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Hi. I'm Robyn Chidester, and I'm the parent of a child
who received Early Intervention Services.
My son, Matthew, has down syndrome, so we wanted
to make sure that he received all of the help
that was available for him.
If your child is receiving services
in an Early Intervention program, it is important for you
to understand your role
in helping your child have a smooth transition when he
or she turns three years old.
In this presentation I am going
to explain how this transition process works and what you
as a parent need to know.
Families are the most important people in a child's life.
Parenting is a big responsibility.
Parents and family members make sure their children are safe
and have good care.
They watch to see that their children grow and develop
as they should for their age.
This is a big challenge.
It can be an even bigger challenge
when parents know their child has a disability
or if they think their child is not developing
like other children the same age.
It is hard to know what a child should be doing
and what to expect.
At times parents may feel alone and not know
where to turn for help.
But parents do know their children better
than anyone else does.
Know that you are your child's best advocate and also the one
who will be most affected
as you share your child's joys and challenges.
The Baby Watch Early Intervention program is an
important source of services and supports
to help families enhance their children's learning
and development.
There is a Federal Law called the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA that provides services
for children with disabilities.
Part C of this law covers Early Intervention services.
In Utah the Baby Watch state agency oversees all
of the Baby Watch local programs.
A little later we will talk about Part B of the law
which covers school services for children aged three and over.
It is important for parents to understand the law
and know how the process is designed to work.
We will be telling you about a number of resources
that can help you learn more about the law.
The law provides a process where decisions
about your child's services are made by a team.
You, the parents are required members of the team.
Your participation is needed at every step in the process.
Other team members include your service coordinator
and other people providing services to your child.
It is important for you,
the person who knows your child best, to provide the team
with important information about your child.
You will want to know the other team members
and understand their roles.
If you do not know, ask their names and what their roles are.
Perhaps there is a special educator,
a speech language therapist,
a physical therapist or an audiologist.
There are many possibilities of who could be
on the team depending on your child's needs.
Be positive as you go into the team meetings and remember
that everyone wants to support you and meet your child's needs
and has your child's best interest in mind.
Everything the team does should be focused
on your child's needs.
If you don't understand a comment or something
that is proposed, ask questions.
You could say, "Can you give me an example
of how this would work?"
or "I'm not sure I understand.
Could you explain this a little more?"
When we talk about transition, we are simply talking
about change from one program to another.
Children may receive services
through Baby Watch Early Intervention as needed
from birth up until their third birthday.
When children turn three years old, they may be eligible
to receive services from preschool programs provided
by the school district.
In order to have a smooth transition to the new program,
planning and preparation must start well before the child's
third birthday.
Now let's talk more about how the change
or transition will work.
Transition can be an exciting time.
It marks growth and new opportunities.
However, parents may have questions
about what will happen during transition.
What are some of the questions and concerns that you have?
You might want to take a minute to write them down so
that you remember to ask.
Your child's Early Intervention service coordinator
and other providers are a great resource and will be glad
to answer any questions you may have.
It is helpful to understand some of the similarities
and differences between Early Intervention Programs
and Preschool Programs.
Let's talk about some of these similarities
and differences before we talk
about how we make the transition.
. . In Utah, children are served
in local Early Intervention programs
until they turn three years old.
At age three, if eligible,
the child may enter a special education preschool provided
by the school district.
Special education may continue throughout the school years
if the child continues to be eligible.
Early Intervention Services may be at no cost to the family,
funded by Medicaid or CHIP, or a family may be assessed a fee,
based on the family's ability to pay.
When children move into preschool,
they receive a Free Appropriate Public Education or "FAPE"
at no cost to the parents.
In Early Intervention, Families have an Individualized Family
Service Plan or IFSP that documents the services
that will be provided.
In Preschool, the IFSP is replaced
by an Individualized Education Program or IEP.
Early Intervention is Family-Centered,
while Special Education Preschool is Child-centered.
This means that the IFSP is based
on the needs the Family has
to help them meet their child's needs.
When children move
into preschool the program is focused more directly
on the child's needs.
Both programs are designed to meet the needs of children
in a very individualized way.
In Early Intervention, a child is primarily served
in the natural environment.
A natural environment is the setting that is natural
or typical for a child that age and can include the home
or community settings such as day care or Early Head Start.
Preschool children are typically served in the school setting.
Early Intervention services are coordinated
by a Baby Watch service coordinator.
In preschool, services are provided
by the school district personnel.
Instead of working with a service coordinator,
you will work with the IEP team.
Let's talk about what transition looks like.
Children in early intervention programs
who are eligible must experience a smooth
and effective transition to preschool programs
or other community resources.
If the child is going to continue
on to a preschool program,
an Individualized Education Program, or IEP,
must be in effect by the child's third birthday.
Since special education preschool is provided
by your local school district, it will require you
and your early intervention service coordinator
to participate in a transition planning conference
with the school district to discuss options for preschool
and community programs and to plan
for establishing eligibility for preschool.
As we mentioned, you, the parent,
are an important participant in this planning process.
Let's look at how the transition process works.
It is step by step process outlined in the IDEA law.
As early as your child's first individualized Family Service
Plan (IFSP) meeting or your child's second birthday,
your service coordinator along with you and other members
of your IFSP team will begin
to discuss potential transition options.
You will work together to begin your child's plan.
The transition steps and services will be written
on the transition plan page of your child's IFSP.
During IFSP meetings and throughout your child's time
in Early Intervention, you will talk about and work
on developmentally appropriate skills
that will help your child progress as he or she moves
from Early Intervention to other programs.
Important skills for a child include: being independent
and getting his or her needs met, engaging in activities,
and interacting socially with peers and adults.
When your child is 27 months old, your child's name
and contact information is sent to the local school district
for the purpose of planning the number of students
who may be eligible for preschool services.
You may decline to give permission
to have information sent to the school district.
A transition conference is a required meeting
that will be arranged by your service coordinator with you
and the Local Education Agency (LEA
or district preschool coordinator.
At least 90 days before your child's third birthday a
transition conference will be held
to discuss your child's needs, the different options
for services, and possible eligibility
for preschool services.
The transition conference is held 120 days
or more before the third birthday for children
with visual impairments, hearing impairments and children
with particular medical conditions that require planning
for the preschool to meet their specific needs.
In order to schedule your transition conference your Early
Intervention program will need you to sign consent
to share information about your child
with the preschool agency representative.
Who should attend the transition conference?
The three people required to attend are Parents,
The Early Intervention service coordinator
and the preschool coordinator
or Local Education Agency representative (LEA)Others
who could attend would be others from the IFSP team staff
from the preschool program, private providers
from programs the parents are interested in, representatives
from community programs such as Head Start,
or anyone else you would like to invite, including grandparents
or friends who know your child well.
Parents can also bring someone to support
or coach them in their role.
What will happen at the transition conference?
The transition conference will help
to identify preschool options and other community programs,
that your child might transition to
and your child's potential eligibility
for services The team will decide whether
to make a referral to preschool to determine
if your child is eligible.
Parents have the right to decide if they want their children
to participate in a preschool program.
If parents decide to wait, they can ask
for an evaluation at a later time.
Eligibility for Preschool Services is not the same
as early intervention eligibility.
Some children who receive Early Intervention services are not
eligible for preschool services.
An evaluation by the school district will determine:
If your child qualifies as a student with a disability,
Your child's present level of academic achievement
and functional performance
If your child's disability has an adverse effect
on your child's ability to participate in and benefit
from age-appropriate activities,
and If your child needs special education and related services.
During your child's evaluation, information will be gathered
about your child's functional performance and development.
Remember that you are an expert on your child,
and you have important information
to share during the evaluation process.
You may have medical records or results
from private evaluations.
You know what your child can do and cannot do
and how your child responds in different situations.
You know what your child likes.
Your hopes and dreams for your child are important.
The team will consider the information you share
in determining his or her eligibility.
As a member of the team,
you help to decide what assessments are needed
to determine eligibility and plan for your child's education.
Personnel from the preschool may be involved
in conducting the evaluation.
You must receive prior written notice and give consent.
. The prior written notice tells you the actions
that are proposed including which areas will be assessed
and which tests will be used.
The consent form gives your permission
for the evaluation to begin.
The school district must have your written consent
in order to proceed.
Before you consent to the evaluation, you should feel free
to ask any questions that you have.
You may wish to ask questions such as: What tests
or evaluation methods will be used and why?
Are these tests valid for children
with my child's disability?
What steps will be taken to make the tests
culturally appropriate?
Will the test be in my child's native language?
What information will I as a parent be contributing?
Who will be doing the assessment?
How will the testers help my child
to feel comfortable with the testing?
Remember it is always OK to ask questions
at any point during the process.
Being an informed parent helps you to contribute
in a meaningful way to the process.
The testing is generally conducted
at the preschool program.
You may be asked to fill out a questionnaire
or to be interviewed regarding such things
as your child's birth and medical history,
how the child has progressed, what your child can do
and can't do and other information about your home
and family environment.
After the evaluation is complete,
a report will be written, and the team
which includes the parents will determine whether
or not your child qualifies
for preschool special education services.
You should receive a copy of the report and an explanation.
Be sure to ask any questions you have.
If you disagree with the results you may request an independent
evaluation at the school district's expense.
The independent evaluation would be done by someone outside
of the school district.
For more information about an independent evaluation or any
of your other rights, you may contact the Utah Parent Center.
Once your child is evaluated
and has been determined eligible
for preschool special education services,
it is time to write an IEP
or Individualized Education Program.
The IEP meeting must be conducted
and the IEP developed before your child's third birthday.
The IEP determines the services your child will receive.
You will want to understand the IEP process and your rights
and responsibilities as a member of the IEP team.
You are an important member of the IEP team,
and your input is needed during the planning process.
The team should consider your hopes, dreams, and concerns
for your child as you discuss the different services
that are available.
Your legal rights should also be explained to you.
This is a brief introduction to the IEP process.
For more detailed information, you may want
to attend a Utah Parent Center IEP workshop
or read the Utah Parent Center IEP handbook,
Parents as Partners in the IEP Process, which is available
on the Utah Parent Center website.
Parent Consultants at the Utah Parent Center are available
to answer your questions on an individual basis.
Remember that your child's IEP team leader
and other team members are excellent sources
for information about how the IEP can be individualized
for your child.
Preparing for the IEP meeting can help you to feel confident
about the information you will share.
Be sure to bring information about your child.
You can make notes for yourself or, even better,
you could bring material that you have compiled into a handout
to share with the team.
You will want to consider information
from evaluations your child has had.
Be sure to bring copies of your child's IFSP
to help you show what outcomes your child has been working on
and what your child can and cannot do.
The Utah Parent Center IEP handbook provides some blank
profile forms that might be useful to help you
to get started compiling information about your child.
Some things you might want to share would include;
Your child's history, information on your child's progress.
What your child can do and cannot do in all areas
of your child's development.
Information on how your child learns best
and what is motivating to your child.
Information on any medical needs
that will affect your child's education or that needs
to be considered while at school.
What services and supports you child needs in order to learn.
Your priorities for your child's learning. The team will use
information from your child's evaluation and information
that you and other team members share
to decide what the child's present levels
of academic achievement and functional performance are.
Knowing your child's levels is important in helping the team
to write appropriate goals.
Writing appropriate goals helps the team decide what services
your child needs to work on the goals.
A wonderful thing about the IEP is
that it is truly individualized to your child and can be
as unique as your child is.
Let's talk a little bit about what special education is.
It is specially designed instruction
to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability,
including: Instruction in the classroom, home, hospital
or institution, and in other settings and instruction
in physical education.
The purpose of special education is
to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education or FAPE.
FAPE is provided beginning no later
than the child's third birthday.
FAPE means that special education
and related services are provided
at no cost to the parents.
The services must be provided as outlined in the IEP.
All children eligible for special education are served
under one of 13 classifications.
Some children in preschool may continue to be served
under the general classification of "developmental delay,"
which was the classification used in early intervention.
When appropriate, some preschool children are served
in more specific classifications.
The classification is based on specific requirements,
but it does not determine what the services are.
The IDEA process outlined in the law that is used for both IFSP's
and IEP's is a very logical process.
After a child is referred, he or she is evaluated.
If the child is found eligible, then the IFSP
or IEP is developed and services are determined.
The team then decides upon placement
or where the services should be delivered.
The services are given, and then at least once per year,
the team meets again to update the IFSP or IEP.
This cycle continues until the child is no longer eligible.
It is helpful to remember that everything that is done,
should be based on the child's needs.
Keeping this in mind should help the team members work together
to come to agreement about the services that are needed.
Let's talk about how the IEP is developed.
It is very similar to how your IFSP was developed.
There are specific requirements about the IEP team members
who must participate in the IEP meeting.
The required team members include:
Parents, A Special Education Teacher, A General Education
Teacher, A principal or other representative
of the school district called the LEA representative.
This is a person who has the authority to commit resources
for serving your child.
An individual who can interpret evaluation results
if the evaluation is being discussed.
Others who may attend an IEP include: The student,
if appropriate, Related services providers,
such as speech therapists, physical therapists,
or occupational therapists, and so on.
Others who have knowledge or expertise about the child.
This could include relatives,
people who have served the child,
and anyone the parent chooses to invite such as a person
who is there to support or coach the parent.
What is an IEP?
The IEP is a written Individualized Education Program
that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a team meeting.
The IEP has 8 required components
and can include additional information as appropriate.
The required components of an IEP are: The Present Levels
of Academic Achievement
and Functional Performance tells how the child is functioning.
For preschool children,
this statement describes how the child's disability affects
progress in appropriate activities and in pre-academics,
communication, social emotional skills,
functional skills, and behavior.
Remember that we talked
about this component being the basis upon
which the IEP is built.
Measurable annual goals are written statements
that describe what the child should accomplish
in the next year.
These goals may be communication goals, or pre-academic goals
such as pre-reading or numeracy skills,
or they can be functional goals, such as learning how to walk,
or how to put on a coat.
Some preschool students may participate
in district wide assessments.
For those students, the team should consider whether the
child needs accommodations or modifications
for participating in the assessments.
Next is a Written statement
of how the student's progress toward meeting the annual goals
will be measured and when the parents will receive reports
on the progress the child is making toward meeting the
annual goals.
This information is designed to help everyone know
if the IEP is working or if changes might need to be made.
It is important for parents
to know how the child is progressing.
Next is a written statement of the related services
and service coordination and other supports and services
that are needed for the child
to advance towards the annual goals.
Related services are part of the IEP
and include services required to assist the child to benefit
from special education.
This list includes related services
that a child might need,
depending on the child's disability.
For example, a child who has fine motor problems might need
occupational therapy to teach him how
to hold his spoon and feed himself.
Or a child who has a delay in language might need the services
of a speech-language provider.
The Least Restrictive Environment statement must
address the extent to which the child will not participate
with non-disabled children in regular classes or activities.
The IEP must address any accommodations
that are necessary for the child to participate
in the preschool program.
Some accommodations for young children might include seating
arrangements, picture schedules, communication boards or systems,
walkers, wheel chairs, or special diets.
The last required component of the IEP is a written statement
of the frequency and duration of services.
This statement includes the date services begin,
and their frequency, location and duration.
For example this could be a statement
of when physical therapy would start and the frequency,
location, and duration of the physical therapy services.
There are several other things that must be considered
in case a child needs them.
These considerations include:
Assistive Technology, Behavior needs.
Braille, for children who are blind
or visually impaired including pre-braille
for preschool aged children The communication needs
of the student, including the needs of children who are deaf
or hearing impaired, if the child has limited English proficiency,
and A health care plan.
A child with medical needs may have a separate health care
plan, or it may be included as part of the IEP.
A lot has been accomplished when we get to this point in the IEP.
We have agreed on the child's needs and services,
and it is time to decide on the placement.
Placement means the kind of setting
in which the child will receive services.
Remember that to the maximum extent appropriate,
children are educated with children who are not disabled.
For children in early intervention,
this means in the natural environment.
In special education preschool, there are various settings
that might be considered depending
on the child's needs including, Regular classes,
Special classes, Special schools, Home instruction,
and Instruction in hospitals and institutions.
Once the IEP is completed, everyone will sign it.
The parent is asked to sign it
as documentation of participation.
The parent must be provided with a copy of the IEP.
We recommend that parents keep this copy
in their important records about the child.
Parents will want to keep track
of how their child is progressing on the IEP goals.
If things are not working as planned, or for any reason,
the parent can ask to discuss concerns with the team
and if needed, to make adjustments to the IEP.
And remember, the IEP is revised at least once every year
in a new IEP team meeting.
Parents should receive a booklet outlining their procedural
safeguards, or the rights that the IDEA guarantees to children
with disabilities and their families.
You may also ask your case manager for a copy.
Your procedural safeguards outline
when you should receive written prior notice about actions
that are proposed and when you must give written consent.
They also outline remedies that the law provides if you disagree
with the team or if the school does not comply with the law.
Your rights should be discussed,
and you should ask the preschool personnel any questions
that you have.
If you have concerns about how things are going with the IEP,
you have many avenues for getting help
and resolving problems.
Usually the first place you want to go is to the team members
who are serving your child.
Most problems can be resolved by talking
with the preschool personnel.
If you still have concerns, it is usually best to go
up the chain of command in your school.
For example, you could go to the principal.
If you need more help then you could speak
to the special education administrators
in your school district.
If that does not work, you may want
to contact the Utah State Office
of Education Special Education Department.
Remember that the Utah Parent Center has parent consultants
who can provide information and advice
on how you might want to resolve problems.
You can call for a free consultation
at any time in the process.
They may also refer you to other resources for support,
mediation, or legal help.
The law provides several formal dispute resolution options
which are outlined in your procedural safeguards.
These options include: Mediation Filing a state complaint,
Asking for a due process hearing,
and Civil Action in the court system.
If you are considering one of these options,
you would definitely want to obtain some expert advice.
Again you may contact the Utah Parent, the Utah State Office
of Education or the Disability Law Center for legal assistance.
Thank you for viewing this video.
You have many new adventures ahead with your child,
and by being an informed parent, you can help your child
to have a great experience as you transition
from early intervention into the school system and work
to achieve wonderful things in life.
We wish you well.
We hope you will take the opportunity
to use our free services and learn more
about the Utah Parent Center by visiting our website
at www.utahparentcenter.org, attending one of our workshops,
or calling one of our parent consultants.