United states deparment of education office of special education and rehabilitative services
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V: EARLY CHILDHOOD TRANSITIONCongress included provisions to ensure that preschool or other appropriate services would be provided to eligible children leaving early intervention at age three. Transition is a multifaceted process to prepare the child and the child’s family to leave early intervention services. Congress recognized the importance of coordination and cooperation between the educational agency and the early intervention system by requiring that a specific set of activities occur as part of a transition plan. Transition activities typically include: (1) identification of steps to be taken to prepare the child for changes in service delivery and to help the child adjust to a new setting, (2) preparation of the family (i.e., discussions, training, visitations), and (3) determination of other programs and services for which a child might be eligible. Transition planning for children who may be eligible for Part B preschool services must include scheduling a meeting (with approval of the family) among the lead agency, the educational agency and the family at least 90 days (with parental permission up to six months) prior to the child’s third birthday. Transition of children who are not eligible for special education also includes making reasonable efforts to convene a meeting to assist families in obtaining other appropriate community-based services. For all Part C children, States must review the child’s program options for the period from the child’s third birthday through the remainder of the school year and must establish a transition plan.Validation Planning and Data Collection OSEP with the Steering Committee identified three recurring themes about early intervention services in Nebraska leading to the validation data collection phase: (1) What sources of funding are available to support service coordination beyond age 3 and how many families want service coordination after age 3? (2) What training has been provided for parents about transition? (3) What are the obstacles in transition? Is the transition page on the IFSP used effectively to identify the supports children and families require in as they transition from Part C to Part B? Two areas of inquiry (numbers 2 & 3 above) were incorporated into the next phase of OSEP’S visit to the State. The issue of service coordination beyond age three is an area the Steering Committee plans to study. A major concern heard from many providers and parents throughout the State related to the loss of service coordination at age 3. Across the State, early intervention providers and administrators informed OSEP that the vast majority of toddlers served in early intervention transition into preschool special education services. Anecdotal reports indicate that 90-100% of the children transition into special education, with a few children enrolled in Head Start, as space is available. Analysis of data resulted in the identification of the following strength and suggestion for improved results for infants and toddlers and their families. A. STRENGTH1. Parent Education Seminars The State offers many opportunities for parent training about transitions that families with young children experience. The Part C staff at the Nebraska Parent Training and Information Center conduct early intervention transition seminars six times a year for parents. These seminars focus on the multiple transitions experienced by children and their families -- from hospital to home, to another service coordinator, at age three, etc. Parents take advantage of these seminars and reported that they were helpful. As noted below, improvements in the system could make transition even stronger. B. SUGGESTION FOR IMPROVED RESULTS FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS AND THEIR FAMILIES1. Limited transition options for children not eligible for preschool special education While transition planning conferences are conducted for children who are not eligible for preschool special education services, administrators and service coordinators told OSEP that there are often few, if any, options available for those toddlers not eligible for Part B preschool services at age three particularly in rural communities. OSEP encourages the State to continue to pursue avenues to support children and families at this crucial transition, particularly toddlers who do not qualify for preschool special education services. VI. PART B: PARENT INVOLVEMENTA purpose of IDEA 97 is to expand and promote opportunities for parents and school personnel to work in new partnerships at the State and local levels. Parents must now have an opportunity to participate in meetings with respect to the identification, evaluation, and educational placement of their child, and the provision of a free appropriate public education for their child. Parental involvement has long been recognized as an important indicator of a school’s success and parent involvement has positive effects on children’s attitudes and social behavior. Partnerships positively impact achievement, improve parents’ attitudes toward the school, and benefit school personnel as well. Validation Planning and Data Collection Data was gathered at public input sessions and at Steering Committee meetings. As part of the public input sessions, OSEP asked the following questions: “Is the provision of a free appropriate public education facilitated through parent partnerships?” and “Do parents have an equal decision-making authority in the program planning process?” Responses by parents included that parents are invited to participate in the decision-making process, parents felt the State had adequate procedural safeguards, and that parents in more urban areas had better access to the parent involvement programs sponsored by the Parent Training and Information Center. At the end of the Validation Planning process, the Steering Committee and OSEP discussed the results of the public input sessions and agreed to examine how local districts promote parent participation at IEP meetings and how local districts and the Parent Training and Information Center provide parent training, including parent training in rural areas. During the Validation Data Collection phase, OSEP collected information from the review of children’s records and State and Local policies and procedures, and interviews with State personnel, local program administrators, teachers, related services providers, and parents. OSEP analyzed the data and identified the following strength and suggestion for improved results. |