The STAR Program aims to foster student engagement by reducing absenteeism and/or returning to school. Student engagement will be measured by:

  • Monitoring student attendance and behavior
  • Participation in individual and group counseling
  • Improved academic performance
  • Demonstrated coping skills

Eligibility criteria for participation in the STAR Program includes:

  • The student has missed a significant amount of school over an extended period of time.
  • The student is credit deficient.
  • The student has already tried several school-based interventions and they are not successful.
  • The student experiences emotionally based absenteeism and/or has an Emotional Disability such as Anxiety or Depression that is the basis for school refusal behaviors.

In STAR credit recovery options are available through Edgenuity in order to recoup credits lost due to school refusal or non-attendance for extended periods of time. Students transition into the general education/special education academic schedule as each student builds self-efficacy skills, independence, and increased attendance to school.

Oak Park and River Forest High School -Department of Special Education

Program Chair

Linsey Kirby

Executive Director of Special Education

 Shalema Francois-Blue

Assistant Director of Special Education

Dr. Lesley Roberts