Summary of Performance

1. Summary of Performance Going Where No One Has Ever Gone Before Susie Vaughn, Pre-Vocational Coordinator, SESE

2. What is Transition? Transition is the coordinated process of planning and service delivery that enable students who have disabilities to successfully attain their post-secondary goals.

3. Federal Definition of Transition Services A coordinated set of activities that: • Is designed to be within a results-oriented process, that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child’s movement from school to post-school activities. • Is based on the individuals child’s needs, taking into account the child’s strengths, preferences, and interests.

4. Federal Definition of Transition Services • Includes instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional evaluation. **Transition services for children with disabilities may be special education, if provided as a specially designed instruction OR related service, if required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education. Sec. 300.43

5. The Transition Plan Beginning no later than the first IEP in effect when the child is 16 (14 ½ in Illinois), and updated annually thereafter, the IEP must include: • Appropriate measurable post-secondary goals that cover education and/or training, employment, and as needed, independent living. • For each post-secondary goal, there is an annual goal and short-term objective that will help the student make progress toward the stated post-secondary goal. • Evidence that the post-secondary goals were based on age-appropriate transition assessments.

6. The Transition Plan • Courses of study that focus on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child to facilitate movement from school to post-school, as well as courses of study that align with the student’s post-secondary goals. • When appropriate, for transition services that include outside agencies, evidence that those agencies were invited to participate in the IEP. • Transfer of rights at age of majority. Beginning not later than one year before the child reaches the age of majority under State law, the IEP must include a statement that the child has been informed of the child’s rights. Sec. 300.320

7. IDEA 2004 • When the student exits from Special Education, the LEA must provide the student with a summary of their academic achievement and functional performance, along with recommendations for ways to assist the student in meeting their post-secondary goals. • Must be completed during the final year of the student’s high school education. • Is most useful when linked to the IEP process and the student has the opportunity to actively participate in the development of this document. • A well-written Summary of Performance (SoP) may make the reader feel like they know the student. Sec. 300.305

8. What is the Purpose of the SoP? • To help establish a student’s eligibility for reasonable accommodations and supports in post-secondary settings; • To assist the Vocational Rehabilitation Comprehensive Assessment process; • To assist the student in transitioning from high school to post high school – The summative documentation goes with the student when he/she leaves high school.

9. Why Do the SoP? • It is required under the Reauthorization of Individuals with Disabilities Act 2004. The law came into effect on July 1, 2005.

10. Who Needs a SoP? • Students who will graduate this year with a regular high school diploma. • Students who will age out of high school this year.

11. When is a SoP Completed? • It is completed during the last year the student is in high school. The specific timing is individually based on the student’s measurable post-secondary goals. • If the student needs the information in the SoP to apply for college, the SoP should be completed in the fall. • If the student needs the information to provide to an employer for employment following high school graduation, the SoP should be completed in the spring.

12. Summary of Performance • The SoP is individualized and driven by the student’s measurable post-secondary goals. • The SoP is not a part of the IEP; therefore, an IEP meeting does not have to be conducted to complete the SoP. • The SoP cannot take the place of the exit IEP meeting because there is a change in the student's placement and parents have the right to be notified as such.

13. SESE Summary of Performance

14. Section I: Student Perspective • It is highly recommended that the student provide information related to the SoP. This section may be filled out independently or completed with the student through an interview. The student’s contribution can help: • Secondary professionals complete the summary; • The student to better understand the impact of his/her disability on academic and functional performance in post-secondary settings. • Post –secondary personnel to more clearly understand the student.

15. Section I: Student Perspective • The Student Perspective consists of providing the following information: • Name and determined disability • In which area(s) does your disability affect your schoolwork and school activities? • What supports/accommodations have been provided in the past? Then rate how helpful the support or accommodation has been. • Please describe the strengths and needs you would like professionals to know about you as you enter the post-secondary or work environment.

16. Section II: Student Identifying Information • This section is completed by the teacher and consists of the following information: • Student Name and Birthdate • Parent/Guardian • Address, City, State, Zip • Phone, e-mail address • Primary language • Primary classification/disability • Exit date • Exit high school • Resident high school • Date SoP completed.

17. Section III-A: Summary of Academic Achievement • In this area, the teacher is asked to complete the student’s present level of performance in the areas of reading, written language, and math. • The teacher also indicates the accommodations, modifications, and Assistive technology that were essential in high school to assist the student in achieving progress.

18. Section III-B: Summary of Functional Performance • In this area, the teacher is asked to complete the student’s performance in the areas of: • Self-direction • Interpersonal skills • Self-care • Mobility • Work Skills/Work Tolerance • Problem-Solving Skils • The teacher also indicates the accommodations, modifications, and Assistive technology that were essential in high school to assist the student in achieving progress.

19. Definitions • An accommodation is defined as a support or service that is provided to help a student fully access the general education curriculum or subject matter. • An accommodation DOES NOT CHANGETHE CONTENT of what is being taught or the expectation that the student meet a performance standard applied for alls students.

20. Definitions • A modification is defined as a change to the general education curriculum or other material being taught, which alters the standards or expectations for students with disabilities. • Instruction can be modified so that the material is presented differently and/or the expectations of what the student will master are changed.

21. Definitions • Assistive Technology (AT) is defined as any device that helps a student with a disability function in a given environment, but does not limit the device to expense or “high tech” options. Assistive technology can also include simple devices such as laminated pictures for communication, removable highlighter tapes, velcro, and other “low tech” devices. • Supports are connections or coordination with outside agencies, personnel, or other services or supports used in high school.

22. Section IV: Recommendations • This sections is “Recommendations to assist this student in meeting post-secondary goals”.’ • This section should present suggestions for accommodations, adaptive devices, assistive supports, compensatory strategies, and/or collateral support services, to enhance access in a post-high school environment, including higher education, training, employment, independent living and/or community participation.

23. Conclusion • The last pages of the SoP are Lists of Area Adult Service Agency Resources. This is not an all inclusive list of agencies in our area, but some of the more accessed agencies. Additional agencies are listed in the Transition Resource Guide.

24. Thank You Susie Vaughn, Pre-Vocational Coordinator South Eastern Special Education svaughn@roe12.net