technologies can access information equitably and independently.

Every effort has been made to create a site that is easy to use, informative, attractive, and accessible, regardless of ability, browser level, or connection speed. To achieve this, we will:

• Accessibility features include small graphic files with alternative tags, common-sense information for links and forms, and a consistent page design and navigation scheme. 

• Audit and assess existing PDF documents across departments and schools to identify accessibility barriers.
• Prioritize remediation of high-impact materials such as instructional content, IEP-related documents, forms, policies, and family communications.
• Remediate documents by ensuring proper tagging, logical reading order, meaningful alternative text, accessible tables, and clear structure.
• Standardize creation practices by developing and distributing accessible templates and requiring staff to create documents accessibly from the start using tools like Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
• Provide training and support for all staff on accessible document creation and the importance of digital accessibility. An intranet page dedicated to accessibility resources is also available to staff. 
• Implement review processes so that all PDFs are checked for accessibility before being shared publicly or internally.
• Monitor and improve through ongoing evaluation, feedback from users, and updates to align with evolving accessibility standards.
• Finalsite's Composer CMS includes built-in accessibility checks to help content creators identify and fix common errors as they add content. Composer's alt-text generator uses AI to help generate alt-text for images. 
• District 15 uses AudioEye to review content and ensure it meets accessibility guidelines. 
• AudioEye allows website users to explore accessibility options that may make the site more accessible based on their specific needs, and to download documents in various alternative formats. It can be accessed by clicking on the AudioEye icon on the bottom right of the screen. 

We recognize that accessibility is essential to equity. By embedding these practices into our daily work, we ensure that all members of our community can fully participate in and benefit from district resources. These guidelines help make technology accessible not only to users with sensory, cognitive and mobility disabilities, but ultimately to all users, regardless of ability. 

PDF Documents

Some document(s) on this web site are in PDF format. A PDF reader is required to view the document(s). Adobe Acrobat Reader may already be installed on your computer as a "plug-in" or "helper application" for your web browser. To find out, click on the "PDF" link for the document you are interested in. If you do not currently have a PDF reader installed on your computer, there are free PDF readers available for your computer or device. Download the Adobe Acrobat Reader or add a Google Extension such as Read Aloud: A text to voice reader.

Questions or Issues Accessing Information

If you have any issues accessing information on the website, please contact the Communications Department. using the Contact Us form or call 847-963-3000.

We welcome your feedback about the accessibility of this website. Please let us know if you encounter accessibility barriers or would like to request assistance.

• All requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and we will do our best to reply to all communications within two (2) business days. 
• Reasonable accommodations or modifications are provided at no cost. 
• Accommodation requests that would impose an undue financial, technical or administrative burden to District 15 may not be fulfilled as requested. 

Examples of accommodations include: 

• Sign language interpretation for an event, meeting, or appointment 
• Alternative document formats (such as braille or large print) 
• Remediated PDFs

In the Workplace

• Current employees needing workplace accommodation should contact Human Resources for support. 
• Prospective employees who have been invited to interview for an employment opportunity should work directly with the person arranging the interview.

This Accessibility Statement was last updated on: 2/1/2026