Family & Community Special Communities
Special Education

Reference Sheet for Team Membership - We have developed this Reference Sheet for Team Membership in order to assist you in being able to identify the role that needs to be represented at your next scheduled IEP Team meeting after July 1, 2005.

Please note that planning needs to be done far enough in advance of the scheduled Team meeting so that you can clearly communicate to the parents 1) the purpose of the team meeting; 2) the required roles that must be filled during that meeting; 3) obtain the written consent from the parent, if needed; and so you can 4) obtain written input from the Team members.

Implementation Guide (Revised: September, 2005) - This is an updated version of the "IEP 2000 Writing Guide". We have provided you with this guide to assist you in seeing how the new provisions can be reflected on and incorporated into the information you record on students' IEPs. We have included on it both the relevant new provisions and "Implementation Guidance" you can use to incorporate these changes.

You will notice that IEP 3 and IEP 4 contain sections that suggest you see the Transition Planning Form for guidance related to transition services, goals and courses of study.

We have also included on IEP 2 and IEP 3 reminders to include peer-reviewed research when possible regarding specially designed instruction; and also on IEP 3 a suggestion to consider completing a Functional Behavior Assessment and developing a Behavior Intervention Plan when appropriate in the case where a student's behavior impedes the at student's or other's learning and you are considering utilizing positive behavioral interventions and supports.

Notice that on IEP 1, IEP4 and IEP 8 we have reminded you that the new provision that says "beginning not later than the IEP to be in effect when the student is 16" means that for a practical matter it is the student's IEP at age 15 we are looking to contain this information since most likely this is the IEP the student will be on when she or he turns 16. The intent is to forward plan for the student and not to wait until she or he turns 16 to then start transition planning.

Transition Planning Form - Effective immediately, please begin using the newly developed Transition Planning Form (TPF) 28M/9 for all students with disabilities who are over 15 years of age. This form has been developed for transition planning that occurs either prior to or at the time of the annual development of the IEP. The TPF (28M/9) is a mandated form that is maintained with the IEP. As a mandated form, districts must use this format to document that transition planning has occurred. Only those aspects of this planning that translate to elements of the IEP are "mandated" to occur. We have deliberately designed the planning process to be more than what is required by special education in order to have a coherent and inclusive plan of action to help to prepare youth for adult life. This inclusive planning process does not require that all identified actions will be the responsibility of the school's special education program, but rather that parents, the student, general education services, other agencies, community partners, and special education services should all work together to assist the student in making a smooth transition to adult life.

This form will help districts meet the requirements of transition planning in IDEA 2004 and will be the required document for districts to demonstrate compliance with the transition requirements associated with Indicator 13 of the State Performance Plan for Special Education. The Department will begin monitoring use of the TPF (28M/9) during its Coordinated Program Reviews in the 2007-2008 school year.

The two-page TPF (28M/9) guides and documents the transition planning discussion. Page one features two sections:

• The post-secondary vision, which should correspond with the vision statement on IEP 1; and
• Disability related needs. The disability related needs section documents skills that require IEP goals and/or related services.

Page two of the TPF (28M/9) is the action plan for the student:

• It outlines how the student can develop self-determination skills, and
• Be prepared both academically and functionally to transition to post-school activities in order to achieve his/her post-secondary vision.
• The role and actions of school personnel (in general education and special education), family members, adult service providers and others in the community should be documented in this section.

A guiding question is provided for each transition field as part of the action plan, along with considerations for each transition field that will assist in guiding the transition planning discussion.

There is no required order to complete the various sections of the TPF (28M/9). After considering the student's post-secondary vision, some Teams will find it helpful to complete the action plan section and then the disability related needs section. Others may choose to consider the disability related needs section and then complete the action plan. The goal should be to document a thoughtful and reasonable transition planning discussion.