Strategies for Building Strong and Compliant IEPs:

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Strategies for Building Strong and Compliant IEPs

• Transition Planning

April 9, 2009
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Advance Organizer

• Explore the rationale
• Examine the law
• Overview and Explanation of Transition
• Engage in practice activities

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The Rationale

• focused on improving the academic and functional
  achievement of the child with a disability to
  facilitate the child's movement from school to
  post-school activities, including postsecondary
  education, vocational education, integrated
  employment (including supported employment),
  continuing and adult education, adult services,
  independent living, or community participation
• C.F.R. 300.43 Transition services.

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More Rationale

• Census and ODEP

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Transition services are the law.
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An Overview
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Vision Statement

• Why? Must have student and parent input.
• (b) Transition services participants. (1) In
  accordance with paragraph (a)(7) of this section,
  the public agency must invite a child with a
  disability to attend the child's IEP Team meeting
  if a purpose of the meeting will be the
  consideration of the postsecondary goals for the
  child and the transition services needed to
  assist the child in reaching those goals under
  Sec.  300.320(b).    (2) If the child does not
  attend the IEP Team meeting, the public agency
  must take other steps to ensure that the child's
  preferences and interests are considered.
• C.F.R. 300.321 (d)
• Needs to be written in future tense (for after
  high school) not the area to enter school input.

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Transition Assessment

• What does the law say? (Legal Framework)
• What does National Secondary Transition Technical
  Assistance Council say?
• Why?
• a. to develop IEP goals and objectives for the
  transition component of the IEP,
• b. to make instructional programming decisions,
  and to include information in the present level
  of performance related to a students interests,
  preferences, and needs.
• c. transition assessment is an excellent way
  to learn about individual students, especially
  their strengths outside of academics and their
  career ambitions
• State Guidance- Interview alone is not enough!

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PLAAFP

• Why?
• Tools- Locate and use
• (Legal Framework)

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Student Profile

• In our state, this is present level of
  performance in transition domains.
• It also addresses strengths, needs, concerns,
  barriers, etc.
• This is where the transition assessment is
  documented and explained.

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Annual Goals

• Be sure to check the box for transition under
  each annual academic and functional goal.

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Postsecondary Measurable Goals

• Federal law says we must have postsecondary
  measurable goals in training, education,
  employment, and independent living, if necessary.
• NM allows us to combine training and education.
• These goals must be measurable while in school,
  but reflect postsecondary.

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Postsecondary Measurable Goals

• How do we measure postsecondary goals while the
  student is in high school?
• Through the measurable activities/strategies/linka
  ges.

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Transition Services/Linkages

• These are the measurable activities, strategies,
  and linkages that assist the student in reaching
  his/her postsecondary goals.
• Part of the transition services is the course of
  study.

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Course of Study

• Must be a linkage between the students
  postsecondary goal and the course of study.
• Use course options instead of electives!

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Graduation Plan

• Must indicate the graduation options and if the
  student is on target for graduation.
• If the student is not on target, then the IEP
  team must develop strategies to help the student
  get back on target to graduate.
• Both of the above must be in the Prior Written
  Notice (PWN), as well as justification for
  changing a graduation option if that occurs.

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PED-SEB
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PED
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Practice Activities
Lets write a transition plan.
Vision Student profile domains-
assessment Postsecondary Measurable
Goals Transition Services/Linkages (measurable
activities and strategies) Course of
Study Graduation Plan
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Vision Practice

• Education
• Employment
• Community
• Independent Living
• Recreation/Leisure
• Agency
• Other- The I just want her to be happy
  category.

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Student Profile Practice

• Academics
• Community Participation
• Recreation/Leisure
• Jobs and Job training
• Postsecondary Training or Learning
• Home/Independent Living
• Other Areas- Health, Attendance, Other

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Postsecondary Measurable GoalsPractice

• Education/Training
• Employment
• Independent Living (if appropriate)

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Transition Services/LinkagesActivities Practice

• Instruction
• Related Services
• Employment/Post-school Objectives
• Community Experiences
• Independent/Daily Living
• Functional Vocational Assessment

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Transition ServicesCourse of Study Practice

• 7th
• 8th
• 9th
• 10th
• 11th
• 12th

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Graduation Plan

• Must have reviewed credits, transcripts, etc.

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SUMMER TRANSITION INSTITUTE Building
Collaborative Practices That Enhance Student
Outcomes JUNE 7-10, 2009 Sagebrush Inn, Taos,
N.M.
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Contact Information

• Karen Chism
• Region IX Education Cooperative
• 1400 Sudderth Dr.
• Ruidoso, NM 88345
• Mobile [phone]
• Phone [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• karen.chism_at_regionix.org
• recix_at_recixnm.org

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Wrapping it up

• Please complete the evaluation form and return to
  the RECIX office.
• Thank you!