Guidelines for Transition: Basic Stuff to Know!
q
At age
14 (the birthday, not the entry into high school) all students must be invited
to their IEP. Further, the letter
to the parents must indicate that transition will be discussed.
The word transition must be
somewhere in that letter.
q
By the
student’s 14th birthday, there must be a Statement of Transition
Service Needs. This is the
long-range educational plan for each student.
Some future prospective courses, based on the student’s desired
outcome upon graduation from high school should be included. (Yes, sometimes
students will change their mind!)
q
By the
student’s 16th birthday, there must be a Statement of Needed
Transition Services. This is the
coordinated long range plan for life and shall include instruction (already
addressed at age 14), community experiences, related services, the development
of employment and other post-school living objectives, and if appropriate,
acquisition of daily living skills and functional evaluation.
q
At
least three years prior to students reaching the age of majority (18) the IEP
team must meet with students and provide information to them about reaching
age of majority – their rights, etc.
q
Division
of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) will provide consultation to a
student at age 14. They can
determine eligibility up to two years prior to graduation.
q
Families
who have children eligible for the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)
can determine eligibility from birth. These
families can choose to link with DDD before DVRS in terms of adult living
support. These agencies have
agreed to determine eligibility of a person independently of the other. DDD can put a student on a wait list for day programming
three years prior to exiting the school if appropriate.
q
The
child study team case manager is responsible for transition planning!!!