Transition planning is a process designed to ensure that students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) are prepared for life after high school. As a parent, your involvement in this process is essential. If you don't agree with the IEP and the placement, you can discuss your concerns with other members of the IEP team and try to reach an agreement. If you still don't agree, you can request mediation or the school can offer mediation.
You can also file a complaint with the state education agency and request a due process hearing, at which time mediation should be available. The extent to which it would be appropriate for the regular education teacher member of the IEP team to participate in IEP meetings should be decided on a case-by-case basis. Preschool students must meet one of the eligibility criteria to be considered eligible as children with a disability that requires special education. If you need an interpreter for a meeting to discuss your child's evaluation, eligibility for special education, or the IEP, you should inform the school in advance.
The State Education Agency (SEA), if involved in providing direct services to children with disabilities, in accordance with 300,370 (a) and (b); and a meeting must be held to draft the IEP within 30 calendar days of the decision that the child is eligible for special education and related services. However, if you are still not comfortable with your child's progress, you can refer your child to the Committee on Special Preschool Education (CPSE) in your school district. This information can be very useful in developing a more complete understanding of the type of information that is important to include about a child in the IEP. The IEP team should consider whether the child's education can be successfully achieved in regular classes with the use of complementary aids and services.
However, for training to meet the requirements of §300.347 (a) (), it would normally focus directly on helping the teacher meet a child's unique and specific need, and not simply on participating in an ongoing training program that is generally available from a public agency. The State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, religion, creed, disability, marital status, veteran status, nationality, race, gender, genetic predisposition, or carrier status or sexual orientation in its educational programs, services and activities. To request additional copies of this publication, contact the VESID Special Education Policy Unit, room 1624 OCP, Albany, NY 12234 or your local SETRC. Parents and guardians who have children with special needs in Central New York have access to many resources that can help them understand their children's transition services for special education services. The Office of Special Education Programs Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services of the U. S.
Department of Education provides regional coordinators who can provide assistance and guidance on special education issues. Johnson is Upstate Regional Coordinator (51) 473-1185 and Patricia Shubert is New York City Regional Coordinator (71) 722-4544. Regional special education offices are responsible for monitoring special education services through a collaborative quality control system and for providing technical assistance to schools and residents in their regions.
