Chapter 8: Transition — Planning Your Child's Future Success - Página 2

Expanding the IEP Team

Under IDEA 2004, schools continue to be responsible for bringing in representatives from other agencies, such as vocational rehabilitation agency or postsecondary education, to be part of the planning for transition services with the consent of the parents or the student who has reached the age of majority. Your IEP meeting notice must indicate the individuals from other agencies who have been invited to attend your child's IEP meeting. If you feel that the school is not including appropriate representatives to help with transition planning, be sure to let the school know.

Beyond simply participating in your child’s IEP, these agencies may also be responsible for the delivery of some of the needed transition services. To ensure that transition services are provided, IDEA 2004 makes it clear that if these agencies do not provide the services for which they are responsible, the school must find alternative ways to meet the transition objectives for your child.

In addition to other agency representatives, IDEA requires that your child be included in the IEP meeting when planning for transition services begins. If your child cannot or does not attend the meeting, IDEA requires that the school district take other steps to ensure that his or her preferences and interests are considered in the planning of transition services.

Don't forget that your child can be part of the IEP team long before transition planning begins. You and the school should work together to determine the best time to begin including your child as part of the team.

Parent Perspective: Setting Goals and Planning for the Transition to College Monica from New York describes the importance of early and active transition planning. Listen to the podcast or read the transcript.

Requirements for Transition Planning

The IEP team must develop appropriate, measurable postsecondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills. There are age-appropriate transition assessments such as personal interest inventories that could be given to your child to help identify his or her individual special talents and interests.

In developing your child's transition goals, the IEP team (including your child) must determine what instruction and educational experiences will help prepare him or her for a successful transition to life after high school. Once the goals are developed, the IEP team must then develop a statement of the transition services, including courses of study, needed to assist your child in reaching those goals.

IDEA requires states to provide special education services to eligible students until they either graduate with a regular diploma or exceed the age limit established in IDEA (reaching age 22) or by your state law. Students receiving diplomas other than a regular diploma are entitled to continue to receive services under IDEA until exceeding the agelimit. The IEP team decides when it is appropriate for a student to exit special education.

The statement of transition services should relate directly to your child's postsecondary goals, and should:

• Define every activity that must occur
• Identify who has primary responsibility for each activity
• Specify the dates and order that each activity will begin and end
• Motivate your child to complete his or her education and minimize the risk of dropping out prior to graduation.

Use the Transition Considerations Checklist to help plan transition goals and services.

Parent Perspective: Tools for the High School Student with Learning Disabilities Salle from Colorado describes an innovative self-advocacy program that helped her daughter succeed. Listen to the podcast or read the transcript.

Coming of Age

Another important aspect of transition planning is the requirement to notify your child one year before he or she reaches the "age of majority" under state law (18 years of age in most states). At that time, the IEP must include a statement that your child has been informed of his or her rights under IDEA (if any) that will transfer from you to him or her upon reaching that age.

This is an important event in the life of a student. Under state laws, when your child reaches the age of majority, he or she is presumed to be capable of making his or her own decisions — including educational decisions. That does not mean that you cannot continue to be involved in your child's education. It just means that, by law, schools must respect the educational decisions of every adult student, unless that person has been determined to be incapable of making decisions.

The rights that will transfer from you to your child upon reaching the age of majority include:

• Notification of meetings
• Notification and consent for evaluation
• Selection of participants who attend IEP meetings
• Approval of the contents of the IEP.

For those students who may be found legally incompetent and unable to make important life decisions, schools should provide parents with the information necessary to establish their child's legal incompetence and begin guardianship proceedings with local district courts.

How Parents and Schools Can Prepare Students to Understand Their Rights Students should understand their disability and be able to advocate for themselves. Students should understand why they receive special education services. Students should receive written and oral notification of meetings. Students should be notified of changes in placement with explanations of why those changes occurred. This notification should be in the communication mode best suited for each individual student. Students should participate and assist in the IEP meetings. Students should receive explanations of the type and purpose of all evaluations. Students should be involved in the interpretation of test results. Students should be given the opportunity to review their educational records. Students should know their rights under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students should participate in self-advocacy and self-determination training.