IEP and TRANSITION PLANNING

FACILITATOR’S GUIDE FOR IEP and TRANSITION PLANNING

by: Jessica Cooke, Shawn Freeman, and Rebecca Sutherland

Target Audience:  The target audience for this professional development is middle and high school special education teachers who work with students with disabilities of transitional ages.

Course Outcome: To inform special education teachers of IEP transition planning and implementation according to the guidelines of IDEA.

Learning Target: By the end of this transition presentation, when writing a transition goal, I will be able to write a goal based on the strengths and preferences of the individual student by evaluating the student’s transition assessments on 2 out of 3 assessments.  

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the role of the special educator in transition planning
• Understand the importance of transit planning in the IEP
• Understand how to develop and implement transition goals and objectives

Materials:

• Projector
• Powerpoint
• Youtube Video
• Projection Screen
• Laptop
• Technicalities
• Handouts of assessments performed by students with disabilities
• Pens

Hook: Facilitators provide four student profiles and four student transitional goals/services for audience to match the profiles with the appropriate student.

Profile1:John is a high school sophomore who likes computers.  

Profile 2: Sally is a high school senior that has a passion for working on cars.

Profile 3: Bobby is a 14 year old student who is expressing interest in the culinary arts

Profile 4: William is in the STEM program for engineering.

Service 1:.Special Education teacher has an local engineer visit the classroom.

Service 2: Special Education teacher assists student in researching colleges that specialize in computer programming.

Service 3: Special Education teacher enrolls student in mechanics class at the school’s vocational center

Service 4: Special Education teacher coordinates for hands on experience at a local restaurant.  

Answer Key:

Profile 1 and Service 2

Profile 2 and Service 3

Profile 3 and Service 4

Profile 4 and Service 1

Explain and Model

Facilitators will explain the reasoning behind the hook activity. The special educators matched the scenarios to the student’s interests but there is a lack of data as evidence of the necessary transition services for making appropriate goals. Transition goals and services need to be based on the data driven by transition assessments to remain in the guidelines of IDEA. The goals and services should be formed on the student’s strengths and interests.

Facilitators will begin the process of explaining IEP and Transition Planning with the use of PowerPoint and youtube videos.

IEP and Transition Planning Professional Development Outline:

I. Importance of appropriate preparation and application of practices governing IEP meetings and transitional planning.   

1. When should transition begin?  Short clip on the importance of transition
2. “The No child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires schools and educators to use instructional programs and practices grounded in scientifically based research.( FEDC Issue Brief,2011, p.2)
3. IDEA states that transition planning should be included in the student’s IEP at the age of 16

II. Assessments

1. Importance of assessments for documentation and data
2. Offer a variety of assessments to meet the student’s specific disability
3. Sample assessments
1. Work Personality Profile
2. Combined Assessment- Facilitators will allow for a  few volunteers to take the  assessment and explain the importance of including independent living, education, employment, self-determination and other assessments in their own created transition assessment..
4. Assessments Explained - Short-clip about the importance of transition assessments for the student.

III. How to develop transition goals and objectives

1. The importance of goals and objectives meeting the individuality of the student’s strengths and needs.
2. Evaluating the assessments and designing specific goals and objectives that are specific to the student’s interests and strengths.
3. Assessments lead to goals

IV. Services to meet students needs

1. Goals lead to services Explanation of how to take assessments and create goals
2. What are transition services?
1. Transition services are a “combination of activities that will lead the student to reach his/her postsecondary goals including instruction, related services, community experiences, development of employment, and other post school adult living objectives” (Cort, R.H., 2011).  
2. Federal Law states that transition services needs to be included on the IEP when the student turns 16.  
3. Some states mandate that transitional services need to start earlier than age 16 (e.g. age 14 or 15).  These mandates are allowed however, it is not allowed for a state to allow transitional services to start later than age 16.  

V. Conclusion

1. When using the information presented in today’s PDP, special educators should know the importance and procedures for creating and implementing useful transition goals and services.

Evaluate and Close

Allow approximately 15-20 minutes for this activity.Attendees break-up into groups of 5. They are provided with 3 assessments that students with disabilities have performed. Groups must evaluate  the assessments and create a transitional goal and related service for each student. The results will be shared with the entire audience and discussed for thoughts and adjustments. Close with the thought of the importance of transition goals meeting the student’s individual strengths and interests.

References

FEDC Issue Brief. (2011). Evidence-based practices to support effective transition for young                adults with disabilities leaving high school. WestEd Center for Prevention &

            Early Intervention

Cort, R. H. (2011). Transition planning and services for students with disabilities. New York State

Department of Education. Retrieved from

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/specialed/publications/transitionplanning-2011.htm