Prioritization of Urgency Need for Services

Students with intellectual or developmental disabilities with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) have resources available to assist in their education including access to the Prioritization of Urgency Need for Services (PUNS) database.  At Jackson Charter School, Haley Braconier has been trained and designated as the contact person for information and questions about PUNS.  Ms. Braconier may be reached at hbraconier@jacksoncharterschool.org.  Parents or guardians of students with IEPs can get valuable information about organizations and programs that offer assistance in understanding, registering for and navigating the PUNS database.  In summary, the legislation requires schools to post information regarding eligibility requirements for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities with IEPs, but also to ensure that parents and guardians are informed about the PUNS database, where to register for the PUNS database and whom to contact for information about the PUNS database. Registering for the PUNS database is the first step towards receiving developmental disabilities services offered by the State.  

 During a student’s annual IEP review meeting, if the student has an intellectual disability or a developmental disability, the student’s IEP team will determine the student’s PUNS database registration status based upon information provided by the student’s parents or guardian. If the student is not registered for the PUNS database or if it is unclear whether the student is registered for the PUNS database, the parents or guardian and the student will be referred to Ms. Braconier who will provide the student’s parents or guardian with the name, location, and contact information of the appropriate Independent Service Coordination agency (“ISC”) to contact in order to register the student for the PUNS database. Ms. Braconier will also identify for the parents or guardian the information and documentation they will need to complete the PUNS database registration process with the ISC and will also provide information to the parents or guardian about organizations and programs available in Illinois that offer information to families about the PUNS database and the PUNS database registration process.