Western Region Transition Planning

 

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Suggested Time Lines for Transition Planning

Following is a sample time line of tasks related to school-to-careers transition planning and suggested ranges when these tasks should begin for students with disabilities, parents, school, and adult services. Of course, each student’s needs during the transition process are different and this is meant to serve as a guide. All tasks will not apply to all students and some students will need highly individualized services not included in this planning tool. This list is not meant to be totally inclusive of all the school-to-careers transition associated tasks and more specifics can be determined at the individual IEP meetings.

Early and Ongoing: Elementary
Four to Five Years Before Leaving School: 12-14 Years Old
Two to Three Years Before Leaving School: 15-17 Years Old
One Year Before Leaving School: 18-19 Years Old




EARLY AND ONGOING (ELEMENTARY)

• Participate in career awareness opportunities and if appropriate functional academics

• Provide parents with information about how they can prepare their child for transition and adult life

• Emphasis study habits, time management, and organizational skills

• Stress personal care skills at home, shopping patterns, eating out in restaurants, money skills

• Identify acceptable dress/behaviors

• Have work chores at home

• Introduce parents and students to concept of accommodations for persons with disabilities

• Become aware and use work processor/computer

• Encourage students to attend their IEP meetings

FOUR-TO-FIVE YEARS BEFORE LEAVING SCHOOL
(AGES 12-14)

• Given opportunities to make choices/own decisions
  
• Administer initial vocational assessment
  
• Develop strategies to increase responsibilities/independence at home and community
  
• Introduce and discuss transition process with parents, students, and clarity
  
• Plan on transition services being incorporated into the IEP beginning at age 14
  
• Learn and begin to use public transportation if available
  
• Develop transition component of the IEP and update annually with linkage to individual career plan (ICP) if one exists
  
• Begin job shadowing opportunities and continue each year with emphasis on career planning
  
• Begin exploring future goals for transition areas. Stress job skill development training for students i.e. punctuality, neatness, getting along
  
• Offer opportunities for students to lean about high school courses, activities and services
  
• If available explain service learning opportunities in community and school
  
• Begin to develop a transition file/portfolio
  
• Encourage students to request appropriate accommodations in school, home, work and community environments
  
• Obtain parental consent so the appropriate adult agencies representative can be involved, contacted, and information shared through transition years as needed

TWO-TO-THREE YEARS BEFORE LEAVING SCHOOL
(AGES 15-17)

• By using IEP assist students in refining their future goals in all transition areas and selecting performance measures within graduation standards that meet Illinois learning standards

• Begin work experiences in school or community

• Select courses that will allow students to explore career interests and skills based on career goals

• Assist parents and students to understand their legal rights under the American with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act - especially as related to their legal right to accommodations, link to CIL if available

• Families encouraged to visit local housing, independent living options

• Obtain summer employment/volunteer experiences

• Provide students and parents specific information about available adult services based on transition goals

• Develop transportation/mobility strategies in IEP plan

• Develop first resume’

• Begin work/training experience in community

• Strengthen involvement in community organizations, extra-curricular activities/Centers for Independent Living connections

• Adult goals in future transition areas (employment, post-secondary, and living)

• Assure copes of work-related documents are available:

  1. Social Security Card
  2. Birth certificate
  3. Work permits
     
• Obtain personal ID card
  
• Obtain driver’s training and license as appropriate
  
• Identify local Developmental Disability providers and services for supports /housing
  
• Refer students with developmental disabilities to Service Coordination agency
  
• Family/Student should begin collecting information about institutions of higher education if post-secondary education is a goal

ONE YEAR BEFORE LEAVING SCHOOL
(AGES 18-19)

• Involve adult services agencies, as appropriate

• Identify residential opportunities

• Review health insurance coverage and if necessary contact the Division of Specialized Care for Children, (DSCC)

• Encourage students to contact post-secondary institutions of interest to find out about services offered for students with disabilities

• Assist students and families in applying for post-school support services (rehabilitation services, social services, health services, developmental disabilities services, social security, etc)

• Begin the process of legal guardianship

• Take ACT test junior year as part of Prairie State test

• Research possible independent living options and become familiar with referral processes

• Consider guardianship or emancipation

• Make decision upon post-school opportunities (further educational and/or vocational training, college, military, etc.)

• Apply for college and other educational training programs/scholarships, etc.

• Identify post-secondary school to attend

• Apply for Medicaid

• Assess need for assistive technology for adult life in career plan

• Meet ORS counselors and discuss employment goals, open case if appropriate

• Visit local One-Stop and explore resources

• Develop resume/portfolio

• Identify desired job upon graduation

• Seek legal guardianship (if necessary)

• Register to vote

• Male students register for the draft

• Complete transition to employment, further education or training, and community living, and confirm arrangements

 

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