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Transition Timeline For IDEA Or 504 Plan Students

Posted in Effective College Planning by admin on the December 19th, 2010

9th Grade

1. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that students with disabilities be directly involved in transition planning and developing their annual IEP including long term adult outcomes and instructional component beginning at age 14.

2. With the increase in print material required for high school, this is a good time to introduce students with print or reading comprehension disabilities to textbooks in alternate format that allow them to listen while they read. Schools can order these books directly from the publishers and they are usually sent within a week.

3. This is also a good time to begin working on students’ keyboarding skills. Everyone texts these days, but that is very different from word processing. It is also a good time to introduce assistive software such as the Kurzweil, Premier Accessibility Suite (Readingmadeeasy.com), etc. that allow a student to use voice input or voice output to write/edit what they have written. These basic literacy skills will be essential throughout the rest of their academic and work lives.

4. Consider career options by shadowing, visiting and talking with people in various careers. Learn about careers through fun, hands-on, real life experiences.

5. Discuss and plan a college prep program with school counselors, teachers, parents and the student including foreign language, math and science.

6. Consider course selection carefully to maximize later options.

7. Work on a plan to develop the student’s study skills and think about how to maximize the student’s performance. Consider experimenting with assistive technologies (e.g. word processor etc.); books in alternate format; Franklin Speller; use of a calculator.

  • Attend CCDA College Night for Students with Disabilities.

    10th Grade

    1. Begin to identify adult life plans, work, living, recreation etc. The IEP is based on the student’s plans for the future.

    2. Have the student meet with the school psychologist to have her psychological evaluation explained. Make sure he/she understands all aspects of the report and the subtests. He/she should learn about his/her strengths and weaknesses. Other concepts that should be learned include: the formal terms used to describe the student as a learner and identifying the specific ways the student’s disability influences him/her as a learner.

    3. Reevaluate/adjust course of study so that it is consistent with the student’s goals.

    4. Explore interests, values, decision-making skills through hobbies, part-time employment, trips, volunteer work, etc.

    5. Attend CCDA College Night. Identify sources of college information.

    6. Have the student take an interest inventory to help decide where interests, strengths and weaknesses are.

    7. Have student, parents and a friend all do the self assessment of the student and discuss their answers. Work on those skills that have not yet been developed.

    8. Decide what skills the student needs to improve; make sure they are added to the IEP goals.

    11th Grade

    September

    1. Identify sources of college information. Three online sites that may be helpful in making college comparisons are www.collegeboard.org, www.collegeview.com, and www.petersons.com.

    2. The student should meet with the school counselor and begin the process of developing a list of appropriate schools.

    3. The student should register for the PSAT. Consider using accommodations!

    4. Check with the school or the local library to access computerized career guidance programs such as DISCOVER, SIGI Plus, FOCUS, or Peterson’s QUEST. These programs allow students to answer questions about themselves and provide them with specific career areas relating to their interests.

    October/November

    1. Take the PSAT.

    2. Take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

    3. Review college guides to increase awareness of what type of school appeals to the student.

    4. Work part time. It is important to learn to balance school and other responsibilities. It is also a great way to become accustomed to using tools like a planner for time management.

    5. Students, parents and school professionals should attend CCDA College Night.

    6. Many schools now require volunteer hours as part of their graduation preparation. Get started. It’s a great way to learn about other people and jobs.

    December

    1. Review results of the PSAT.

    2. The student meets with his/her counselor and discusses special test accommodations for the SAT or ACT. Decide which test might best meet his/her needs if his/her school(s) of choice require one.

    January

    1. The student starts collecting college information. Many schools no longer publish catalogs but use online resources and CDs about their programs.

    2. The student picks out several schools to visit during breaks and vacations.

    3. The student calls the Admissions office at each college to make an appointment to visit.

    4. Be sure the student visits the Disability Office to discuss his/her disability and ask about the kinds of services, accommodations and modifications that are available.

    5. Make preliminary contact the NYS Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) at 716/ 848-8001to initiate the process for post school sponsorship.

    February

    1. Family discussion on college costs, family resources, etc. Don’t forget to include items such as transportation and meals while at school in this conversation.

    March

    1. Sign up for SAT/ACT. Be sure to request accommodations, if needed.

    2. Keep question sheets updated for all new schools.

    3. Decide on several other schools to visit over spring break.

    4. Make contacts for appointments/tours.

    5. Develop IEP goals for senior year. Be prepared for the annual review with CSE. If the student has a learning disability, remember to update the student’s psychological exam prior to graduation with the WAISIII or IV (adult version of the standard intelligence test) as one of the student’s transition activities. The student will need a psychological evaluation that reflects how the disability affects him/her as an adult in order to be eligible for support at the college level.

    6. Students who have labels of Emotional Disturbance (ED), Other Health Impairment or Attention Deficit Disorder should be sure that they have appropriate documentation from a qualified professional. ED is a label assigned to a student for many reasons ranging from actual mental illness to mild depression due to a trauma such as a death in the family and is insufficient to warrant services at the college level.

    April

    1. The student visits several other schools over vacation.

  • Plan the senior year class schedule. Consider including math, science and year 4 of foreign language. Those decisions will impact what is taken in the first year of college.<

  • The student signs up for any appropriate achievement tests (ACTs or SATs) if applying to colleges that require them.

    May

  • Continue gathering information about schools through reading, interviewing alumni or students, and looking through online college catalogs.

  • The student registers with Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic, if needed.

    June, July, August

  • The student works with high school staff to draft his college application letter and any essays that may be required.

  • Make sure course selection for senior year is consistent with goals the student has for college.

  • The student works part time; takes driver education; goes to summer school.

  • Plan further visitations if the student has not visited all the schools on his/her list. A note of caution about summer visitations: although tours and admissions staff are usually available, some staff, including Disability Services staff, may be off for the summer or on vacation.

    12th Grade

    September

  • Review annual IEP plan and long term adult goals. Revise the IEP to reflect any suggested activities that arose from college visits.

  • Schedule conferences with mainstream teachers to discuss goals/modifications as the student practices advocacy skills.

  • Send for college applications and have the student begin filling them out.

  • Check the deadlines for applications. Make a time line for completing them. (Reminder to turn in applications to the school counselor 2-3 weeks ahead of deadlines).

  • The student signs up for SAT/ACT examinations.

  • The student writes any essays necessary for applications.

    October

  • The student works on college admissions letters. He/she should ask one or two teachers and a counselor for a letter of recommendation, if needed. Be sure to provide each person with a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

    November/December

  • Submit all applications to counselor for checking and mailing.

    January-April

  • If you have not already done so, contact VESID ( NYS Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities, 716-848-8001 or www.nysed.gov). The deadline to apply for VESID to be eligible for services for the fall semester is April 15th! Also, contact community agencies such as the Learning Disability Association of WNY (716-874-7200 – Buffalo; 716-679-1601 – Fredonia) or Deaf Adult Services (716-833-1637). They can be helpful in providing support for transition services, or mechanical tools necessary to compensate for a disability. If the student is legally blind, talk to a Counselor from the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH, 716-847-3517) about college planning.

  • Meet with all teachers to conference and get feedback regarding performance. This is the time when the district personnel should be devising the Student Exit Summary.

  • Get appropriate financial aid forms. Complete those as soon as possible after annual income tax forms have been filed. Remember that some scholarship and grant programs have filing deadlines and late applications are NOT accepted. The federal financial aid form (FAFSA) can be accessed and completed online at www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/students.

  • If the student has not made a final decision, revisit colleges where he/she has been accepted.

  • Make a final decision and send in deposit.

  • Contact the college Disability Office to discuss documentation, etc.

    May/June

  • Prepare for finals and enjoy graduation!

  • After graduation, have high school send final transcript to the college the student will be attending.

    July/August

  • The student attends orientation, registers for courses, attends summer prep program, etc.

  • College begins!