The Transition Planning Process

1. The Transition Planning Process By: Kristen Kershner

2. Transition Assessment & Post Secondary Goals: Key Elements in the Secondary Transition Planning Process • IDEA 2004 requires schools to begin writing transition plans when a student is 14 years old. • Before a transition plan is developed, a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) should give the student a variety of formal and informal assessments. • Transition Assessments should answer the following 3 questions: 1.) Where is the student, presently? 2.) Where is the student going? 3.) How will the student get there?

3. Transition Assessment & Post Secondary Goals: Key Elements in the Secondary Transition Planning Process • After information is gathered, the MDT, student, and student’s family should work together to plan post secondary goals in the following areas: • Education • Employment • Independent Living • Post secondary goals should be appropriate and measurable!!!

4. Transition Assessment & Post Secondary Goals: Key Elements in the Secondary Transition Planning Process • After post secondary goals are written, transition services should be coordinated and aligned to the goals. • Finally, annual IEP goals should be written. They will serve as benchmarks towards the overall post secondary goals.

5. Start on Success: A Model Transition Program for High School Students With Disabilities • The unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities is on the rise! • In 2000, a study conducted by the National Organization of Disability (NOD), showed that 32 % of their sample population with disabilities were employed as compared to 81% of their non-disabled peers. • The Start on Success program was piloted in urban areas to help promote employment for individuals w/ disabilities.

6. Start on Success: A Model Transition Program for High School Students With Disabilities • The purpose of this program is to provide work experiences to individuals with mental, physical, and sensory disabilities. • The program was piloted in 2000 in Philadelphia. • A partnership was created between a public high school and a local university. • The high school selected 20 students with disabilities to participate in the program. The students were considered “At risk,” because they had behavior problems, low self-esteem, and poor school attendance. • A special education teacher & paraprofessional from the school worked with representatives from the university to create a “Supported employment” program.

7. Start on Success: A Model Transition Program for High School Students With Disabilities • Each student was assigned a mentor from the university. • The students were placed in various jobs around the university based on their abilities and interests. • Some of the jobs included: stocking shelves at the book store, light filing duties at the offices, and working with the maintenance crew. • The students were paid for their services through a grant that was provided by the NOD. There were no costs to the university! • A follow-up study showed that 87% of the students who were working when they graduated remained employed 1 year later.

8. Transition to Adulthood for Students With Severe Disabilities: Shifting Toward Person-Family Interdependent Planning • Effective transition plans help students make a smooth transition from school to adulthood! • There are 3 different types of transition planning approaches: • Family- Centered Planning • Person- Centered Planning • Person- Family Interdependent Planning

9. Transition to Adulthood for Students With Severe Disabilities: Shifting Toward Person-Family Interdependent Planning Family Centered Planning • This type of a plan is primarily used in the early childhood years. • The individual’s family are the primary decision makers. • The family selects the services and supports that will be needed.

10. Transition to Adulthood for Students With Severe Disabilities: Shifting Toward Person-Family Interdependent Planning Person Centered Planning • The individual with disabilities chooses their own services and supports. • The individual chooses and attains their own goals. • All information is directly reported to the individual with disabilities.

11. Transition to Adulthood for Students With Severe Disabilities: Shifting Toward Person-Family Interdependent Planning Person-Family Interdependent Planning • The individual with disabilities & their family are informed of all information. • The individual and their family decide on appropriate services and supports. • The individual & their family work together to plan goals.

12. Family Centered Transition to Adulthood for Students With Severe Disabilities: Shifting Toward Person-Family Interdependent Planning • Person-Family Interdependent Approach is the newest trend with transition planning! Person Centered

13. Article Links  1.)Linking Transition Assessment With Post Secondary Goals http://www.cec.sped.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications2/TEACHINGExceptionalChildren/default.htm 2.) “Start on Success” http://heldref.metapress.com/openurl.asp?genre=article&id=doi:10.3200/PSFL.52.1.3 3.) Transition to Adulthood for Students With Severe Intellectual Disabilities https://www.tash.org/publications/RPSD/RPSD.html