Week 11: Video discussion related to the Washoe County Transitions Office

3/21/2012

5 Comments

 
Please share the following:

1.  Three new things you learned and will take away to your own practice.
2.  One thing that you have "squared away" in your brain about transition.
3.  One thing that is still "circling about" in your brain related to transition.
5 Comments
Janis
3/30/2012 03:13:02 pm

There are three things that I learned from the Washoe County School District video on transitions. I plan to use these in my practice as a special education teacher.
(1) Nevada law is different from federal law in the age that transition planning begins. Nevada law requires that transition planning begins at age 14 instead of the federal age of 16. I plan to talk to my students about transition when they are 14.
(2) I learned that an easy way to keep track of students in middle school who are nearing age 14 is to prepare a chart. On this chart I will have the student's birthday, annual IEP date, and the date when they turn 14. I can transfer the age 14 date to a calendar so I will know who is close to their age 14 transitions IEP.
(3) For students who have severe special needs transition services might be discussed in elementary grades. When transition services are discussed the student must be invited to the meeting. I will be sure to provide the students with an written invitation to the meetings when transition services will be discussed.
There is one thing that I wasn't sure about before but have a better understanding about now. This is that all transition services that are included on the IEP at age 16 must be on the IEP when the student turns 15. This insures that the federal mandated requirement of the transition IEP is in place when the student turns 16.
There are two things I'm not sure about when discussing transition.
(1) I am not clear on the ways the student can be invited to their transition IEP meeting. How far in advance to you give the invitation to the student? What are the compliance reqirements? What does the form look like?
(2) How do you include a student with severe disabilities (ex. non-verbal, CLS students, and others) in transition meetings in elementary school? How does this law affect students who don't have any understanding about what a future life could be after age 21?

Reply
Toby
4/3/2012 02:08:03 pm

Hi Janis-

Great points. Nevada has adopted transition by age 14 as opposed to 16. Do you think this is appropriate?

1. You should give the student you are inviting to the meeting a notice (ses 12) and this should be in their file with the one you send to the parent. The invitation should be given ten days in advance, with a reminder as you get closer. I can bring in a copy of the paperwork.

2. Transition for students with severe disabilities is different. First, the parent must appeal when they are 18 to remain guardian. Then, they can make all educational decisions. In addition, individuals should be included as much as possible, however the IEP does allow for team/parent decisions in lieu of student participation.

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Joe
4/3/2012 03:08:32 pm

Like my classmate I did not remember that the transition plan for students in Nevada begins at age 14. I have been teaching in the elementary level for a while now and I try to prepare my students when they change grade levels. After talking to my co-worker I found out that she also sets up a transition plan for sixth to seventh grade. After watching the video it made me think about how preparing students for transition can begin at any age. The last thing that really stood out for me is how little I know of writing a transition plan. I think that I will be working with my students on making personal transition plans between grade levels.
I think that after watching the video I have a much better picture of how to write a transition plan and what is expected of the team and parents. I feel that watching the video helped but actually writing a transition plan is going to help me understand what is required.
I think that the whole process of writing a plan and working with the parents and student on what they want for the future can be challenging. I feel that until I actually go through the process it will make writing transition plans easier.

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Janis
4/5/2012 01:17:19 pm

Joe:
Learning the transitions begin at 14 (or 13) in Nevada is good. I don't have transition issues now because I am looking for a job. Substitutes don't have to deal with these things. I will be glad to know about them and to understand them so that if (when) a teacher or parent asks me questions I will be able to answer them. I like that you will have your students make transition plans between the grade levels. That looks like a good idea. I agree that writing a transition plan will help me to understand them better.

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Toby
4/4/2012 01:23:16 am

To add to your understanding of a transition plan at age 14, if the student is going to turn 14 in the school year of the IEP, the transition plan must be completed (i.e. if the student is currently 13 but will turn 14 in the school year prior to the next IEP). This means that some of you may actually have to complete these plans for a student who is in 6th grade.

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