Transition Questions

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Transitions and Options
ReadySetGo
Educational Considerations for Young Children
with Disabilities
Revised February 2007
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A Project Developed by
WI STATEWIDE PARENT-EDUCATOR INITIATIVE
Department of Public Instruction
IDEA Preschool Discretionary Project
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Planning for The Future
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• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
  (IDEA)2004
• PART C Birth to Three - Early Intervention
  Services for Infants and Toddlers
• Natural Environments
• PART B Section 619 Early Childhood Special
  Education - Services for 3-5 year olds.
• A full continuum of Alternative Placements

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• Wisconsin State Performance Plan (SPP)
• Prepared for
• Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
• Requirements include
• Targets
• Continuous Focused Monitoring System

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Effective partnerships between parents and
professionals require collaboration. It is hard
work. -J. Fialka
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• Early Childhood Special Education and Related
  Services (Part B)
• Transition Planning Conference
• Referral
• Screening/Evaluation
• Determine Eligibility
• IEP Development
• Services Begin

• Birth to 3 (Part C)
• Referral
• Screening/Evaluation
• Determine Eligibility
• IFSP Development
• Services Begin
• Transition Planning Conference

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• Families prepare for transition by
• Talking with others
• Thinking about
• Hopes, dreams, and goals for your child
• Your childs strengths, interests, and needs
• Where you see your child spending his/her day as
  a 3-5 year old
• Exploring resources and services
• Deciding who will participate in your transition
  planning
• Asking Questions

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A Look at my Childs Development
From Step Ahead At Age 3
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• Birth to 3 Staff
• Provides information about the transition process
  (referral, evaluation, eligibility)
• Describes the characteristics of early childhood
  programs/services
• Notifies Local Education Agency (LEA) if child
  may be eligible for services
• Helps families decide if, when, and where to make
  referrals
• Inviting appropriate agencies to the transition
  conference (with permission)

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Transition Planning Conference

• Conference must occur at least 3 months (90
  days) before childs 3rd birthday
• IDEA states that the invited LEA will
  participate in transition planning conferences
  arranged by the designated Birth to 3 lead agency

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The Transition Planning Conference

• Is focused on the Child
• Allows for discussion of transition roles
• Reviews present services
• Discusses future options and possible changes in
  service delivery
• May begin involvement of new agencies
• May update or Develop a Transition Plan

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Transition Planning Conference

• Who will attend?
• Family
• Friends, relatives or support providers who know
  the child
• Birth to 3 staff
• Others
• School special education staff
• Therapists, medical professionals
• Head Start or other community programs

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At the Transition Planning Conference families
will

• Share hopes and concerns
• Ask questions
• Learn about transition procedures
• Discuss potential settings, programs and services
• Sign referral forms and release of records, if
  needed
• Discuss Birth to 3 staff participation in the
  first IEP meeting

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At the Transition Planning Conference community
programs will

• Learn from you about your child
• Discuss
• Programs and services
• Eligibility requirements (if any)
• Supports or resources needs
• Disclose program costs, if any

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At the Transition Planning Conference, school
will

• Learn from you about your child
• Discuss
• ECSE and Related Services
• the IEP process
• eligibility requirements
• preschool options and procedures
• Explain parental rights

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Referrals to Special Education
If the family decides that a referral is
appropriate at this time A written document is
submitted to the school (LEA) which includes the
childs name and area(s) of concern. If the
family decides that a referral is not appropriate
at this time The IFSP can include
information about the referral process (such as
timelines) and the procedures for when and how
the LEA (school) will be informed of your
decision
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The TimelineReferral to Placement

• Within 15 business days of receiving a special
  education referral, the LEA must send a request
  for consent to evaluate the child to the parents.
• Within 60 days after an LEA receives parental
  consent for an initial evaluation, the LEA must
  determine if the child is a child with a
  disability.
• Within 30 days after a determination that the
  child is a child with a disability, the LEA must
  develop an IEP and determine an educational
  placement.
• Information
  Update Bulletin 06.01

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NEW Evaluation Timeline Transition from Birth
to 3 to ECSE
60
15
30

Childs 3rd Birthday
Unlimited time, up to parent
Up to 15 business days
Within 60 calendar days
Within 30 calendar days
As appropriate
Transition Planning Conference
Transition planning activities

Request Parent Consent for Evaluation
At least 90 day prior to 3rd birthday
Receive Parent Consent for Evaluation
Referral Received
IEP Developed and Implemented
OR
Determine Eligibility
60
Notice sent that no additional data are needed
Within 60 calendar days
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Timeline and Summer Birthdays

• If a childs third birthday occurs during the
  summer, the childs IEP Team shall determine the
  date when services under the IEP will begin
• Immediately
• Before the third birthday
• At the beginning of a new school year
• LEAs will need to consider Extended Year Services
• If an IEP is in effect to start at the beginning
  of the school year, Birth to 3 MAY provided
  services through a transition IFSP.

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The IEP Team Roles and Responsibilities

• Discuss the types of services the child received
  as part of the IFSP
• Take into consideration the work done by the
  Transition Planning Team
• Determine Eligibility
• If eligible, write goals based on Special
  Educational Needs (IEP)
• Determine the Placement for services

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The IEP TeamDetermining Eligibility

• Is there an Impairment?
• Does the impairment adversely effect the childs
  educational performance?
• Is there a need for special education?

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Individualizing Services for children with these
Impairments

• Cognitive Disabilities
• Orthopedic Impairment
• Visual Impairment
• Hearing
• Impairment
• Speech and Language Impairment
• Specific Learning Disability

• Emotional Behavioral Disability
• Autism
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Other Health Impaired
• Significant Developmental Delay

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The IEP Team Determining Placement
Children with disabilities must be educated with
their nondisabled peers to the maximum extent
appropriate.
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IDEA
The full continuum of alternative placements at
34 CFR 300.551, including integrated placement
options, such as community-based settings with
typically developing age peers, must be available
to preschool children with disabilities. Federal
Register Vol. 64, No. 48, p.12639 (comments to
final regulations)
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• PreschoolOptions

School districts must consider a variety of
educational settings for young children with
disabilities.
See Part B, 34 CFR SS300.551
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Review of Research

• Children with disabilities in inclusive settings
  make more social and language gains.
• Families were developing a different vision for
  their children - one that attributed their
  learning to a range of opportunities in places
  with typically developing children, as opposed to
  the learning that occurred only in special
  schools with special teachers. (Bruder, 2000)

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Terms you may be hearing

• Least Restrictive Environment
• Preschool Inclusion
• Natural Environments
• Typical Settings
• Age Appropriate Settings
• Routines Based Interventions
• Itinerant Services to Preschool Setting

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Settings for serving preschoolers with
disabilities in Wisconsin
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Possible settings for preschoolers with
disabilities

• Home
• One-to-One Services outside the Home
• Part-time General Education/Part-time Special
  Education
• Residential Facility
• Separate School
• Any combination of above

• General Education Settings
• 4 Year Old Kindergarten
• 5 Year Old Kindergarten
• Title One Preschool
• Licensed Daycares and Preschools
• Head Start
• Special Education Classrooms

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Placement is determined based on the individual
needs of the child by the IEP Team
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It looks different for each child in each
community.
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It happens one child at a time
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Transitions and Options

• WI FACETS
• [phone]
• www.wifacets.org
• Wisconsin Statewide Parent-Educator Initiative
  (WSPEI)
• [phone]
• www.dpi.state.wi.us/een/parent.html
• Preschool Options Project
• www.preschooloptions.org
• Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
• www.dpi.state.wi.us
• http//dpi.wi.gov/sped/pdf/proc-safegds.pdf
• http//dpi.wi.gov/sped/bulindex.html
• Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners
• www.collaboratingpartners.com

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Transitions and Options
Transitions and Options
Questions?
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Transitions and Options
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Transitions and Options