The Transition-Focused IEP

Activities for Before, During and After the IEP Meeting

IEP Planning Process

• Beginning at age 14 the IEP should be focused on meeting the student’s postsecondary goals.

• The IEP is a plan for preparing the student to successfully move from school to post-school education, work and adult living.

• Transition is a results-oriented process that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the student.

Before the IEP Meeting

Prior to age 14 conduct an age-appropriate transition assessment related to training/ education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills.•The assessment will assist in developing the measurable postsecondary goals.•The assessment will assist in identifying transition services needed to reach the goals.•Transition assessment should be on-going.

•Assist the student and family to determine needs, strengths, preferences and interests related to life after high school.• Conduct career awareness exploration

activities and a variety of formal and informal assessments.• Explore opportunities within general education

for the student to participate such as the development of Personal Plans of Study and Kansas Career Clusters.• Integrate these processes into the

transition planning for the student.

Formally Invite the Student to the IEP

• Prepare the student for participating in the IEP meeting.

• Support the student in developing self-determination skills.

• There must be documentation that the student was invited even if it is known he/she cannot attend.

Invite the Parents to the IEP

• Provide the parents (or adult student) with a 10 day written notice of the IEP meeting.

• Invite all required team members.• Include other team members as determined

appropriate by the school or by the parents.

Invite Representative of Outside Agency

• With the consent of the parent invite a representative of a participating agency that is likely to provide or pay for transition services.

• Use other means to enable the participation of the representative if they are unable to attend the meeting (conf. call, etc).

• If other agency fails to provide transition services on the IEP, reconvene the IEP team to identify alternative strategies.

Prepare an IEP Meeting Agenda

• Enables the student and parents to know what is happening throughout the meeting.

• Encourages the student and parents to participate in the discussion.

• The facilitator should also bring other relevant information, such as, graduation requirements, summary of assessments, description of courses available, etc.

Appropriate Measurable Postsecondary Goals

• Beginning with the first IEP to be in effect when the student is age 14.

• Based on age-appropriate transition assessments in the areas of education/training, employment, and, if appropriate, independent living skills.

• Must have a goal for education/training, and employment.

• Only if appropriate, a goal for independent living skills.

ExampleMeasurable postsecondary goals are outcomes that occur after the student has left high school. What a student will do.Education/Training: After graduation, James will attend Kaw Valley’s Technical Institute’s 2 Year Diesel course.Employment: After graduation from Kaw Valley Technical Institute (KVTI), James will be employed as a Diesel Mechanic.Combination Goal: After graduation James will attend KVTI’s 2 year Diesel course and then will be employed as a Diesel Mechanic.

Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional

Performance (PLAAFP)

• Focus on the student’s strengths, needs, interests and preferences in relationship to his/her postsecondary goals.

• Frame PLAAFPs around the areas of transition services: instruction, related services, community experiences, employment, adult living objectives, daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation.

Courses of Study(Age 14)

• Courses of study are a multi-year description of coursework to achieve the student’s desired postsecondary goals.

• The courses of study must identify the specific graduation requirements and elective courses.

• Other educational experiences: work study, community-based instruction, self-advocacy skills.

• May change from year to year based on student’s needs, strengths, preferences, interests and measurable postsecondary goals.

Transition Services(Age 16)

A coordinated set of activities based on the individual student’s needs, taking into account the student’s strengths, preferences and interests. Address the following areas:

•Instruction•Related Services•Community experiences•Employment

• Adult living objectives• If appropriate, daily

living skills and functional vocational evaluation

Coordinated Set of Transition Services*

Transition Services Needs and Activities Timeline Responsible Agency/Person

Provider/Payer

Instruction

Related Services

Community Experiences

Employment

Adult Living Objectives

**Daily Living Skills

**Functional Vocational Evaluation* Example, not required**If Appropriate

Measurable Annual Goals• Include academic and functional goals designed

to meet the student’s needs to enable the student to be involved in and make progress in the general education curriculum.

• Address each of the student’s other educational needs that result from the student’s disability.

• Must support the student to meet his/her postsecondary goals.

• For students eligible for the KAMM, develop short-term objectives or benchmarks.

Special Education and Related Services and Supplementary Aids and Services• Based on peer-reviewed research to the extent

practicable.• Statement of program modifications or supports for

school personnel to enable the student to: Advance toward attaining annual goals and

postsecondary goals Be involved in and progress in general curriculum and

nonacademic activities Be educated and participate with exceptional and

nonexceptional students Identify the location, frequency and duration of

services.

Transfer of Rights at Age 18• At least one year before a student

reaches 18 years of age, the student’s IEP includes a statement that the student has been informed of rights that will transfer to the student upon reaching age 18.

• All rights afforded to parents under IDEA transfer to the student at age 18 (unless the student has been determined to be incompetent under state law).

After the IEP Meeting

• Services on the IEP will begin within 10 school days after parental consent unless justification for a delay.

• Regularly assess student progress and report progress toward meeting annual goals to parents as determined in the IEP.

• Conduct an annual review of the IEP.

Summary of Performance• For students whose eligibility ends due to

graduation or exceeding the age of eligibility.• Summary of academic achievement and functional

performance, including recommendations• The Summary of Performance (SOP) is intended to

assist the student in transition from high school to higher education, training and/or employment and successful independent living.

• The development of the SOP can start as early as possible. It can take the form of a Portfolio or a form of minimum requirements.

Indicator 13 RequirementsPercent of youth with IEPs aged 16 and above with an IEP that includes

appropriate measurable postsecondary goals that are annually updated (as appropriate) and based upon an age appropriate transition assessment transition services, including courses of study, that will reasonably

enable the student to meet those postsecondary goals annual IEP goals related to the student’s transition services needs evidence that the student was invited to the IEP Team meeting

where transition services are to be discussed evidence that, if appropriate, a representative of any participating

agency was invited to the IEP Team meeting with the prior consent of the parent or student who has reached

the age of majority. (20 U.S.C. 1416(a)(3)(B))

Resources• Kans Trans Website http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=2587

• NSTTAC Indicator 13 Checklist http://www.nsttac.org/indicator13/indicator13_checklist.aspx

• Transition Coalition http://transitioncoalition.org/transition/index.php

• NCSET Resources for IEP and Transition Planning http://www.ncset.org/topics/ieptransition/resources.asp?topic=28

• IEP team meetings: A guide for participation for parents. http://www.nasponline.org/families/iep.pdf (English) http://www.nasponline.org/families/iep_sp.pdf (Spanish)

• NICHCY's All about the IEP pages. . http://www.nichcy.org/EducateChildren/IEP/Pages/default.aspx