District Transtion Goals

I teach on the high school level. It is our responsibility as special educators according to the law and the district to prepare our students with disabilities for the transition from high school to post-secondary school or services. This includes by law creating transition goals for the change by helping the student start the journey to reach the goal. The post-secondary goals should be based on the student’s needs, preferences, interests, an d strength according the Newport News Public Schools website. The goals should include post-secondary education, career and technical education, employment, continuing education, adult services, independent living, and community participation. It should include statements related to the activities needed to assist the student in reaching post-secondary goals and their course of study whether in a school setting, vocational setting or community program. According to my district, many individuals can be involved in this process. They include the student, parents, teachers, counselors, therapist, adult agency representatives, and anyone else vested in the student’s independent living activities. The district currently offers several transition services to our students both with and without disabilities. These services compromise Informal transition assessments. transition planning with attendance to IEP meetings, career and technical course referrals, referral source to local agencies, transition data collection, and tours of local agencies and schools. All of this is offered to create a smooth transition for the student with disabilities within the school district.

Assistive technology is an important part of the transition process and the transitional process. If the student has supports that are currently being used at the high-school level, they need to be included in the transition process. This would occur in the Summary of Performance (SOPS) upon graduating high school or aging out of special education and public school. Currently, assistive technology is used in my current school in several ways. Some students with poor eye-sight are allowed to use school issued I-Pods to allow them to increase the screen size for reading and taking notes. The use of speak to script dictation is allowed on assessments and standardized tests. Students may also have a word processor or laptop for classwork and note-taking during class instruction time. Audio versions of books, assessments and literary texts is also available for students with disabilities that are audio learners. The state allows assistive technology provided that it can be proven with data that it will enhance the student’s educational progress. The school is willing to use assistive technology for the benefit of the student. However, the general education and special education teachers need more intense training in order to properly assist the student with proper use of the assistive technology.

The school district provides the option and resources for the case managers and special education teachers to assist in the transition from high school to post-secondary services. However, there is a gap between what the district offers. The district places all of this information on their website but the case managers and special educators are not given formal training on how to use the transition services that are offered. This results in the goals being written on the IEP but not obtained. The special educators think writing the goal is the end of the transitional training. The district needs to implement more training and communication regarding transition services within the special education department.

Newport News Public Schools. (2016). Transition services. Retrieved February 20, 2016 from:

                http://www.nnschools.org/sped/transition.html