LEA Notification One step in the transition process

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LEA NotificationOne step in the transition
process

• Collaboration Between
• Birth to 3 Programs
• and Local Education Agencies

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LEA Notification

• Definition The local Birth to 3 Program will
  notify the local educational agency (LEA) for the
  area in which the child resides that the child
  will shortly reach the age of eligibility for
  preschool services under Part B of the Act.
• Occurs through PPS (Program Participation System
  database)

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Brief History

• LEA Notification was sent on a regular basis,
  with non-identifying information
• Since fall 2008 PPS was used in addition to
  written report
• LEAs accessed a Notification report in PPS to
  view list
• Since May 5, 2009 the LEA Notification process
  has changed for B-3 Programs (and LEAs)
• Limited identifying information is now sent to
  the LEA for children 2 years, 9 months of age or
  older
• Includes childs name, date of birth, caregiver
  contact information
• Via paper list only (not through PPS)
• Since July 17, 2009 PPS allows the LEA to see the
  limited contact information via their
  Notification report when LEA Notification is sent
  to them on children
• B-3 programs send monthly LEA Notification on
  children 2 years, 9 months of age or older to the
  LEA via PPS

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Birth to 3 Opt Out Policy

• WI had the option to allow individual families
  the ability to Opt Out of LEA Notification
  being sent to the LEA since limited identifying
  information is part of this process
• WI wrote an Opt Out Policy and it has been
  approved by the Office of Special Education
  Programs (OSEP) as of September 23, 2009

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Opt Out Policy

• The new WI Opt Out Policy goes into effect as of
  January 1, 2010
• All families with initial IFSPs on or after
  January 1, 2010 will be given information about
  the Opt Out Policy and the ability to opt out of
  LEA Notification
• Counties may choose to offer this same
  opportunity to families with initial IFSPs prior
  to January 1, 2010

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What this means

• Both of the changes to the LEA Notification
  process---identifying information sent and the
  Opt Out policy---have an impact on the working
  relationship between Birth to 3 Programs and the
  LEAs.

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The NEW LEA Notification Processas of January 1,
2010

• Birth to 3 Programs share about transitioning as
  early as the first visit with a family.
• NEW B-3 Programs will be sharing the Opt Out
  Policy and form with families by the time of the
  initial Individualized Family Service Plan
  (IFSP).
• B-3 Programs may use the Sample Opt Out Family
  Document as a way to explain the Opt Out option
  to families or develop a similar form to give
  families.
• When the child is nearing 2 years of age, the
  Birth to 3 Program meets with the family and
  begins discussing transition options at age
  three.
• NEW B-3 Programs will re-share information about
  the LEA Notification process coming up and the
  ability to opt out.

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The LEA Notification Process cont.starting in
January 1, 2010

• The family has until the child turns 2 years, 3
  months of age to return the Opting Out of LEA
  Notification to the LEA form
• If a form is received by the B-3 Program by the
  childs age of 2 years, 3 months, the B-3 Program
  will document the familys decision in PPS. (see
  Directions for documenting Opt out)
• Checks box in Parent objects to notifying LEA
  about the child section of Transition/Program
  Exit page in PPS

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Transition/Program Exit page of PPS
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The LEA Notification Process cont.starting in
January 1, 2010

• On a monthly basis, the Birth to 3 Program sends
  LEA Notification through PPS using the TOOL LEA
  Notification or the individual childs
  Notification section of the Transition/Program
  Exit page of PPS
• NEW All children 2 years, 3 months of age or
  older will appear on the list of children
• B-3 Programs will send LEA Notification to each
  school district with the children from the list
  using Directions for using LEA Notification
  tool (also found in PPS Users Manual under LEA
  Notification Tool)
• With the LEA Notification process being completed
  monthly, all children will be caught and have
  it sent. A county does not need to monitor
  which children turn 2 years, 3 months of age each
  day and send LEA Notification for that child.
  (see FAQ regarding children referred after 2
  years, 3 months of age)

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If try to send LEA Notification for a child
prior to the childs age of 27 monthsyou get an
error message
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The LEA Notification Process cont.What if the
family opted out?

• If a family has returned the Opting Out of LEA
  Notification form by the childs age of 2 years,
  3 months, the B-3 Program has documented this
  decision in PPS.
• When this documentation is done, the LEA
  Notification TOOL and individual childs
  Notification section of the Transition/Program
  Exit page no longer allows that childs limited
  contact information to be sent

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Opt Out button NOT chosen, child (Dana Wit) on
TOOL LEA Notification list
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(No Transcript)
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Opt Out button chosen, child (Dana Wit) not on
TOOL LEA Notification list
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When the Opt Out box is checked, the fields in
the Notification section of the individual
childs Transition/Program Page are disabled, so
LEA notification cannot be sent for this child

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LEA Notification is sent to the LEAWhat happens
then?

• When the LEA receives the email alert, the LEA
  will access PPS and review the Notification
  report.
• When the LEA receives a LEA Notification with the
  childs name, dob, caregiver contact information,
  it is recommended the LEA send the Sample LEA
  Notification letter to the parent to introduce
  the family to the LEA and the transition process.

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LEA Notification and transition

• Birth to 3 Programs will continue to support
  families in the transition process after LEA
  Notification has been sent
• OR not sent on a specific child due to the family
  opting out of the LEA Notification process
• All families receive transition support from B-3
• whether or not LEA Notification occurs
• and
• whether or not they want a referral to the LEA

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Transition cont.

• If a family has opted out of LEA Notification,
  a Transition Planning Conference can still occur
  AND/OR a referral can still be sent to the LEA.
• Note If a parent decides late to make a
  referral
• (i.e. within 80 days of the child turning three),
  
• check the box in the Refer to LEA section
• of the Transition/Program Exit page titled
• Parent did not provide timely consent

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LEAs and Referrals from the Birth to 3 Program

• When a referral is received through PPS from
  Birth to 3, the LEA does not need to fill out a
  DPI model form R-1
• Instead, the LEA should print the Referral form
  directly from PPS to put in the childs file for
  documentation purposes.
• Click Print Friendly
• When the LEA receives a referral from B-3, the
  LEA does not need the data of date parent
  notified of intent to refer or method of
  notifying parent of intent to refer

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When an LEA does not receive a referral from the
Birth to 3 Program

• If the school district has not received a
  referral for a child on the LEA Notification list
  from Birth to 3 and believes the child may be a
  child with a disability, the LEA may, around the
  childs third birthday, initiate a referral for
  evaluation to determine eligibility for special
  education.
• School personnel and other professionals who
  believe a child may be a child with a disability
  have an ongoing legal responsibility to refer the
  child to the school district to determine if the
  child needs special education.

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When an LEA does not receive a referral from the
Birth to 3 Program

• If the decision is made to initiate a referral on
  the child on the LEA Notification list, the LEA
  will send the family notice of this decision via
  the DPI model IE-1 form.
• The LEA will complete the DPI model R-1 form to
  initiate the referral.
• This referral is NOT from the Birth to 3 program,
  even though the child had been in the Birth to 3
  Program

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Other information

• LEA Notification and Opt Out FAQ
• DPI Indicator 12 webpage
• Frequently Asked Questions about PPS Reporting
• Guidance on Indicator 12 Reason Selections
• WI Early Childhood Transition timeline
• IDEA Part C to Part B Transition Key Elements

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Questions

• ___________________________________
• For more information, contact
• Lori Wittemann, DHS lori.wittemann_at_wisconsin.gov
  
• Jill Haglund, DPI
• jill.haglund_at_dpi.wi.gov