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421.00 Youth in School – Transition Planning and Services Policy

(Rev. 4/94)

 

Table of Contents

Description

VESID will work with students, families and school districts to coordinate appropriate services for students with disabilities who are leaving secondary education and entering adult vocational rehabilitation and related services. These efforts are critical to enable students to achieve maximum success in post-school activities consisting of integrated employment (including supported employment), post-secondary education, independent living, and community participation.

Transition services are a coordinated set of activities for secondary students with disabilities, designed to achieve specific outcomes, which promote movement from school to post-school activities. The coordination is carried out by the school district, with the active participation of the student, his or her family and appropriate community service agencies, including VESID.

The coordinated set of activities is based on the individual student's needs, taking into account the student's preferences, potential, abilities and interests. These activities include instruction, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation. If services are not needed in one or more of these areas, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) must include a statement to that effect and the basis upon which the determination was made. The goal of transition services is not simply a referral to VESID, but rather post-secondary education, adult education and training, adult services, independent living, community participation, a specific job or career, and/or integrated community living.

Assessment

Vocational assessment is an ongoing process involving the systematic collection of information about a student's vocational aptitudes, abilities, expressed interests and occupational awareness. To promote continuity between school and vocational rehabilitation services and to avoid unnecessary duplication, delay and cost, VESID counselors make full use of existing school assessments to determine eligibility and develop the IWRP. This includes requesting assessment reports from schools for individuals who have graduated or otherwise been out of school for an extended period of time. Level I, II, or III vocational assessments and/or reports from work study or vocational experiences will be used in lieu of vocational assessments conducted by VESID, whenever possible.

Assessments are the programmatic and financial responsibility of the school district when needed by districts to determine the student's educational program, including transition services. School responsibility for assessment includes not only students receiving special education services, but also those students with disabilities not in special education who can benefit from transition services provided by the school.

Schools should be encouraged to develop assessments in community settings whenever possible, which are relevant to planning for adult roles and services to aid in the transition to adult service programs. Counselors may consult with school personnel to assist in designing assessment practices and interpreting results in relation to employment.

Assessments for in-school youth may be purchased by VESID only when assessments are not available to provide adequate information needed by the counselor to determine VESID eligibility or to develop plans for VESID services. When purchased by VESID, assessments will be conducted in integrated settings, to the maximum degree possible, and in the student's dominant language whenever possible.

Service Planning

  1. The goal of transition activities is to ensure that students with disabilities are prepared for employment, post-secondary education, or community living when they leave school. Service planning with schools should occur as follows:
  2. Referrals will be based on the Criteria for Referral established in the VESID Policy, "Youth in School-Referral to VESID " (420.00).
  3. VESID counselors should participate in the transition planning process for such students. As a participant in the planning process, VESID counselors can:
    1. contribute knowledge of rehabilitation services and outcomes;
    2. identify the need for involvement by other state agencies, adult service programs, independent living centers and community based services whose resources can assist students with disabilities, their families and educational personnel during the transition planning and service delivery process;
    3. provide information to assist in the selection of suitable vocational goals that are consistent with labor market needs and integrated community living opportunities, including providing information about:
      1. work site accommodations;
      2. employer expectations;
      3. labor trends and occupational outlooks;
      4. job entry qualifications;
      5. job placement analysis;
      6. and other vocational-related issues.
    4. VESID staff can contribute to the CSE transition planning meetings preferably by attending the meetings or other alternatives, including telephone conferences or computer linkages, so that students, parents and school district staff can avail themselves of the VESID counselors' expertise. Schools may also enlist the expertise of other community vocational rehabilitation and independent living personnel to assist in transition planning.
    5. The CSE will list all transition services, including those provided by other agencies, in the student's IEP. However, VESID is only responsible for those services included in the IEP by the CSE with the direct knowledge and agreement of VESID staff.
 

Coordinating School District and VESID Services

School districts have the primary planning, programmatic and financial responsibilities for the provision of transition services which are mandated for school districts by Federal or State law or regulation. Financial and programmatic responsibilities for all other transition services may be shared with other agencies.

VESID services to in-school youth for transition may include assistance in determining eligibility and developing the IWRP, as well as providing services not mandated for school districts to provide. School district services that are not mandated by State or Federal law include, but are not limited to: occupational tools required as a pre-requisite to employment, adaptive equipment for a personal vehicle, or job coaching in the final stages of supported employment.

Schools are required to provide transition services for skills development for special education students and students with disabilities who are not in special education. Such services are provided to promote successful integrated employment, independent living, community integration, and post-secondary education outcomes. Transition services for special education students must be individually tailored to the student through Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

For students with disabilities not in special education, transition planning should be done under the provisions of the annual guidance review. School districts are required to provide access to existing programs and services on an equal basis with those provided for students who do not have disabilities. Students in this circumstance who require the development of academic skills, career preparation services, or social skills in preparation for transition to successful adult life will need to work with school personnel, VESID and other agencies to access appropriate resources, including existing academic and career preparation curricula, student clubs and other services.

The IWRP and the IEP in Transition Planning

Developing an IWRP that coordinates closely with the IEP is intended to provide seamless continuity of service delivery for those students who will need vocational rehabilitation services once they complete the transition services initiated by the school system. This coordination must be an integral part of the counselor's planning for transition services. This early involvement in planning for services will help students, their families and school districts design services to optimize the student's final years in school to prepare for full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, and economic and social self sufficiency.

Collaboration in assessing student progress and participation in planning with the student, family and school should result in consensus about desired outcomes, goals and services that must be reflected in both planning documents. The IWRP should be developed, to the extent possible, during the annual review of the transition IEP. At that time, information required on the IWRP will reflect the content of the IEP, including vocational goals, educational and rehabilitation objectives, projected dates and responsibilities for the participation in the transition process.

In-school youth who apply and are eligible for VESID services must have an IWRP reflecting transition services even if the school district is programmatically and financially responsible until that student leaves school.

Reference:

Federal Regulations:

Policy:

Procedures: