As students make transitions, it is important that the IEP teams are intentional and guarantee all involved have the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to support the student in this new environment. Starting early is important to ensure any additional training or resources can be secured to help the student’s transition be successful.
Times of Transition to recognize:
- Early ACCESS to Early Childhood Special Education programs
- Preschool/ECSE to Kindergarten
- Moving buildings (elementary to middle school, new district, etc.)
- Changing roster teachers
- Grade advancement (changing general ed teachers)
- Graduation
Think Abouts for IEP teams during transitions:
- Who are the key adults in this new environment that need to be involved?
- Who should attend the IEP meeting to help prepare for the new environment?
- What information about this new environment(s) (classroom, building, etc.) is important for the team to consider in planning?
- What information about the student will be important for new staff to know to ensure day one is successful?
- What types of activities could the team plan that would help the student become more comfortable/prepared for this transition?
- What paperwork needs to be completed as part of this transition (re-evaluation, amendment, post secondary summary (PSS), etc.)?
- Double check that rubrics, skills charts, etc. are uploaded and available with the system.
Transition activities: examples of things an IEP team may consider incorporating into their transition plan:
- Increased frequency of IEP meetings to ensure everyone has the information they need and parents are involved in the planning process (quarterly, monthly, etc.)
- Create a video for the student about her/his new environment/changes coming – encourage family to watch it multiple times over the summer.
- Create other resources for the student to use over the summer to learn about the new environment – photo books, slideshow of photos, social stories, etc.
- Arrange visit(s) to the new setting both in the spring and before school starts – consider things like changing classrooms, lockers, locker rooms, etc. and what skills the student may need to practice
- Develop materials to share with future teachers/providers that help them know more about the student (e.g. accommodations/modifications clearly explained; tricks/tips for engaging the student)
As the end of the school year approaches, here are some additional reminders regarding special education paperwork. Consider using this End of Year Checklist as reminders for yourself.
Please remember to use the i3 website for all things Special Education in the State of Iowa. Bookmark this link to ensure you have the most current information for guidance, resources, and procedures in regards to Special Education.