Parents and the Transition Process Where Do You Fit into the Picture

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Parents and the Transition ProcessWhere Do You
Fit into the Picture?
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Welcome to Parents and the Transition Process
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By the end of this presentation you will know

• Transition requirements and process
• ARD/IEP process
• How to participate meaningfully in the IEP
  development
• When and why students must be included
• Who develops an IEP

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What is the intent of Transition Services?..(in
Federal Law)
IDEA'97
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• One of the primary purposes of the Individual
  with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is to
• Ensure that all children with disabilities have
  available to them a free appropriate public
  education that emphasizes special education and
  related services designed to meet their unique
  needs and prepare them for employment and
  independent living. (34CFR300.1 (a))

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Effective Transition Planning

• Special Education
• Services are ultimately
• intended to prepare
• students with disabilities
• to meet the adult
• challenges of life after
• high school.

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Transition Requirements from IDEA provide the
opportunity to

• Think about the future and plan for life after
  high school
• Plan a course of study to make high school
  experience relate directly to students dreams
  and goals for the future

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Transition Requirements from IDEA provide
opportunities to

• Provide instruction, related services, community
  experiences, employment, and adult and daily
  living training while in high school.
• Assist in making linkages to services after high
  school.
• Increase chances for every student to be
  successful after exiting high school.

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How is it that my student is eligible for this
service?
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Eligibility Categoriesin Texas

• Learning disability
• Emotional disturbance
• Multiple disabilities
• Orthopedic impairment
• Speech impairment
• Other health impairment

• Visual impairment
• Traumatic brain injury
• Mental retardation
• Autism
• Deaf-blindness
• Auditory impairment
• Non-categorical early childhood (ages 3-5) 19 TAC
  89.1040

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Now That My Student is Eligible, Whats Next?
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A New Texas State Law?
New!
TEC 29.011
How does it affect my student?
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Components of TEC 29.011

• Texas state law follows the federal law. The ARD
  committee must consider and, if appropriate,
  address the following issues

• Student involvement
• Appropriate parental involvement
• Before age 18
• After age 18
• Post-secondary education options
• Functional vocational evaluation

• Employment goals and objectives
• Availability of age-appropriate instructional
  environments (students at least age 18)
• Independent living goals and objectives
• Referral to a governmental agency for services

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• As a parent, Im ready to move on
• What do I need to know to help my student gain
  the knowledge and skills
• to be successful in life after high school?

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IEP in relation to ARD

• IEP
• Individual Education Program
• Formal, written, legally binding plan for
  providing special education services
• Federal definition

• ARD
• Admission, Review and Dismissal
• The meeting during which IEPs are developed and
  reviewed
• State process

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Transition planning is an ARD committee
responsibility.
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IEP Content

• Introductions
• Student vision
• Goals and Objectives
• Transition needs
• Review of Evaluations
• Functional vocational evaluation, if appropriate
• Present Levels of Performance
• Student interest, preferences, needs

• Services
• Course of study
• Transition services and activities
• Interagency responsibilities
• Least Restrictive Environment
• Access to general curriculum
• Age-appropriate environments

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Transition in the IEPInterests and Preferences

• Age 14
• Involve the student
• Interests and preferences
• Statement of transition needs
• Based on students vision for the future
• Focus on courses of study
• Relevant to students goals for the future
• Access to general curriculum
• Plan for graduation
• Update annually (age 15 and up)

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Transition in the IEP Student Vision
(Post-School Outcomes)

• Integrated employment
• Postsecondary education
• Continuing and adult education
• Vocational training
• Adult services
• Independent living
• Community participation
• IDEA 97 300.29

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Transition in the IEP
Goals and Objectives

• Goals to be worked on this year.
• Steps to accomplish those
• goals (objectives/benchmarks)
• Student
• Parents
• School
• Others agencies, community, etc.

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Transition in the IEP Assessment

• On-going assessments are used to help students
  identify strengths and interests and to better
  define vision and post-school outcomes.

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Transition in the IEPFunctional Vocational
Evaluation

• ARD committee decision
• If appropriate, based on individual needs of the
  student
• Defined, with timelines, by ARD committee
• May be done at any age or grade
• May include interest, aptitude, situational
  assessment, etc., as determined by the ARD
  committee
• May require consent

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Transition in the IEPPresent Levels of
Performance

• Student competencies
• Interests and preferences
• Knowledge and skills
• Competence in the community
• Student needs for transition to adult life

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Transition in the IEP
Coordinated Set of Activities

• Age 16
• Involve the student
• Interests and preferences
• Review transition service needs
• Annual review of age 14 statement
• Statement of needed transition services
• Develop a coordinated set of activities
• Include interagency responsibilities and linkages
  as appropriate
• Update annually

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Transition in the IEPWhat is included in a
coordinated set of activities in the IEP?

• Instruction
• Related services
• Community experiences
• Employment
• Post-school adult living objectives
• Daily living skills
• Functional vocational evaluation

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Access to the General Curriculum

• Allowing students opportunity to participate with
  their non-disabled peers to the maximum extent
  possible based on their needs, interests,
  preferences, and abilities.
• in the general curriculum (TEKS) and
• in nonacademic/extracurricular activities

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Least Restrictive Environment

• Curriculum decisions
• Students ability to
  participate in general curriculum (TEKS)
• Course of study
• Coherent sequence
• Transition needs

• Placement decisions
• Most appropriate location for instruction to take
  place
• Provision of related services and transition
  services

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WOW!

• I know what should be in an IEP
• and
• How transition affects my students IEP
  development!
• But who is responsible for making it happen

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Providing transition services is a team effort

• School district
• Parents
• State and community agencies

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• Something all parents need to know!

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• Client is responsible
• Initiating request for
• services
• Maintaining contact
• Based on
• Eligibility (ADA/504)
• Availability
• Funding
• Client choice

• LEA is responsible
• Initiating request for
• services
• Maintaining contact
• Based on
• Entitlement (IDEA)
• Structured and
• protective processes
• and environments

Special Education Services
Agency Services
Transition Planning
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Federal Laws
IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Act 504
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 ADA Americans with Disabilities Act
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Federal Laws ADA and 504

• Disability definition
• Any individual with a disability who
• Has a physical or mental impairment that
  substantially limits one or more major life
  activities
• Has a record of such an impairment, or
• Is regarded as having such an impairment

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Thank you

• Now I understand the difference between
  entitlement at school and eligibility in relation
  to services from agencies.

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SO MUCH INFORMATION!!!

• How do I prepare myself and my student to be a
  meaningful participant at the ARD?

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What Parents Should Consider Prior to the ARD
Meeting

• Talk to your student about interests and
  preferences
• What are the students and your dreams, goals,
  and desires for the future?
• What are your current resources and support
  systems for helping your student reach his/her
  post-school outcomes?
• Be prepared to share information about your
  student at the meeting.
• FERPA Consent to invite

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During the ARD

• Parents role prior to student reaching age 18
• Full participant in the decision-making process
• Advocate for their student
• Support their students involvement
• Understand the connection between
  goals/objectives, strategies, and post-school
  outcomes
• Express student-centered concerns/requests in an
  objective manner
• Clearly identify responsibilities of each ARD
  team member, including yourself

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During the ARD

• Parents role at the students age of majority
  (18)
• Understand what Notice of ARD means
• Support your students right to become a full
  participant in the process
• Help your student express his or her desires
  clearly and in a mature fashion
• Stay involved, even after you are no longer the
  primary participant in the development of your
  students IEP

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Before the ARD meeting is brought to a close

• Be sure you understand
• exactly what will take place after the meeting
  and who is responsible.

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Working together

• Success for Student

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Resources

• Career Development Resources
• www.cdr.state.tx.us
• Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative
  Services, Division for the Blind
• www.dars.state.tx.us
• Learning Disabilities Online
• www.ldonline.org

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Resources

• National Center on Secondary Education and
  Transition
• www.ncset.org
• National Dissemination Center for Children with
  Disabilities
• www.nichcy.org

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Resources

• State of Texas
• www.state.tx.us
• Social Security Administration
• www.ssa.gov
• Texas Health and Human Services Commission
• www.hhsc.state.tx.us

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Resources

• Texas Education Agency
• www.tea.state.tx.us
• United States Department of Education
• www.ed.gov
• United States Department of Labor
• www.dol.gov
• 211 TX
• www.211.org