Georgia Transition Manual For Students With Disabilities

1
Georgia Transition Manual For Students With
Disabilities

• Georgia Department of Education
• Division for Exceptional Students
• Perry Andrews pandrews_at_doe.k12.ga.us
• Deborah Keane dkeane_at_doe.k12.ga.us

2
LEGAL ASPECTS OF TRANSITION Definition

• The coordinated set of activities must be based
  on the students preferences and interests and
  include
• Instruction,
• Related Services,
• Community Experiences,
• The development of employment and other
  post-school adult living objectives and
• If appropriate, acquisition of daily living
  skills and functional vocational evaluation.

3
LEGAL ASPECTS OF TRANSITION

• Who Attends?
• At 14
• STUDENT
• Parents
• All other usual IEP
• Team Members, e.g.,
• Special Education Teachers,
• General Educations Teachers,
• Any Related Service Providers, i.e.,
• Speech/Language Pathologist,
• Occupational or Physical Therapist, etc
• For each student at age 16 (or younger, if
  appropriate) a statement of needed transition
  services including,

4
LEGAL ASPECTS OF TRANSITION

• Who Attends?
• At 16
• STUDENT
• Parents
• All other usual IEP
• Team Members
• (See Previous Slide)
• Any agency (public or private) that is likely to
  provide services or to pay for services a.k.a.,
• Interagency Linkages

5
ADDITIONAL ASPECTSOF TRANSITION

• Ideally, the transition section of the IEP should
  be developed prior to goals and objectives in
  order for long range plans to impact the focus of
  goals and objectives.
• Resulting in
• AN OUTCOME ORIENTED PROCESS

6
INTERAGENCY LINKAGES

• Usually, the earliest an agency will become
  involved other than the school at age 16, is
  Department of Labors Vocational Rehabilitation
  Program (DOL/VR).
• However, they may become involved earlier if the
  IEP committee determines the need.

7
INTERAGENCYRESPONSIBILITIES

• If a participating agency fails to provide agreed
  upon transition services contained in the IEP,
  the LSS/SOP responsible for the students
  education shall, as soon as possible, initiate a
  meeting for the purpose of identifying
  alternative strategies to meet the transition
  objectives.

8
PURPOSE

• The manual was developed as a resource guide
  which can serve as a framework for local school
  districts to develop their own manuals to include
  specific resources found in the local community
  or region.

9
GOALS

• To improve transition services for students in
  Georgia
• To provide students, teachers, and parents with
  information and resources vital to transition
  planning
• To assist students, parents, and teachers in
  establishing a dialog regarding post-school
  options for students

10
TRANSITION PLANNING SUGGESTIONS

• Although, not required until age 14, it is
  considered a best practice to begin informally
  addressing transition as early as preschool.
• The manual contains various checklists that
  teachers and parents will find to be extremely
  beneficial.

11
AUDIENCE

• The manual is intended to serve as a resource for
  students, parents, teachers, and administrators,
  and other agency staff members.
• It includes information
• pertinent to individuals
• with diverse post-
• school needs.

12
SECTIONS AT A GLANCE

• Principles to Guide the Delivery of Transition
  Services 10
• Transition Timeline 14
• Self-Determination 19
• Student-Directed IEP Meetings 23
• Assistive Technology 29
• Diploma Options 32

13
SECTIONS AT A GLANCE

• Post-Secondary School Options 39
• Post-Secondary Employment Options 48
• Post-School Living Opportunities 53
• Recreation and Leisure 59
• Interagency Linkages 64
• Guardianship and Estate Planning 79

14
INFO AT A GLANCE

• Graduation Requirements 36-37
• State Map of Vocational Rehabilitation
• Program Regional Offices 71
• State Map of Social Security BPAO
• Projects Contacts 76
• Legal Mandates 88

15
INFO AT A GLANCE

• Top 10 Things to Know About VR 93-94
• MHDDAD Regional Offices 98
• Social Security and Work Incentives 99-100
• Ticket to Work Program 101-103
• Georgia Acronyms Initials 107-109

16
INFO AT A GLANCE

• Elementary Transition Planning Checklist 121-123
• Middle School Transition Planning
  Checklist 124-127
• High School Transition Planning Checklist
  128-132
• Transition Legal Requirements Checklist 133-134
• Transition Planning Forms 135-136

17
DISTRIBUTION

• System Special Education Directors
• GLRS, G-DOL, MHDDAD
• Due to the nature of the field and continual
  changes in service options, this manual will be
  updated regularly. The most up-to-date version
  of the Transition Manual will be available at the
  GDOE website at
• www.doe.k12.ga.us/curriculum/exceptional/index
  .asp