Transition Planning, Spec Ed Students

Are you the parent of a student who is a Special Education student and 13-14 years old (or older)?

A critical part of your child’s IEP is the Transition Plan, preparation for which is to start when your child is 14. The purpose of the Transition Plan is to help the student make the transition from high school to whatever is next – college, junior college, trade school, employment or whatever is to follow high school.

Between your child’s ages 14-16, the Transition Plan is to be developed. When your child is 16, the Transition Plan is to be implemented.

Do all parents of Special Education students who are 14-15-16, even 17, years of age know about the transition plan? This plan is required under both Federal and Illinois laws.

The Transitional Youth Work Group of the McHenry County Mental Health Board meets every month. This group is for students, parents, service providers, and educators who want to improve the quality and amount of services available to youths in transition. The group meets at the Mental Health Board, 620 Dakota St., Crystal Lake, on the first Thursday of each month from 5:30PM until 7:00PM.

The December 6th meeting will feature a speaker from the Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services who is an expert in transition planning. Kathy Kaniewski will give an overview of transition programs offered by DRS and be able to answer parents’ and teachers’ questions about services, individual rights, etc. Her presentation will follow the Illinois Statewide Transition Conference, Dec. 2-4, in Effingham, Illinois.