IDEA 2004 and Secondary Transition: Issues, Implications and Improving Results

1
IDEA 2004 and Secondary Transition Issues,
Implications and Improving Results 
Presented by Susan Walter 618-651-9028 or
smwalter_at_charter.net
Only those who will risk going too far can
possibly find out how far one can go. T.S.
Eliot
2
Illinois State Performance Plan, Part BYears
2005 - 2010

• Monitoring Priority FAPE in the LRE
• Indicator 1 Percent of youth with IEPs
  graduating from high school with a regular
  diploma compared to percent of all youth in the
  State graduating with a regular diploma.
• Indicator 2 Percent of youth with IEPs dropping
  out of high school compared to the percent of all
  youth in the State dropping out of high school.
• Monitoring Priority Effective General
  Supervision Part B/ Effective Transition
• Indicator 13 (NEW) Percent of youth age 16 and
  above with an IEP that includes coordinated,
  measurable annual IEP goals and transition
  services that will reasonably enable the student
  to meet the post-secondary goals.
• Indicator 14 (NEW) Percent of youth who had
  IEPs, are no longer in secondary school and who
  have been competitively employed, enrolled in
  some type of post-secondary school, or both,
  within one year of leaving high school.

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Transition Planning

• A dynamic process involving a partnership of
  consumers, school-age services, post-school
  services, and local communities that results in
  maximum levels of employment, integration, and
  community participation for youth with
  disabilities.

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IDEA 2004Federal Definition of Transition

• Transition services means a coordinated set of
  activities for a child with a disability that
• 1. is designed within a results-oriented
  process, that is focused on improving the
  academic and functional achievement of the
  child with a disability to facilitate movement
  from school to post school activities, including
  post-secondary education, vocational education,
  integrated employment, continuing and adult
  education, adult services, independent living or
  community participation
• 34CFR 300.43(a)(1)

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Federal Definition of Transition

• Is based on the individual childs needs, taking
  into account the childs strengths, preferences
  and interests and
• 34CFR 300.43(2)

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Federal Definition of Transition

• Transition services for children with
  disabilities may be special education, if
  provided as specially designed instruction, or a
  related service, if required to assist a child
  with a disability to benefit from special
  education.

34CFR 300.43(b)
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Beginning no later than thefirst IEP to be in
effect when the child is 16 . . .

• each student must have included in the IEP
  appropriate measurable post-secondary goals based
  on age appropriate transition assessments related
  to
• training,
• education,
• employment, and, where appropriate
• independent living skills.

34CFR 300.320(b)(1)
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AND

• The transition services (including courses of
  study) needed to assist the child in reaching
  those goals.
• Beginning not later than 1 year before the child
  reaches the age of majority under state law, a
  statement that the child has been informed of the
  childs rights under this title, if any, that
  will transfer to the child on reaching the age of
  majority.
• 34CFR 300.320(b)(2)

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Additional Requirement Eligibility termination
and the SOP

• For a child whose eligibility ends, a public
  agency must provide the child with a summary of
  the childs academic achievement and functional
  performance, which shall include recommendations
  on how to assist the child in meeting the childs
  postsecondary goals.
• Graduation with a regular diploma
• Exceeding the maximum age of eligibility

34CFR 300.305(e)(3)
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Failure to meet transition objectives

• If a participating agency, other than the public
  agency, fails to provide the transition services
  described in the IEP, the public agency must
  reconvene the IEP Team to identify alternative
  strategies to meet the transition objectives for
  the child set out in the IEP.

34CFR 300.324(c)
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Transition Planning in Illinois
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CURRENT RULE The IEP for a student who has
reached the age of 14 shall also include a
description of the students transition service
needs under the applicable components of the IEP,
with specific reference to the students courses
of study.
14 1/2

• PROPOSED RULE
• Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in
  effect when the child turns 14 ½, and updated
  annually thereafter, the IEP shall include
• Appropriate, measurable post-secondary goals
  based upon age-appropriate assessments related to
  education, training, employment, and, where
  appropriate, independent living skills
• Transition services that are needed to assist
  the child in reaching those goals, including
  courses of study and any other needed services to
  be provided by entities other than the school
  district

Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
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PROPOSEDIllinois Special Education
RulesGraduation or Completion of Program

• An eligible student who requires continued public
  school educational experience to facilitate his
  or her integration into society shall be eligible
  for such services through age 21, inclusive,
  i.e., through the day before the students 22nd
  birthday.
• Current rule, through 21
• The provision of FAPE is not required with
  respect to a student with a disability who has
  graduated with a regular high school diploma.
• Students who have participated in a graduation
  ceremony but have not been awarded regular high
  school diplomas continue to be eligible to
  receive FAPE through age 21, inclusive.

Illinois Special Education Rules, Section
226.50(c)
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PROPOSEDIllinois Special Education
RulesGraduation or Completion of Program

• A student with a disability who has fulfilled the
  minimum state graduation requirements shall be
  eligible for a regular high school diploma.
• If the students IEP prescribes special
  education, transition planning, transition
  services or related services beyond that point,
  issuance of that diploma shall be deferred so
  that the student will continue to be eligible for
  those services.
• If the student is to receive a regular high
  school diploma, at least one year prior to the
  anticipated date of its issuance, both the parent
  and the student shall receive written
  notification (34 CFR 300.503) that eligibility
  for public school special education ends
  following the granting of a diploma and that an
  IEP meeting may be requested to review the
  recommendation that the student receive a regular
  diploma.

Illinois Special Education Rules, Section
226.50(c)
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If one cannot change a situation that causes
his suffering, he can still choose his attitude.

Viktor E. Frankl Mans Search for Meaning. pg. 172
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Change your thoughts and you change your world.
Norman Vincent PealeWe must become the change
we want to see. Mahatma GandhiI want to
change the world. But I have found that the only
thing one can be sure of changing is oneself.
Aldous HuxleyPeople are changed not by
coercion or intimidation, but by example.
unknownNo pessimist ever discovered the secret
of the stars or sailed an uncharted sea or opened
a new doorway for the human spirit. Helen
KellerShe was unaware of my limitations.
Helen Keller
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Transition Centerpiece of the IEP
Understanding MeasurablePost-Secondary Goals
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
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Understanding MeasurablePost-Secondary Goals

• Measurable post-secondary goals are required
  under the reauthorization of the Individuals with
  Disabilities Education Act 2004.
• Effective July 1, 2005
• In Illinois, any student who will turn 14 ½
  during the timeframe of the IEP, or younger, if
  deemed appropriate by the IEP team

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Understanding MeasurablePost-School Goals

• What is a measurable post-school goal?
• A statement that articulates what the student
  would like to achieve after high school
• It is based on the students strengths,
  preferences and interests
• It is based on age-appropriate transition
  assessments
• It is written for the following areas
• Education and/or training
• Education community college, university,
  technical/trade/vocational school
• Training vocational or career field training,
  independent living skill training,
  apprenticeship, OJT, job corp, etc.
• Employment paid employment (competitive,
  supported, sheltered) non-paid employment
  (volunteer, in a training capacity) military,
  etc.
• Adult living (if needed) independent living
  skills, health/safety, financial/income,
  transportation/mobility, social relationships,
  recreation/leisure, self-advocacy/future planning
• Each transition-aged student should have a
  minimum of two post-school goals
• One for education or training
• One for employment

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Understanding MeasurablePost-Secondary Goals

• How is a measurable post-school goal written?
• Use results-oriented terms such as enrolled in,
  work, and descriptors such as full-time or
  part-time
• Education Leslie will be enrolled full time at
  Lewis and Clark Community College.
• Training Bob will be enrolled part-time in an
  emergency medical technician training program.
• Employment Lyle will work full time for the
  fire department, hospital or ambulance service.
• Adult Living Steven will live independently in
  his own apartment or home.

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Age-Appropriate Transition Assessments

• Is the use of a transition assessment for the
  post-secondary goals mentioned or documented in
  the IEP or evident in the students file?
• For each post-secondary goal, there should be
  evidence that age-appropriate transition
  assessments formal and/or informal provided
  information on the students needs, taking into
  account strengths, preferences, and interests
  regarding the post-secondary goal

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Annual IEP Goals

• For each postsecondary goal, there should be at
  least one annual goal in the IEP that will help
  the student make progress toward the stated
  post-secondary goal.
• Employment Post-School Goal
• Dave will work full time for the fire department,
  hospital or ambulance service. 
• Annual goal In relation to his PLAAFP what does
  Dave need to work on to move toward this
  goalvolunteer at the fire department over the
  summer, work on communication skills,
  self-determination skills such as teamwork,
  leadership skills, etc., research each of his
  desired settings for work load, salary, etc.
• Dave will research each of the desired work
  settings of fire department, hospital and
  ambulance service and present the results during
  the first semester tech prep class.
• If appropriate, add short-term objectives. In
  this example, short-term objectives could include
  preparing charts, graphs, information style paper
  and/or including the presentation of results at
  the winter parent/teacher conference.

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Post-School Goal(Result of Transition)Susie
will work full-time at a grocery or chain store.
Post-School Goal(Result of Transition)John will
attend community college full-time.
Annual Goal Using word processing software on a
computer, John will compose a 5 paragraph essay,
save it, retrieve and revise it, check for
spelling and grammar errors, save the revised
essay and print it.
Annual Goal Susie will learn to follow a
schedule.
Annual Goal Susie will accurately complete job
applications and a resume with correct spelling
and grammar.

• Objectives
• Given a schedule of activities to complete during
  each instructional block of vocational
  activities, Susie will correctly complete the
  activity and check off as completed on her list
  without assistance for 5 consecutive days.
• - Given a self-management time schedule, Susie
  will correctly list all activities to be
  completed and write in the clock face time at
  which each activity needs to occur, without
  assistance, for 5 consecutive days.

• Objectives
• Given a blank job application to complete, Susie
  will use a cue card which contains personal
  information, list of references, and previous
  experience to complete the application without
  errors.
• Susie will use her job application cue card and a
  computer and its spell and grammar checking to
  create a resume with no errors.

• Objectives
• - Using a computer typing program such as Type
  to Learn to learn keyboarding skills, John will
  type at a rate of at least 35 wpm with 4 or fewer
  errors.
• Using Microsoft Word, John will demonstrate that
  he can type an already prepared essay on the
  computer, name the file, and save it to a floppy
  disk or the hard disk of the computer.
• - Using Microsoft Word John will demonstrate that
  he can open a file which he had previously saved,
  edit the file, save the changes and print the
  file.

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Courses of Study

• Do the transition services include courses of
  study that focus on improving the academic and
  functional achievement of the child to facilitate
  movement from school to post-school?
• Course of study, instructional program of study
  or list of courses of study should be in the IEP
  and should align with the students
  post-secondary goals.
• Does a post-secondary goal require a certain
  minimum requirement of courses, e.g., college
  bound, trade school bound, etc.?
• Does a post-secondary goal require or benefit
  from the successful completion of specific high
  school classes, e.g., a future chef planning to
  take and completing all cooking related classes,
  a future child-care provider planning to take and
  completing relevant classes in Family and
  Consumer Science, etc.

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Transition ServicesCoordinated Set of Activities

• For each post-secondary goal, is there (a)
  instruction, (b) related service, (c) community
  experience, (d) development of employment and
  other post-school adult living objectives, if
  appropriate, (e) acquisition of daily living
  skills, or, if appropriate, (f) provision of
  functional vocational evaluation listed in
  association with meeting the post-secondary goal?
• Employment Post-School Goal
• Dave will work full time for the fire
  department, hospital or ambulance service. 
• Annual Goal
• Dave will research each of the desired work
  settings of fire department, hospital and
  ambulance service and present the results during
  the first semester tech prep class.
• Transition Service Community Experience
• Coordinate job shadow opportunities at each of
  Daves desired work environments. Implementer
  Dave, Tech Prep Coordinator, Case Manager

Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
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Coordination with Post-School Service Providers
(aka adult agencies)

• For each post-secondary goal, is there evidence
  of coordination between LEA and post-secondary
  services?
• Is there evidence that the IEP team discussed and
  listed potential post-school service providers?
• Is there evidence of family and/or student input
  regarding potential post-school service
  providers?
• Are there transition services listed on the IEP
  that are likely to be provided or paid for by an
  outside agency?
• Was parent consent or child consent (once student
  is the age of majority) to invite an outside
  agency(ies) obtained?
• Is there evidence in the IEP or the students
  file that any of the following were invited to
  the IEP meeting to discuss transition
  postsecondary education, vocational education,
  integrated employment (including supported
  employment), continuing and adult education,
  adult services, independent living or community
  participation?
• For those invited post-school service providers
  who declined and/or were unable to attend the IEP
  meeting, is there evidence that alternate forms
  of communication and information gathering were
  used to support networking/access for the IEP
  team and specifically the family and/or student?

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Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
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Potential CollaboratorsLooking beyond the
typical players

• Adult Education Representative provides
  information about lifelong education options
• Advocacy Organization Representative may offer
  self-advocacy training or support groups for
  youth
• Assistive Technology Representative - provides
  expertise on devices that can open doors to
  opportunities
• At-Risk/Prevention Specialist offers counseling
  and support on teen pregnancy, alcohol, and drugs
• Business-Education Partnership Rep. provides
  links between schools and local businesses and
  industry
• Community Action Agency Rep. may link team to
  resources for traditionally underrepresented
  groups
• Correctional Education Staff provides
  incarcerated youth with continued learning
  opportunities
• Drop-Out Prevention Representative provides
  youth with alternatives to dropping out of school
• Employer offers insight into expectations
  promotes hiring of people with disabilities
• Employment Specialist provides job development,
  placement, coaching
• Extension Service Representative offers
  programs in parenting, homemaking, independent
  living
• Guidance Counselor provides information on
  curriculum, assessment, graduation requirements,
  college
• Heath Department provides guidance on community
  health services and health care advice

Adapted from NICHCY, TS10, January 1999
www.nichcy.org
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
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Potential Collaborators Looking beyond the
typical players Continued

• Higher Education Representative - provides
  information on post-secondary services to
  students with disabilities
• Housing Agency Representative assists in
  developing housing options
• Leisure Program Representative knows available
  program options within the community
• Literacy Council Representative - coordinates
  volunteers to teach basic reading and writing
  skills
• Local Government Representative funds many
  local services can provide information on local
  services
• Parent Training Information Ctr. Rep. provides
  training on transition planning and advocacy
  services to families
• Religious Community Member can provide social
  support to young adults and their families
• Residential Service Provider can help access
  specialized housing
• Social Worker provides guidance and arranges
  for case management, support, respite care
• Special Olympics Representative provides sports
  training, competition, and recreational
  opportunities for youth
• Transportation Representative offers expertise
  about transportation options and training
• United Way Representative funds many community
  programs that may offer options for young adults
• Very Special Arts Representative provides
  information on art programs and opportunities for
  youth
• YMCA/YWCA offers recreation and leisure
  programs

Adapted from NICHCY, TS10, January 1999
www.nichcy.org
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
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Steps for Writing Transition-Focused IEPs
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Identify the students post-school goals.

• What are the students preferences and interests
  in
• Employment
• Postsecondary education, training and other
  learning opportunities
• Community participation and mobility
• Recreation and leisure
• Independent living
• Or simply stated
• What does the student want to do beyond school?
• Where and how does the student want to live?
• How does the student want to take part in the
  community?

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Identifying the students post-school goalsAge
appropriate transition assessments

• Interest inventories
• Transition surveys
• Person-centered planning
• Curriculum-based assessments
• Structured interviews
• Social histories
• Career portfolios
• Employability skills inventories
• Assessments of post-school environments desired
  by the student

• Adaptive behavior inventories
• Life skills inventories
• Aptitude tests
• Personality scales
• Social skills inventories
• College entrance examinations
• Assessment of technology needs
• Vocational skills inventories
• Professional assessments

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Age-Appropriate Transition AssessmentsDocumentati
on
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
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Keeping in mind

• Provide opportunities for students to discover
  what they can and cannot do.
• Provide opportunities for students to discover
  what they might be able to do with accommodations
  or further education and training.
• Provide opportunities for students to try out
  work and life experiences based on their
  expressed interests.

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Post-School Goal Examples

• Indicate and project the desired appropriate
  measurable post-secondary outcomes/goals as
  identified by the student, parent and IEP team.
  Goals are based upon age appropriate assessments
  related to education and/or training, and where
  appropriate adult living.
• Post-School Goals

Post-Secondary Education and/or Training (e.g.,
community college, 4-year university,
technical/vocational/trade school, vocational or
career field training, independent living skill
training, apprenticeship, OJT, job
corp) Jennifer will attend Southwestern IL
College full-time to earn a certificate in child
care.
Employment (e.g., competitive, supported,
sheltered, non-paid as a volunteer or training
capacity, military) Jennifer will work full-time
at a day-care or pre-school in the local
community.
Adult Living (e.g., independent living,
health/safety, self-advocacy/future planning,
financial/income needs, transportation/mobility,
social relationships, recreation/leisure) Madalin
e will pay rent from her SSI to live with her
parents in preparation for moving into a shared
apartment after 6 months of full-time
employment. Madaline will access community
transportation independently to travel to college
and then to her job.
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
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The passion created by shared vision creates
synergistic empowerment, it unleashes and
combines the energy, talent, and capacities of
all involved.
Begin with the End in Mind Stephen Covey
Covey, Merrill and Merrill, 1994
36
Describe the students present level of academic
achievement and functional performance

• Knowing where students are functioning in
  relation to where they want to go and what they
  want to do in their adult lives is a critical
  step in the development of a transition-focused
  IEP.

Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
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Design a course of study

• Planning regarding courses leading to graduation
  or completion of a school program
• Long-range educational plan
• Courses and other educational experiences that
  move the student toward his/her post-school goals

38
Course of StudyExample
Course of Study
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
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Design a statement of transition services

• Develop an outcome-oriented plan for adult life
  that addresses, plans for and coordinates what
  the student will learn in school and do following
  graduation or leaving school.
• Make sure that the students needs, preferences
  and interests regarding his/her desired
  post-school activities are the focal point of the
  planning and resulting IEP.

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Design a statement of transition
servicescontinued

• Identify who will provide, be responsible for and
  pay for each activity
• Identify the dates or school year in which each
  activity will be addressed and prioritize those
  activities to be addressed for the coming year

41
Transition Servicescontinued

• What services, supports or programs does this
  student currently need?
• What services, supports or programs will this
  student need in order to achieve his/her desired
  post-school goals?
• What services, supports or programs will this
  student need in order to ensure success as he/she
  enters the adult world?
• Is the student linked to the needed post-school
  services, supports or programs BEFORE he/she
  leaves the secondary school setting?

42
Design a statement of transition
servicescontinued

• Include appropriate individuals from outside the
  school system
• To the extent appropriate, with the consent of
  the parents or a child who has reached the age of
  majoritythe public agency must invite a
  representative of any other participating agency
  that is likely to be responsible for providing or
  paying for transition services.
• (34 CFR 300.321(b)(3))
• Specify interagency responsibilities or any
  needed linkages to access and acquire services
  and supports.

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Transition Services continued

• Instruction
• Complete needed courses for graduation
• Succeed in general curriculum
• Gain needed skills
• Related Services
• To benefit from special education
• To enter adult world
• Linkage to adult agencies or providers

44
Transition Services continued

• Community experiences
• Outside school building in community settings
• Examples include community based work
  experiences, job site training, banking,
  shopping, transportation, counseling or
  recreation
• Employment and other post-school adult living
  objectives
• Services leading to a job or career
• Services that support activities including
  registering to vote, filing taxes, renting a
  place to live, accessing medical services and
  accessing adult services such as Social Security
  Income (SSI)

45
Transition ServicesContinued

• If appropriate, acquisition of daily living
  skills
• Activities that adults do every day including
  preparing meals, budgeting, maintaining a home
  paying bills, caring for clothes and grooming,
  taking medication, etc.
• If appropriate, functional vocational evaluation
• Assessment regarding job or career interests and
  skills
• Variety of methods including situational
  assessment, observations or formal measures

46
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
47
Determine annual goals

• IEPs are required to include a statement of
  measurable annual goals, including academic and
  functional goals, that meet the childs needs
  that result from the childs disability to enable
  the child to be involved in, and make progress
  in, the general education curriculum and that
  meet each of the childs other educational needs
  that result from the childs disability.
• IDEA 2004, 614(d)(1)(A)!i)(II)

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Short-term Objectives or Benchmarks?

• Yes, ISBE has proposed to keep short-term
  objectives/benchmarks in Illinois special
  education rules!
• http//www.isbe.state.il.us/rules/proposed/pdfs/22
  6wf.pdf

Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
49
Determine annual goals and short-term objectives
or benchmarks
It is important to have a good fit between
post-secondary goals and annual goals!

• Carmen will work full-time at a daycare or
  preschool program.

Carmen will volunteer in the districts preschool
program during the 2nd quarter of the school term.
Carmen will keep a weekly log of her duties in
the preschool and present a one-page paper at the
end of the quarter to her Family and Consumer
Science class.
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
50
Transition is the centerpiece of the IEP for
students with disabilities no later than age 14 ½

Outcome Oriented
Linkages
Course of Study
Community Experiences
Employment and Adult Living Objectives
Instruction
Functional Vocational Assessment
Related Services
Interagency Collaboration
Student Strenghts, Preferences and Interests,
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
51
Transition Tree of Influence

• 14. Percent of youth with IEPs who, within one
  year after graduation, have been competitively
  employed, enrolled in postsecondary school, or
  both.

1. Percent of youth with IEPs graduating from
high school with a regular diploma.
Arrows indicate direction of influence and
leverage across systems and indicators.
2. Percent of youth with IEPs dropping out of
high school.
Strategies
13. Percent of youth aged 14 ½ or above with an
IEP with adequate goals and transition services
Outcomes
TOTAL TRANSITION MODULES

• Federal and State Transition Requirements
• Person-Centered Transition Planning
• Supporting Student Self-Determination
• Transition Centerpiece of the IEP
• Implementation of Secondary Transition Best
  Practices

Interagency Collaboration and Transition Adult
Life Outcomes for Students with Disabilities A
World of Opportunity SSI and Transition
Planning Health and Medical Issues in Transition
Planning
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
52

• MANY PEOPLE GO FAR IN LIFE BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE
  THOUGHT THEY COULD.
• John Maxwell

Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
53

• To lead people, walk beside them . . .
• As for the best leaders, the people do not notice
  their existence.
• The next best, the people honor and praise.
• The next, the people fear
• And the next, the people hate . . .
• When the best leaders work is done the people
  say,
• We did it ourselves!

Lao-tsu
Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition
54

• Loss of dignity causes people to be
• Resistant
• Rebellious
• Retaliatory

Sue Walter, 1/07, ISBE Transition