RCSSC Transition Guidelines
What is Transition for a Student with Special Needs?
Transition services means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that—
(1) 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, including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation;
(2) Is based on the individual child’s needs, taking into account the child’s strengths, preferences, and interests; and includes—
(i) Instruction;
(ii) Related services;
(iii) Community experiences;
(iv) The development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives; and
(v) If appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and provision of a functional vocational evaluation.
Transition and Employment Guide
RCSSC will…
- Post the Texas Transition and Employment Guide on it's website.
- Provide written information and, if necessary, assistance to the parent regarding how to access the electronic version of the guide at:
- The first meeting of the child's ARD committee at which transition is discussed
- The first ARD committee meeting at which transition is discussed that occurs after the date on which the guide is updated
- On request, provide a printed copy of the guide to the child or parent
What's Required?
Federal Requirements:
Transition services and activities must be included in the development of the IEP no later than the first IEP to be in effect when the student turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, and must include appropriate measurable post-secondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and where appropriate, independent living skills.
State Requirements: Appropriate state transition planning must begin for a student not later than when the student reaches 14 years of age.
- Appropriate student involvement in the student's transition to life outside the public school system
- If the student is younger than 18 years of age, appropriate parental involvement in the student's transition
- If the student is at least 18 years of age, appropriate parental involvement in the student's transition, if the parent is invited to participate by the student or the school district in which the student is enrolled
- Any postsecondary education options
- A functional vocational evaluation if appropriate
- Employment goals and objectives
- If the student is at least 18 years of age, the availability of age-appropriate instructional environments
- Independent living goals and objectives
- Appropriate circumstances for referring a student or the student's parents to a
governmental agency for services - The use and availability of appropriate supplementary aids, services, curricula, and other opportunities to assist the child in developing decision-making skills; and supports and services to foster the child's independence and self-determination, including a supported decision-making agreement
What We Do
- Transition services mean working as a team with the student, parent, school staff and outside agencies or community service to develop a coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability that is based on the individual student's needs, taking into account:
- the student's strengths,
- preferences,
- interests,
- which includes instruction,
- related services,
- community experience,
- the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and
- if appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and provision of a functional vocational evaluation.
- All of these activities will be considered for each student; however specific activities will be determined by the needs of each student.
- Transition is a results-oriented process that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of a child with disabilities to facilitate the movement from school to post-school activities.
- These activities, through state guidelines, begins on or before the student turns 14 years old with postsecondary goals in education or training, employment and if appropriate, independent living skills based on age-appropriate transition assessments and, an examination of transition issues including the appropriate courses of study based on transition goals.
- The IEP will include transition services which are needed to assist the student in reaching those post-secondary goals.
- RCSSC is responsible for providing when appropriate, parent, teacher and student input forms for transition planning and/or as a portion of transition assessment.
- Although transition planning must be in place by age 14, it can be completed earlier, depending on the needs of the student.
- Earlier transition planning, when appropriate, can be considered for students with moderate to severe disabilities who may need additional services from outside agencies with long waiting lists.
- Appropriate student involvement in the student's transition to life outside the public school system includes student's participation in the ARD\IEP committee.
- The student will be invited to the ARD/IEP Committee meeting when transition services will be discussed.
- The ARD/IEP Committee will make decisions regarding transition goals and services based on age-appropriate transition assessments.
- The transition goals and services in the student's IEP will be updated annually.
- An ARD/IEP Committee will consider, and if appropriate, address the issue of a formal functional vocational evaluation.
- The ARD/IEP Committee identifies students who will benefit from services in a vocational program such as Work Based Learning (WBL).
- Age-appropriate instructional environments will be available for students who are 18 years of age and older.
- The ARD/IEP committee must determine the appropriate environment for each student in this age category on a case-by-case basis, but decisions should be made by taking into consideration what typical students in general education are doing at that age (e.g. college, technical school, employment, volunteer positions, etc.) and the comparable environments available.
- Formal transition planning is completed during the ARD/IEP committee meeting and focuses on assisting students with disabilities to become independent within the community, to the greatest extent possible.
- Prior to the student's 17th birthday, the Notice of Transfer of Parental Rights must be completed.
- Inform student/parent of Rights Transferred to student when students reach age 18 and complete the transfer of rights statement in the ARD/IEP.
- If a student's goal is to be employed after graduation from high school, the appropriate courses should be included in the IEP and addressed on the Graduation Options supplement; this begins documentation of the student's goals after graduation.
- The secondary case manager (VAC /Transition) is responsible for inviting officials from other agencies to the IEP meeting if appropriate and obtaining parent/student consent/release of information. The RCSS attempts to have representatives from other agencies meet with students and parents prior to the IEP meeting to ensure more quality time to discuss post-secondary services and options.
A Report for Students Exiting Public School or Graduating Seniors: The Summary of Performance (SOP)
- For all graduating seniors or students exiting public school because of age eligibilities, a Summary of Performance will be provided to the student, which includes the student's: postsecondary goals, academic achievement, functional performance, recommendations on how to assist the student in achieving his or her postsecondary goals, written recommendations of the agencies, and views of the parents and students.
- The SOP will be provided to the student for use with agency and post-secondary educational environments to facilitate the student's post-secondary transition success.
- The school will ensure all graduating seniors have a graduation option identified.
