IDEA '97
Transition Requirements: A Guide
Section
V: Commonly Asked Questions and Answers
Contents
| Section
IV |
Section
VI
This document uses the following conventions for citing from the
code of Federal Regulations and from other interpretive materials
that accompany those regulations in the March 12, 1999 Federal
Register:
- For direct quotations from the regulations, the citation form
will be:
34 CFR§300.XXX.
- For quotations from the Federal Register, March 12,
1999; Appendix A to Part 300-Notice of Interpretation, the
citation form will be: Appendix A, Question XX.
Scroll down the page
or select the links below to go to the content of this
section. This page contains questions organized according to the
topics listed. When a question link is selected the question and
answer will open in a new window. Close the new window to
return to this page.
Content
of the Individualized Education Program (IEP)
1. What
are the new requirements for transition?
2. "What
must the IEP team do to meet the requirements that the IEP ' include
a statement of...transition service needs' beginning at age 14
(§300.347(b)(1)(i)), 'and a statement of needed transition
services' no later than age 16
(§300.347(b)(2)?"
3. What
are "courses of study?"
4. Should
the student's IEP identify a desired post-school outcome, and if so,
how should this be expressed?
5. What
are the requirements regarding consideration of the student's
preferences and interests when developing the statement of transition
service needs or statement of needed transition services? How should
the student's preferences and interests be
determined? (See 34
CFR §300.29; §300.344(b))
6. If
the IEP team does not address each component in the statement of
needed transition services (i.e., instruction, community experiences,
related services, employment, and other post-school adult living
objectives), must they write a statement justifying why that
component was not addressed?
7. What
is the role of vocational education in the student's
IEP?
8. "Must
the IEP for each student with a disability, beginning no later than
age 16, include all 'needed transition services,' as identified by
the IEP team and consistent with the definition at §300.29, even
if an agency other than the public agency will provide those
services? What is the public agency's responsibility if another
agency fails to provide agreed-upon transition
services?"
9. When
should a statement of transition service needs (courses of study) or
a statement of needed transition services (coordinated set of
activities) be included in a child's IEP? (See 34 CFR
§300.347(b))
10. What
are examples when the IEP team would include transition services for
a student younger than age 14 or 16? Who decides when services are
needed earlier?
(See 34 CFR § 300.347(b); Appendix A, Question
11)
11. May
school districts develop transition plans separate from the IEP? May
public agencies develop Individualized Transition Plans
(ITPs)?
Transition
Participants
1. Who
must be included on the IEP team when a purpose of the meeting is the
development of a statement of transition service needs or a statement
of needed transition services?
2. What
is a participating agency?
3.
What other adult agencies and services might the IEP team think
about including? How does a public agency determine those agencies
that are likely to be responsible for providing or paying for
transition services?
4. What
is the school district's responsibility for inviting the student to
his or her IEP meeting during which transition services will be
addressed?
5. Are
there any circumstances under which the student would not be
invited? (34 CFR
§ 300.344(b)(1))
6. What
form should the invitation to the student take?
7. If
a student does not attend the IEP meeting, what steps should the
district take to ensure that the student's preferences and interests
are considered? (See 34
CFR § 300.344 (b)(2))
8. Are
representatives of other agencies required to participate in the IEP
meeting to develop statements of needed transition
services?
9. What
if an invited agency representative does not attend the IEP meeting?
10. May
the services of an agency be specified on an IEP when that agency's
representative is not present at the IEP meeting?
Parent
Participation
1. May
IEP meetings that address transition services be conducted if parents
are not in attendance?
2. Must
parents be notified that the student and agency representatives are
invited to attend the IEP meeting?
3. Must
a copy of the student's IEP be provided to the parent?
Agency
Responsibilities for Transition Services
1. Who
is responsible for planning, coordinating, and providing transition
services? What is the district's responsibility for ensuring that an
agency is providing the services agreed upon in the
IEP?
2. How
will a school district verify or know if services are not being
provided?
3. Who
is responsible for reconvening an IEP meeting when transition
services are not being provided as indicated on the IEP? What is the
purpose of the meeting? What are the timelines for reconvening the
meeting?
Graduation
1. Following
the student's graduation with a regular high school diploma, is the
school district responsible for providing the transition
services?
2. Is
a re-evaluation required for graduation with a regular high school
diploma or termination of eligibility for exceeding the age
eligibility for FAPE under state law?
3. Is
graduation from high school considered a change in placement
requiring notice in accordance with §300.503?
Other
Questions
1. Are
students with disabilities in adult prisons entitled to a free
appropriate public education (FAPE)?
2. What
is vocational rehabilitation? Who is eligible?
3. What
work incentives exist and how might they be incorporated into
transition planning?
4. What
critical skills should students have if they plan to go to
college?
Contents
| Section
IV |
Section
VI
IDEA
'97 Transition Requirements: A Guide