Coordination and Transition Plan

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Coordination and Transition Plan

• DOE Training via Live Meeting
• November 2008

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Purpose of the Presentation

• Inform
• Requirements
• Opportunities

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Required by Law

• No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
• Title I
• Head Start

4
District Requirement

• Each district is required to have a coordination
  and transition plan that is developed and
  implemented with the input of district staff,
  early childhood programs, including Head Start,
  and parents.

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Title I Programs

• Sec. 1112(b)(1)(E)(i)
• (E) a description of how the LEA will coordinate
  and integrate services provided under Title I
  with other educational services at the local
  educational agency or individual school level,
  such as--
• (i) including plans for the transition of
  participants in such programs to local elementary
  school programs and

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Title I Programs

• Sec. 1112(b)(1)(E)(ii)
• (ii) services for children with limited English
  proficiency, children with disabilities,
  migratory children, neglected or delinquent
  youth, Indian children served under part A of
  title VII, homeless children, and immigrant
  children in order to increase program
  effectiveness, eliminate duplication, and reduce
  fragmentation of the instructional program

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Title I Programs

• SEC. 1120B. COORDINATION REQUIREMENTS.
• carry out the activities with Head Start agencies
  and other early childhood development programs
• activities that increase coordination between the
  district and early childhood development programs

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Coordination

• (1) developing and implementing a systematic
  procedure for receiving records regarding
  children transferred with parental consent from a
  Head Start program or other early childhood
  development program
• (2) establishing channels of communication

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Coordination

• (3) conducting meetings involving parents,
  kindergarten or elementary school teachers, and
  EC agencies to discuss the developmental and
  other needs of individual children
• (4) organizing and participating in joint
  transition related training of school staff other
  early childhood staff

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Coordination

• (5) linking the educational services provided in
  such local educational agency with the services
  provided in other EC programs.
• Title I Preschools must
• comply with Head Start
• Performance Standards

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Head Start Performance Standards

• Transition

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Reauthorization Transition and Alignment with
K-12 Education

• Coordinate with LEA to promote continuity of
  services and effective transitions
• Develop and implement procedures for transfer of
  records
• Establish ongoing communication HS staff and LEA
  staff to facilitate coordination of programs
• Establish ongoing communications for developing
  continuity of developmentally appropriate
  curricular objectives (aligned with HS Child
  Outcomes Framework and Early Learning Guidelines)
  and for shared expectations for childrens
  learning and development as they transition to
  school
• Organize and participate in joint training,
  including transition-related training for school
  and HS staff

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Reauthorization Continued

• Establish comprehensive transition policies and
  procedures that support children transitioning to
  school, including LEA in establishing such
  policies
• Conduct outreach to parents and elementary
  (Kindergarten) teachers to discuss the needs of
  individual children
• Help parents of LEP children understand
• The instructional and other services provided by
  the school in which the child will enroll
• As appropriate, the information provided to
  parents under section 3302 of the Elementary and
  Secondary Education Act of 1965

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Reauthorization Continued

• Develop and implement a family outreach and
  support program, in cooperation with the entities
  carrying out parent involvement efforts under
  title I of the ESEA of 1965, and family outreach
  and support efforts under subtitle B of the title
  VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance
  Act, taking into consideration the language needs
  of parents of limited English proficient children
• Assisting families, administrators, and teachers
  in enhancing educational and developmental
  continuity of parental involvement in activities
  between Head Start and elementary school classes

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Reauthorization Continued

• Linking services provided in such Head Start
  program with educational services, including
  services relating to language, literacy, and
  numeracy, provided by such local educational
  agency
• Helping parents (including grandparents and
  kinship caregivers, as appropriate) to understand
  the importance of parental involvement in a
  childs academic success while teaching them
  strategies for maintaining parental involvement
  as their child moves from Head Start to
  elementary school

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Reauthorization Continued

• Helping parents understand the instructional and
  other services provided by the school in which
  their child will enroll after participation in
  the Head Start program
• Develop and implement system to increase program
  participation of underserved populations of
  eligible children
• Coordinating activities and collaborating to
  ensure that curricula used in HS are aligned with
• - the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework
• - SD Early Learning Guidelines with regard to
  cognitive, social, emotional, and physical
  competencies that children entering Kindergarten
  are expected to demonstrate

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Early Head Start

• Early Head Start Preschool plan 6 months prior
  to childs 3rd birthday.
• Remain in EHS until placement is available.

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Birth to Three

• During the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP)
  review and revision, it is the responsibility of
  the Part C Service Coordinator to determine with
  the team when transition activities should occur
  and to then plan with team members the timely and
  appropriate steps and assignments to individual
  IFSP team members and others.
• For children who may be eligible for Part B, the
  local interagency coordinating network must, with
  parent approval, notify the local education
  agency (LEA) in which the child resides and
  convene a conference between the network
  representatives, the family and the local school
  district at least 90 days before the childs
  third birthday.

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• Not all children from Birth to Three Connections
  can be expected to transition to Part B Special
  Education services at age three, due to differing
  eligibility criteria. Additionally, children
  within the age eligibility for Birth to Three
  Connections may not remain eligible for early
  intervention services but still require
  supportive, including social and other, community
  services.
• It is important that information on appropriate
  procedural safeguards be provided to the family
  by individuals trained and competent with these
  obligations, rights and responsibilities.
• The following flow chart shows the transition
  process from Part C to Part B and the
  responsibilities of both the Part C Service
  Coordinator and the LEA.

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SERVICE COORDINATOR FLOWCHART OF
DUTIES-TransitionFor Children Ages Birth to 3
Part C/Prolonged Assistance

• IFSP Transition Meeting
• An IFSP Meeting is held with parents, providers
  and school representative to review the IFSP and
  discuss any services that the child may receive
  after the age of 3. The meeting must be held at
  least 90 days (and at the discretion of all
  parties, not more than 9 months) before the
  childs is eligible for preschool services.

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• Transition Booklet
• A guide for parents and providers called
  Making the Connections is given to families
  either at a previous meeting or mailed out before
  the transition meeting. The guide specifically
  addresses the process that occurs when the child
  and family prepare to move out of the Birth to
  Three Connections Program and into a new setting.

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• Transition Notice
• The school district must be notified in
  written form that the child will shortly reach
  the age of 3. There is no time line when this
  needs to occur, but is typically 3-6 months
  before the child turns 3.

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• Part B Evaluation
• The school district is responsible to get
  consent for the Part B Evaluation. The school
  district is responsible to schedule the
  evaluation with the family, complete the
  evaluation and compile the report. The
  eligibility determination for Part B doesnt
  affect Part C eligibility, unless the team
  declares the intention and includes language to
  that effect on the Prior Notice. It is not
  recommended that Part C eligibility is changed.

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• Part B Eligibility Meeting
• The School district schedules the IEP meeting
  with parents and team. A Prior Notice to meeting
  is completed by the school district. The School
  district is to invite the Service Coordinator to
  the meeting. The Service Coordinator will attend
  when possible.

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• IEP Meeting
• A Meeting is held with parents, evaluators,
  Service Coordinator, and school representative.
  The Evaluation is shared with parents.
  Eligibility for Part B services is determined.
  The school writes an IEP if the child qualifies.
  The IEP is dated to begin on the childs third
  birthday. Parents are given other information on
  programs in the community if child does not
  qualify. Services continue on an IFSP until the
  child turns 3.

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Why?

• Beyond the requirements in law, why would
  districts and early childhood agencies want to
  coordinate?
• Why is there a need for formal transition plans?

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Chamberlain stakeholders meeting

• Coordination and Collaboration
• Improve parent collaboration, participation
• Consistency and continuity
• Content Standards, Early Learning Guidelines
• Are kids coming to school with the right tools?
• Prevent duplicate assessment and putting child
  through testing that has already been done

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• Shared responsibility -- whole village raising
  the child
• Preparation for the child
• more relaxed moving to a new environment
• assist with emotional and social needs
• Expectations
• what does early childhood expect from children
• what does the district expect
• Documentation of records as child moves on

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Discussion Topics

• Kindergarten Readiness
• Parent and teacher perceptions
• Early childhood teacher expectations
• Kindergarten teacher expectations
• Developmentally appropriate expectations

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• Kindergarten Screening
• What is the purpose?
• How are screening results used?
• Assess the childs current skill level
• Assessments are used to inform instruction - not
  for placement
• Include families in the assessment process and
  give suggestions of activities they could use at
  home
• Just one of the activities that may be included
  in the transition plan

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Discussion Topics

• Standards
• Early Learning Guidelines
• Kindergarten Content and Achievement Standards
• http//doe.sd.gov/contentstandards/
• Topics of interest to parents
• Discipline
• Child care availability

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Coordination and Transition Plan
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Components

• Program Development
• Coordination and Communication
• Transition Process
• Professional Development
• Parent Involvement and Education
• Evaluation

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Program Development

• Indicate who is on the planning team
• Establish meeting times, dates, places
• Document planning efforts
• Maintain historical perspective of the plan
• Profile the community and school characteristics,
  demographics, etc.
• Indicate desired outcomes for plan

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Coordination and Communication

• List of the agencies and programs the district is
  coordinating with and describe the coordination
  efforts
• Even Start
• Head Start
• Birth to Three Connections
• Reading First
• Early Reading First
• Other preschool/childcare programs

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Collaboration

• Interagency agreements
• Understanding each others programs

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Communication
Method Letters, Newsletters, phone, email, etc.

• Facilitate staff visitations between the various
  programs
• Develop shared sense of transition objectives and
  process
• Share information with parent consent

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Transition Process

• Describe the districts transition process.
• to prepare four-year-old children and their
  families for kindergarten
• for children with disabilities transitioning from
  one program to another
• List sample activities and approximate timeframe

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Definition

• Transition is the process of moving from one
  program to another or from one service delivery
  model to another.

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Three key elements to successful early childhood
transition

• Developmentally appropriate practice
• Parent Involvement
• Supportive services for children and families

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Steps in Transition Planning

• Assess current practices
• Identify transition activities
• Implement planned activities
• Evaluate past transition practices
• agencies and parents (survey, checklist)
• Review and revise transition process as necessary

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• Transition does not stop when school starts in
  the fall
• Continue transition efforts with K families
• Supportive services for children and families
• Work in collaboration and through coordination
  with local service providers

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Transition Activities

• Communication
• Skill assessment and child preparation
• Collaboration
• Family Involvement
• Transition Follow-up

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Transfer of Records

• Required for each transition
• Articulated in the transition process section of
  the plan
• EC records to district
• District screening results back to EC agencies
• Consent of Parents
• Collect child information from parent

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Professional Development

• Identify training opportunities that could be
  shared between the district and EC agencies
• Suggest topics of interest
• Developmentally Appropriate Practices
• Early Learning Guidelines
• Behavior Intervention

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Developmentally Appropriate Practice

• Children learn best through active exploration of
  their environment and through interactions with
  adults, other children, and concrete materials
  that build on earlier experiences.

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Parent Involvement and Education

• Parents involvement in the development of the
  plan
• Parent involvement activities
• Parenting education opportunities
• Understanding assessment results
• What the parent can do to support their childs
  learning and development
• Continuity of PI from EC programs into district

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Parent Involvement and Education

• Beyond fundraising and PTA
• Offered by schools, but designed by parents
• Sharing information about their child
• Providing training concerning parenting
• Support parents as they provide for their
  children to enhance development

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Family Involvement in Transition

• Provide a variety of resources to the family
• Essential to children feeling safe and secure in
  the new setting
• Provide opportunities for families to express
  questions and concerns
• Inform parents of all transition activities and
  events

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Evaluation

• Indicate how the coordination and transition plan
  is annually evaluated. Who is involved with this
  evaluation?
• Describe the evaluation process and criteria used
• Describe when the evaluation takes place
• Evaluate the transition process and make
  adjustments as necessary

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Team

• Indicate the names and positions of the
  evaluation team
• must include at a minimum
• district staff
• Head Start staff
• representation of early childhood agencies in
  district (child care, private preschools, Early
  Reading First, Even Start, etc.)
• parents

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Opportunity

• Open conversations with other EC agencies
• Collaborate on common initiatives
• Consider the community of young children
• How to get involved?
• Contact the local school district
• Indicate interest

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Resources

• Department of Education http//doe.sd.gov/
• SDAEYC http//www.sdaeyc.org/
• NAEYC http//www.naeyc.org/
• SDPIRC http//www.sdpirc.org/content/sdprn/default
  .htm

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• Book provided to every district and Head Start
  that attended 2003 training.

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Questions?

• Steph Lebeda
• Heads Start State Collaboration Director
• Department of Education
• 700 Governors Drive
• Pierre, SD 57501
• 605-773-4640
• Stephani.lebeda_at_state.sd.us

• Diane R. Lowery
• NCLB Title I Director
• Department of Education
• 700 Governors Drive
• Pierre, SD 57501
• 605 - 773 - 6509
• diane.lowery_at_state.sd.us