Joint Technical Assistance Paper A preview

1
Joint Technical Assistance Paper A preview

• Contact Meeting Prekindergarten Program for
  Children with Disabilities
• November 2, 2006
• Orlando, Florida

2
Some background

• Initiated over a year ago
• Represents contribution of both DOH/ESSO and
  DOE/BEESS
• Has been reviewed, revised, re-reviewed, revised,
  reviewed again, etc., etc.
• Activity found in both State Performance Plans
  (Part C 8 Part B12)

3
Some background

• Paper begins with policy framework of applicable
  federal and state requirements for Early Steps
  and Part B Preschool programs
• Organization of remainder of paper assumes
  linear sequential process
• Notification, transition conference, referral,
  evaluation/determination of eligibility,
  individual educational plan development

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Some background

• ESSO state office has completed its review
• DOE has internal leadership review before release
  to the field
• Once that is done, will release jointly in draft
  to the field for review/comment
• Well ask for written feedback/revise based on
  feedback/release in final
• Were open to ways to enhance dissemination/implem
  entation once final

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Purpose

• To ensure that our policies are aligned, are
  consistent with federal and state requirements,
  and support effective transition practices

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SPP Indicator-Early Steps

• 100 of children exiting Part C at age 3 receive
  timely transition planning-
• There is evidence that the LEA was notified if
  child potentially eligible for Part B
• IFSPs reflect transition steps and services
• There is evidence of a transition conference,
  with parental consent, to discuss service options
  after three
• There is evidence of LEA participation, with
  parental consent, in the transition conference
  if child is potentially eligible for Part B.

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SPP Indicator Part B Preschool

• 100 of children referred by Part C prior to age
  3, who are found eligible for Part B, have an
  individual educational plan (IEP) developed and
  implemented by their third birthday.

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Highlights of Paper Early Steps

• Notification
• Notification required for all children, not just
  those potentially eligible
• Providing information to CHRIS does not equal
  notification to LEA
• Must still notify LEA even if no consent and/or
  interest in Part B, just number of children per
  zip code

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Highlights of Paper Early Steps

• Transition Conference
• Still needs to occur even if family is not
  interested in Part B and/or family does not want
  LEA present at conference
• Families can deny the conference, but not the
  entire transition process
• Record as FSPT in data system even if LEA not
  present.
• Trump card is timeliness, not LEA
  participation-reason to start early.

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Highlights of Paper Early Steps

• Referral to Part B
• Best if occurs after transition conference

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Highlights of Paper Early Steps

• Serving Past the Age of Three
• Still permissible for up to three months
• Additional clarification is being sought from OSEP

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Highlights of Paper Preschool

• For children potentially eligible for Part B
  and with parental consent, an LEA representative
  must be in attendance at the transition
  conference.
• If unforeseen circumstances arise and LEA cant
  attend, and family concurs, and youre not up
  against the 90 days re-schedule

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Highlights of Paper - Preschool

• If re-scheduling not agreed to by family, then
  LEA should assign another staff member or
  consider participation via phone.
• If re-scheduling results in being out-of
  compliance with timelines and there is no LEA
  representative available then conference should
  proceed without LEA .

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Highlights of Paper - Preschool

• School district representative at transition
  conference should have thorough understanding of
  evaluation/eligibility processes and the
  preschool program.
• Child find staff can attend, but cannot be the
  LEA representative UNLESS they assume other
  part-time responsibilities on behalf of the
  school district.

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Highlights of Paper - Preschool

• Transition conference, in and of itself, does not
  start the 60-day time-clock.
• School districts will need some information about
  the child when invited to the transition
  conference to ensure they are appropriately
  prepared at the transition conference.

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Highlights of Paper - Preschool

• School district may use existing current Early
  Steps evaluation data no state criteria for what
  constitutes current
• Some caveats -
• If test of intellectual functioning being used to
  make a determination of mentally handicapped
  examiner would have to be licensed school
  psychologist or clinical psychologist
• Some program evaluation requirements stipulate
  psychological evaluation (e.g. emotionally
  handicapped) by school psychologist or clinical
  psychologist

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Highlights of Paper - Preschool

• The purposes of the transition conference and
  eligibility staffing are different. Conducting
  these as a part of the same meeting is strongly
  discouraged.

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Highlights of Paper - Preschool

• If child is referred to LES and is not determined
  eligible by LES, the school district is not held
  to IEP by 3 requirement. (60-day timeline
  prevails)
• LES does not have obligation to complete an
  evaluation if child is referred to LES 45 days or
  less before 3rd birthday.

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Highlights of Paper - Preschool

• Temporary assignment may be used for eligible
  Part C children, but is discouraged as a routine
  practice.

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Highlights of Paper - Preschool

• The LES service coordinator must be invited to
  the first IEP meeting if requested by the parent.
• The school district must let the parent know
  about the option to invite the LES service
  coordinator to that first meeting.

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Highlights of Paper - Preschool

• School districts continue to have the obligation
  to have an IEP developed and implemented on the
  3rd birthday even if that birthday is in the
  summer
• Caveat 2004 regulations clearly state if the
  childs 3rd birthday occurs during the summer,
  the IEP team shall determine the date when
  services begin.

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Highlights of Paper - Preschool

• Consideration of the need for extended school
  year are a part of the IEP process for all
  children with disabilities including
  three-year-olds transitioning from Part C.

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Highlights of Paper - Preschool

• Multiple factors that may be used to consider
  need for ESY
• Regression/recoupment
• Critical points of instruction
• Emerging skills
• Nature/severity of disability
• Interfering behaviors
• Rates of progress
• Special circumstances

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Strategies that work (Source Rous and Myers
2006)

• Supportive infrastructure
• Attention to relationships and communication
• Continuity and alignment

• Preparation of families and children
• Program visitation
• Instructional activities
• Community resources

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Strategies that work (Source Rous and Myers
2006)

• Interagency structures and supports are
  critical to the transition process. Specific
  transition practices and activities must be
  clearly defined and systematically implemented.

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Questions to consider

• Is our written agreement current?
• Does it reflect a systematic process?
• Are we following our agreement?
• If it is not working, are we resolving the
  issues?
• If needed, do we use the resolution processes
  defined in the agreement?
• Do LES directors and the district prekindergarten
  contacts stay connected and collaborate on a
  regular basis?

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Resources

• Technical Assistance and Training System (TATS)
  Web site
• http//www.tats.ucf.edu/index.php
• Floridas Transition Project Web site
• http//www.floridatransitionproject.com
• Transition A Booklet to Help Children and
  Families in Moving from Early Steps at Age Three
  (2005 edition)
• National Early Childhood Transition Center
• http//www.ihdi.uky.edu/nectc/

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Resources

• Understanding Inclusion and the ADA
  http//www.centraldirectory.org/publications.cfm

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Resources coming soon

• Guidebook on Developing Interagency Agreements
• Transition Tools

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Questions?

• Pam Tempson, ESSO
• 850.245.4444 ext. 2264
• Pam_Tempson_at_doh.state.fl.us
• Carole West or Cathy Bishop, DOE/BEESS
• 850.245.0478
• Carole.west_at_fldoe.org
• Cathy.bishop_at_fldoe.org