Transition Planning

When a child moves from Infant-Toddler to ECSE services, there is at least one transition meeting. Parents, Infant-Toddler, and ECSE staff attend these meetings. Everyone discusses the child’s needs. The parents give their ideas, and the Infant-Toddler staff talks about what they have seen while working with the child and family. At one of these meetings, the group will write a new plan for the child. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) must be in place before the child’s third birthday. Parents must give consent to the IEP and for the placement of their child.

The year before entering Kindergarten, the team will talk about the child’s current progress and what s/he should be doing the next fall. The ECSE team should invite a Kindergarten teacher, the special education teacher and the principal of that building to the IEP meeting. If this does not happen, a separate transition meeting must take place in the spring prior to the student entering Kindergarten. The anticipated services must be spelled out for the entire IEP year along with parental consent for the services. Changes must be recorded on the Teacher Information Page, as well.

The sending teacher must invite the 6th grade special education teacher and an administrator from the middle schools to the regular IEP meeting. If this does not happen, they must, at minimum, obtain input from that teacher in order to write appropriate goals. A separate transition meeting must take place. Anticipated services must be spelled out for the entire IEP year along with parental consent for the services. Changes must be recorded on the Teacher Information Page, as well.

The sending teacher must invite a high school special education teacher to the regular IEP meeting. If this does not happen, they must, at minimum, obtain input from that teacher in order to write appropriate goals. In the spring, a separate transition meeting must take place to discuss the move to the high school. Anticipated services must be spelled out for the entire IEP year along with parental consent for the services. Changes must be recorded on the Teacher Information Page, as well.

Federal law says when the student is 14 years of age the IEP team must identify the student’s transition service needs as they pertain to the transition from school to adult life. By age 16, a statement of needed transition services guides the IEP process. The IEP team must consider what transition services are needed and write these services in the IEP.

It is recommended that transition planning from high school to adult life begin as early as possible. Formal planning for transition to adult life often begins when the student turns 14 years of age. Although it may seem that there is ample time to postpone transition planning until the last year or two of secondary school, it is important that parents, advocates, school personnel and adult service providers begin to consider long-term planning for the student in the following areas:

•         Outcomes/Vision/Instruction

•         Community Experiences

•         Current and Future Daily Living Skills

•         Vocational Evaluation

•         Employment/Post-Secondary Training

•         Outside Agencies

•         Related Services

•         Graduation Plan

•         Post-Secondary Goals

Transition planning is a shared responsibility between parent/guardian, the school, the student, and adult service providers. To be effective, the planning process should be a collaborative effort among the student, family, school, and adult service providers. The identification of desired post-school outcomes is the driving force behind transition planning, so the outcomes will frame the objectives of the IEP and set the directions of the day to day activities. The transition section of the student’s IEP is developed through a meeting of the collaborative team. There are a variety of tools or processes for conducting the meeting. Some questions to be answered are listed as follows:

•         Who is this person and what is his/her story?

•         What is the dream for the future?

•         What is the nightmare? (Situations or outcomes to avoid.)

•         What are his/her strengths, abilities, gifts, and talents?

•         What are his/her needs?

•         What is the plan of action?

Regardless of the process or format used to conduct the transition planning meeting, the end result should be a section of the student’s IEP that targets desired outcomes for adult life, specific current needs, a plan for addressing those needs, identification of the agencies/persons responsible and time lines. Subsequent planning meetings will need to be arranged to review the plan, check that specific objectives have been achieved, that the long term goals are still appropriate and necessary revisions are made (Freeze, 1995).

The role of school personnel is to continue to provide opportunities for the student to develop skills for work and independent living. The day-to-day program and instruction for the student increasingly focuses on developing functional skills and community-based training. The range of expectations will depend on the student’s ability and needs. For example, some students with Asperger’s syndrome may plan to go on to further education following secondary school. Consequently, there will be a greater emphasis on academic preparation

in addition to work experience, development of job-related skills and skills for leisure and recreation. For others, the program may focus on work experience, community-based training and self-care.

In general, the school program prepares the student for transition through the following:

●     Providing a variety of work experiences to help the individual determine preferences

●     Encouraging participation in extracurricular activities and social events

●     Encouraging volunteer work

●     Helping with developing a resume’

●     Training in social skills for the job place

●     Teaching appropriate dress and hygiene

●     Providing on-the-job preparation, once preferences have been established

●     Training in the use of public transportation

●     Training in self-care

●     Training in self-management

●     Teaching functional academics appropriate to the ability level of the student

Kansas law requires the school to notify Kansas Rehabilitation Services (KRS) about students who may qualify for or be interested in transition planning or rehabilitation services. (Applications are available through the transition coordinator.) The IEP team decides if a KRS notification about the student is needed. If so, the school obtains parental consent to release appropriate information to the local KRS transition rehabilitation counselor. Someone from that agency is asked to come to the IEP meeting and participate in making decisions about goals and services. If it is determined that a referral is not needed, the IEP team must document why. The IEP team should also consider a referral to Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) through KRS. This agency may provide vocational or transition planning while the student is still enrolled in high school. In addition, the student could participate in a paid community based work experience through the Pre-ETS program between their junior/senior years.

Transition services are meant to be individualized. Each student requires something different, or at different times or places. Parents, teachers, agency staff, counselors, and the student should be thinking about what will be needed in the future. Smooth transitions from school to work, to other schooling, or to community activities should be the goal of all parties involved with the student.

When a student turns 18, his/her rights are transferred from the parent/guardian, unless a court orders otherwise. When they near his/her 18th birthday, the case manager must send a notice of this transfer (Transfer of Rights) and the student will sign the form indicating they are aware of this transfer.

Parental or student consent (if student is 18) must be obtained for the student to be dismissed from services. If the student is graduating, or exiting school, the case manager must write a Summary of Performance (found in this section and accessed on WebKIDSS) for a student to be dismissed. A copy of this SOP will be given to the student and a copy uploaded into WEBKIDSS. The student and case manager will complete the demographic and planning information for the post-school survey (Indicator 14) required by KSDE. This information will be collected on a data sheet and turned into the Transition Specialist as well as ECKCE Director.

Examples of KRS release, transition survey for parents, interest interview for students and Transfer of Rights letter to parents are all found in this chapter.

The purpose of the Special Education work study program at the High School is to provide part-time job experience during the school day for students who are on IEPs. Various job sites within the school district as well as in the community are available. Students are placed in this program by the IEP team, thus, specific needs and skills of the student are addressed. Transportation to and from the job site is provided if deemed appropriate by the IEP team.

The following criteria should be considered prior to placing a student in a SPED Work Study program.

•         Student has completed a transition skills inventory

•         Student has completed transition activities, including career exploration and application/interview simulations.

•         Student has completed activities related to skills for a work setting.

•         Student must be 16 or turning 16 in the IEP year. **It is recommended that a student be this age, but we do have exceptions

•         Student must require assistance in securing a job.

•         Student requires transportation to the job site.

•         Student may require job coaching

Placement for job training will be made for students who meet the following criteria:

•         Student maintains personal hygiene.

•         Student can follow safety procedures.

•         Student has completed a transition skill inventory

•         Student has completed a needs assessment or vocational evaluation.

•         Student requires activities that are repetitive.

•         Student has completed work activity training that includes skills for a work setting.

•         Student must be 16 or turning 16 in the IEP year. **It is recommended that a student be this age, but we do have exceptions

•         Student requires direct and individualized job training.

•         The IEP team makes the decision based on the data outlined above.

For many students in high school and in our Bridges (18-21) Program, teachers may find the following “Now You’re 18” protocol to be helpful to address with your students. Use/modify it as you see fit.