Best Special Needs Schools in Grayslake, Illinois (2026)

Prairie Crossing Charter School is a free public K-8 school in Grayslake where the environment sits at the center of the curriculum. There are no admission exams or tuition for students who live in Woodland District 50 or Fremont District 79. We teach through place-based learning and Integrated Environmental Units, intensive themed studies that pull language arts, math, science, and social studies into one topic. Teachers use constructivist methods, including problem-based learning, and service learning runs from kindergarten through eighth grade, ending with a student-led culminating project in seventh and eighth grade. Our campus includes outdoor classrooms, a sustainable schoolyard, and a farm-to-table program. Classes are small, and we provide special education and ELL services as well as transportation. Students can join band, cross country, and soccer, and before and after school programs are available.

• Public charter school (K-8)
• Environmental education
• Place-based learning
• Small class sizes