# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In the early 1970s, a simultaneous movement across the country resulted in the passage of important federal and state laws. Historically, children with disabilities were identified only if their educational needs were obvious. Thousands of students with disabilities were excluded from attending public schools. Those who were allowed to attend were typically placed in programs designed to serve children with similar disabilities in special education schools or locales. Such categorical programs were usually effective in providing specialized services for the populations they served; but in many cases, expectations for learning were inappropriate in relation to the students' actual potential.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, amended in 1992, includes Section 504, which affirms the right of any student or adult who has a mental or physical impairment which inhibits a major life activity including learning; has a history of such an impairment; or is considered by a team of knowledgeable individuals to have such an impairment, from being discriminated against in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. This Act also requires that students be given a free appropriate public education in general education classes, with necessary supplementary aids and services, if they are determined by a school team to be disabled under Section 504 or the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.). Such eligibility may exist without concurrent eligibility for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.).

The Rehabilitation Act was followed in 1975 by the passage of PL 94-142, the Education of Handicapped Act, which was changed in 1990 to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (I.D.E.A.). This legislation provides that all students who are eligible for special education must be provided with a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). I.D.E.A. was reauthorized in 1997 and again 2004.

The California Legislature implements the provisions of I.D.E.A. through the "California Master Plan for Special Education". This plan provides the legal foundation for a comprehensive state-wide model for the provision of special education. It requires districts to have sufficient size and scope to meet the needs of all students with disabilities from birth to 22 either individually or as a special education service region. These regions are known as Special Education Local Plan Areas (SELPAs), the backbone to California's special education organizational model.

Some of the major areas covered by state and federal laws are the following:

Child Find - Each public school system is responsible to find and serve all eligible children with disabilities in its area.

Free Appropriate Public Education - Each public school system is responsible for ensuring that each child with disabilities is served appropriately, at no cost to the parent.

Least Restrictive Environment - Each child is assured of his/her right of education with nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate.

Due Process - The right of parent participation, and challenge, in all aspects of assessment, identification and placement is assured; this involves mediation, administrative hearing procedures or complaint procedures in case of disputes.

Individualized Educational Program - The right of a child to an educational program designed to meet his/her individual needs and based on adequate assessment is assured. At age 16, or younger if appropriate, the IEP includes transition requirements in the areas of education, training, employment, and independent living.

These concepts have been reinforced and interpreted by a number of court cases since the passage of the law. These laws and regulations promote changes and procedures leading to such things as the following:

Coordination of Resources Among School Districts by Regions

Less Restrictive Placements

Increased Parent Participation

Social Acceptance of Children with Disabilities

Annual Reviews of Progress

Local Governance Systems

Compliance and Quality Assurance

Staff Development Programs

Full Service to All Students with Disabilities

Guaranteed Equality of Access

Individualized Educational Programs

Improved Self-Esteem for Children with Disabilities

Career Training

Due Process Rights

Program Reviews/Evaluation

Community Involvement and Support

Gradually, the community and public agencies have become aware that children with disabilities can be educated with their non-disabled peers, guaranteeing equal opportunities for all children, including children with disabilities. Today, parents, students and staff work together to make certain that the appropriate services are provided on an individualized basis for every child with a disability. The services are provided through the Special Education Local Plan Areas - SELPAs. A Local Plan is developed and maintained in each community by the people who live there as the basis of these improvements and the foundation of all services.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In the early 1970s, a simultaneous movement across the country resulted in the passage of important federal and state laws. Historically, children with disabilities were identified only if their educational needs were obvious. Thousands of students with disabilities were excluded from attending public schools.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.

The IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 8 million (as of school year 2022-23) eligible infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.

Infants and toddlers, birth through age 2, with disabilities and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA Part C. Children and youth ages 3 through 21 receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B.

Additionally, the IDEA authorizes:

Formula grants to states to support special education and related services and early intervention services.

Discretionary grants to state educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and other nonprofit organizations to support research, demonstrations, technical assistance and dissemination, technology development, personnel preparation and development, and parent-training and -information centers.

Congress reauthorized the IDEA in 2004 and most recently amended the IDEA through Public Law 114-95, the Every Student Succeeds Act, in December 2015.

In the law, Congress states:

Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society. Improving educational results for children with disabilities is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities.

Other Laws for Children with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) provides additional resources of interest for individuals with disabilities and their families.

OCR does not enforce the IDEA; however, OCR does enforce the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Title II rights of IDEA-eligible students with disabilities.

To learn more, visit the OCR's Frequently Asked Questions About Section 504 and the Education of Children with Disabilities.

Visit OCR's website for additional resources.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
About IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The IDEA is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Students with disabilities have the same right to K-12 public education that students without disabilities have. In order to receive and benefit from that education, students with disabilities may need special education and/or related aids and services. OCR works to ensure that public elementary and secondary schools, including charter schools, provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to all qualified students with disabilities (generally, students with disabilities who are of school age), regardless of the nature or severity of their disabilities. Section 504 and Title II require public schools to provide appropriate education and modifications, aids and related services free of charge to students with disabilities and their parents or guardians. The "appropriate" component means that this education must be designed to meet the individual educational needs of the student as determined through appropriate evaluation and placement procedures. However, students with disabilities must be educated with students without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
OCR protects the rights of persons with disabilities, including students and parents, under two federal laws in the education context. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination based on disability in any program or activity operated by recipients of federal funds.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
IDEA. The Americans with Disabilities Act. Learn more about what laws govern special education and how they affect schools and students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Special Education Assessment: How and Why It Should Be Conducted

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students with disabilities have unique needs alongside their strengths.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Formal & Informal Assessments – Spedhelper

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In special education, formal assessments require parental consent and are done for initial IEP and triennial reports. Informal assessments are the classroom assessments that teachers do for progress monitoring and for writing the present levels and goal sections of IEPs. Read on to learn more about the differences between the two types of assessments and when each is useful!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Application error: a client-side exception has occurred (see the browser console for more information).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The ITP is a section of the that outlines transition goals and services for the student with disability. The requires that all students must have an ITP by the age of 16. The ITP is the template for mapping out short-term to long-term adult outcomes from which annual goals and objectives defined.

There are two important components in the ITP. One is a plan including educational goals for a child with disabilities to achieve independent adult live after leaving school. It should include in the areas of independent living , employment (including supported employment), post-secondary education, self-determination skills . Law will require ITP planning should include experience in the community. Schools provide various unique programs for students between 16-22 years of age who are in transition from high school to adulthood.

The other component of the ITP is establishing an inter-agency linkage. School should play a role of case manager creating a collaborating team between school and other government and public service organizations . Parents also can contact and invite professionals from the future service organizations . This inter-agency linkage is a key component ensuring a seamless smooth transition from school to adulthood for people with disabilities.

What must be included in the ITP?

Address the student's preferences, interests, strengths, and needs

Participation of parents

List of participants for specific goals

A coordinated set of activities demonstrating use of various strategies, community and adult living experiences

Annual goals

Responsibilities of parents and students

Why is transition planning ?

Transition to adulthood is challenging for students with disabilities. Without guidance, students often fail or isolate themselves from the community. Transition planning provides student, family and the educators to be ready for the real world. The goals are tailored to the student's strengths and provide the options for his/her future.

ITP team members

Student

Parents and family members

Special education teachers

School administrator

Occupation teacher

General education teacher

Counseling teacher

Professionals from the adult service organizations

Job developer

Employer and community leaders

Job coach

Transition specialist

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Undivided Resources Article

Individual Transition Plan (ITP) 101

An Individual Transition Plan (ITP) is a document created as part of the IEP to prepare a student for life after high school. Planning for a student's ITP is an important time in a student's life - and an invaluable opportunity for parents to ask their child about their hopes and dreams for the future.

Exploring and mapping out the goals, programs, resources, and services a student is interested in can begin as early in their life as a family or child would like to do so. Legally, the school district is required to initiate formal transition planning no later than a student's 16th birthday, but it's a good idea to start the ITP process as early as eighth grade to ensure that all the necessary steps have been taken to make a child's academic and career goals a reality.

There are many parts to an effective ITP, and preparing for them beforehand can help set a child up for greater success in the long run. To learn more, we spoke with special education advocate (and owner of Know IEPs) Dr. Sarah Pelangka, BCBA-D, and Richard L. Rosenberg, PhD, a board member of the California Transition Alliance who spent thirty-four years coordinating vocational and career support for students with disabilities in the Whittier Union High School District, and is now faculty at Cal State LA, Chapman University, and San Diego State University.

What is an ITP?

The ITP has two primary components:

1. Establish educational, residential, social, and recreational goals.

2. Establish an interagency linkage.

Establishing goals for the future

Goals are one of the most important topics the ITP will cover, and they should address the following areas:

Independent living

Employment (such as supported employment or other community-based work training programs)

Post-secondary education

Community integration

Self-determination skills

Just as school districts must provide the least restrictive environment, a transition plan should focus on helping a student live with as much independence and joy as possible. ITP goals should be measurable, created by or in collaboration with the student, and based on assessments of the student's achievements and ongoing goals and needs related to education, job training, and life skills. Some students find it helpful to take online surveys to guide them as they determine their life goals and career aspirations; others may benefit from in-depth, one-on-one, person-centered planning with a college counselor, career coach, or disability specialist.

Listen to Dr. Pelganka give an overview of ITP goals in this clip:

Working with multiple agencies during the transition

Interagency linkage is a key component in ensuring a seamless transition from school to adulthood.

The school should play the role of case manager in creating a collaborative team between the school and other government and public service organizations. Because agencies outside the school district will be responsible for providing the services a student will need after graduation, it's important that representatives from these agencies are invited to and attend the IEP/ITP meeting. Some of the agencies that support students prior to and/or after graduation are the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), your local Regional Center, and college disability service programs. We'll talk more about each of these below.

Start the ITP planning process early

It's never too early to start thinking about your child's future. Rosenberg emphasizes the importance of beginning the transition plan as early as possible. "Many of us advocate that it should begin at birth, but we'll accept middle school as a starting point," he says. "Because if parents and teachers don't start talking about the transition plan early on, what are they preparing a student for? What sort of environment, what sort of creativity? What kind of opportunities? This preparation can start at preschool and beyond."

Dr. Pelangka agrees. "Particularly for students with IEPs, we shouldn't assume their path without their input; rather, we should include them and their interests and strengths very early on to ensure they are accessing what is needed to support that path."
Start as early as middle school
There are a few simple reasons why planning should begin no later than middle school. The primary reason is to discuss how a student plans to work toward a high school diploma - a decision that should always be made with a focus on a child's long-term goals and available supports. To read much more about the implications and choices involved in pursuing a diploma, see this article.

If your child receives accommodations and/or modifications to help them access their grade-level curriculum, Dr. Pelangka says that these discussions are especially important ones to have with your IEP team. You can read much more about the differences between accommodations and modifications - and why they're so important - in our article, What You Need to Know About Accommodations and Modifications.
Work with your IEP team
For students who are planning to work toward a diploma, the transition IEP held at the end of eighth grade before they make the leap to high school is a good time to discuss their long-term goals. Specifically, Dr. Pelangka says, when students prepare for the transition to high school, they select a tentative or preliminary schedule. "There is a page in the IEP that lists the student's projected four-year plan or class load," she says. "Here is where those discussions should take place - what electives would the student prefer? What classes lend to their strengths and interests? Will they take honors classes? Will they take PE or sports or Independent PE?"

Some of the questions you'll want to ask include:

What classes and how many credits will the student need to graduate?

If the student has accessed a modified curriculum but wants to graduate with a diploma, is that realistic? What are the steps they need to follow to get there?

Of course, Dr. Pelangka says, "Many students may not 'know' what their path is yet, hence why the ITP is not legally required until age 16. But again, given that there is an IEP in place and this can dictate so many future avenues, it is important to pre-plan if you can, and get it all out on the table."

Prepare for the ITP meeting

The planning process for your child's ITP will formally begin as a component of their IEP - and just as no two students (or their IEPs) are exactly alike, every family will experience this process differently. The entities and resources that a student and their family will engage with during the transition planning process will depend on the student's goals, abilities, and needs. Because of this, there is no single step-by-step guide that applies to everyone. However, there are some solid steps that every family can take early on.

1. Reactivate your Regional Center case if your child had one and stopped using services as they got older.

2. Establish a relationship with the Department of Rehabilitation. DOR offers student services (Pre-Employment Transition Services) and Vocational Rehabilitation services, and has staff in each of their state offices dedicated to helping students with disabilities. This includes participation in a student's IEP/ITP meeting, whether it's in person or by phone or videoconference. DOR can help a student with job counseling, work-based learning, post-secondary education counseling, workplace readiness training, and advocacy training, among others. (Note that you must reach out to DOR well in advance of your first ITP meeting to determine whether their attendance is appropriate for your child - your child must be a DOR client before your school can invite DOR to the ITP on their behalf.)

3. Request a planning meeting with your IEP team to start talking about the transition process and thinking about goals. Once you've established connections with the appropriate interagency participants, ask your child's school to invite them to the IEP meeting.

4. Know that this will be an ongoing process from when your child starts high school (or earlier!) until they graduate or age out at 22.

Learn more about college programs

When you get to the ITP meeting, Dr. Pelangka says, it's not necessary to discuss college in detail yet, but if a student knows that they want to pursue postsecondary education, that is information you should share. Keep in mind that while many colleges offer resources to students with disabilities, and all colleges allow accommodations, a student's IEP ends with graduation. It's a good idea to research colleges and the resources they offer to students with disabilities well in advance.

There are a number of colleges and universities with dedicated education programs for young adults or adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Check out our article on this topic to help you learn about such college programs across the country.

If college isn't the right fit, another option to explore is trade or vocational school, which can offer focused, career-driven education full of opportunities. Check out this article to learn more about how students with disabilities can apply to and attend trade school, including a few scholarship opportunities.

Dr. Pelangka says it's also a good idea to ask your ITP team:

What resources and accommodations are available once a student gets to college?

Can we write an ITP goal for the student to learn how to access their disability center on the college campus?

Learn more about Regional Center programs for young adults

Parents' level of involvement in coordinating services with Regional Center can vary - different school districts may take a more hands-on approach coordinating post-secondary Regional Center options than others. But generally speaking, it's wise to reach out to Regional Center about post-secondary programs sooner rather than later (especially if your child received services from them in the past, but not recently).

Rosenberg advises reactivating your Regional Center case as soon as possible when your child starts high school to ensure a smooth transition, and so that there is no hiatus:

Regional Centers offer a number of services that may be included in your child's transition plan. While services may change depending on where you live, Rosenberg says these may include:

Day programs, such as work activities

Tailored day services, which are unique to the individual

Supported employment to help with jobs, which could be from Regional Center and/or blended for ongoing supported employment from the Department of Rehabilitation and the Regional Center together

Supported living, especially more individualized or smaller groups

The Self-Determination Program, which is open to all eligible Regional Center clients, and builds on the person-centered plan for unique services and supports.

Have a transition assessment to identify and clarify ITP goals

There are plenty of assessment tools and strategies that can help your child think through their interests and strengths and set ITP goals for the future. Undivided Education Advocate and Navigator Lisa Carey tells us that transition assessments, which help kids navigate career options, must happen by age 16; however, that is typically too late for many kids. She recommends families request a transition assessment after winter break of their eighth grade year so that the assessment and IEP will be done before high school. A good transition assessment will include:

History

Record review

PLOPs

Career assessment and planning

Work and learning styles

Career interests

Post-secondary options

Functional skills

Vocational readiness

Keep in mind that your child's transition team should choose different assessment methods based on their unique needs. Some common tools include:

These assessments can also focus on specific topics, such as music, science, or sports, to narrow down your child's interests. For example, a teen who is interested in music may enjoy working in a more technical position, such as a sound engineer, or may dream of performing in front of a crowd.

There are assessment tools available for all levels of communication and comprehension. Rosenberg is particularly familiar with interest inventories: "We can ask a child or young adult, 'What do you like, what don't you like?' We have 150 careers that we go through. We also offer it online with career games and a reading-free interest inventory assessment."

First-hand experience with different jobs can also help your child figure out what sort of work they truly enjoy. Volunteering can serve as a great opportunity for teenagers and young adults to learn about different careers firsthand. Programs such as WorkAbility allow high-schoolers and 18-to-22-year-olds to try out different jobs, and pairs them with a job coach who regularly checks in to make sure everything is going well and help with any challenges. "I believe the best way to understand 'What do I want to do when I grow up?' is to be in those environments," Rosenberg says.

Develop meaningful ITP goals and set students up for success

Transition goals are not permanent; they can change, and they are reviewed every year as part of the larger IEP. Over time, these goals may become more specific as your child learns and develops new interests. While transition goals relate to what the child will do after high school, the ITP should connect to current IEP goals that support the student's transition goals.

Topics to consider include:

Postsecondary education, employment, and career pathway preparation

Health and accommodations

Benefit planning and financial management

Community resources and services

Person-centered planning

Self-determination and advocacy

Work-based learning

Competitive integrated employment (CIE)

Benefits planning and management (SSI, CalABLE, etc.)

Like any well-stated goal, ITP goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based - but don't stop there. They should also be realistic and ambitious, and take your child's strengths and needs into careful consideration.

As Rosenberg explains, an ITP absolutely needs "to have written, measurable postsecondary goals. What are they going to do after they leave the high school district?" While some students with IEPs may leave the district after receiving a diploma in twelfth grade, others may stay until they're 22 as part of an adult transition program. These programs are run by public schools for young adults with IEPs who have not yet earned a diploma and who need additional support services.
Helping young adults achieve their dreams
There are a number of guides and groups available to help students and parents develop meaningful ITP goals, including the California Transition Alliance. One key to creating a successful ITP is to consider how your child's dreams can be achieved, even if that happens in unexpected ways. Whether your child pursues further education, applies for jobs, starts volunteering, or spends time on favorite hobbies, the ITP should prepare them for these opportunities.

"For example, a teen wants to be a doctor but doesn't have the math or reading skills to pursue that avenue," Rosenberg says. "You need to ask: What's in the seed of reality for this dream? The student might clarify: 'I want to help people. I want to wear a uniform. I want to work in a hospital.' That's how we open doors: by making and allowing individuals to be aware of what is in the seed of their dream that we can build on."

Although each ITP should be as unique as the student it was made for, it can be helpful to look through sample ITPs to get an idea of how goals are structured and what kinds of ground they might cover. Follow the links below to review two sample ITPs:

Take lessons from the Self-Determination Program

The IEP/ITP team is required to invite the student to any meetings for their transition plan. And as with the Self-Determination Program, transition planning should be led by the student, which means planning with the student, not for them. Rosenberg says the ITP "should be for [the student's] life, not for the parents' life." However a student expresses their interests and desires, they should be given ample opportunity to do so. The input of their loved ones, friends, and teachers can also be valuable. Having a diverse group of friends, family members, and educators can bring fresh perspectives to brainstorming sessions, enabling the team to come up with creative solutions to any challenges you might encounter.

As Rosenberg explains, person-centered planning is really the process of creating a lifestyle. "What do they really want to do when they grow up? What does that look like, and how do we navigate it?" Rosenberg adds that the process "may be done with pictures, gestures, facilitated communication, or other alternative means of communication. What's important is figuring out how to hear the voice of the targeted individual."

Ultimately, the ITP should focus on the student's future, with their input as the guiding force. The point of person-centered planning is to "identify opportunities for them to develop personal relationships, participate in their community, increase control over their own lives, and develop the skills and abilities needed to achieve these goals."

For more on person-centered planning, watch this clip:

Prepare your child for the future!

Rosenberg advises parents to "go with their dreams for their kids. That's number one. Number two: If you don't like what's happening, speak up. Speak up, challenge the system. If there's a bad interaction or karma between your student and a teacher, your student and a social worker, speak up for your son or daughter. Be an advocate. You've got to come from a person-centered perspective. What makes sense for your son or daughter? What are you building for their future as you navigate?"

A few final words of advice from Rosenberg:

More resources for transitioning out of high school

Transition Partnership Programs (TPP) with the Department of Rehab (DOR) are geared toward helping high school students with disabilities prepare for and find meaningful education and employment after high school. The DOR offers WorkAbility II, III, and IV and We-Can-Work programs with local education agencies, colleges, and universities for individuals aged 16 and up that may include job preparation, placement, work experiences, and other post-secondary opportunities. WorkAbility I is a unique service from the Local Education Agencies that have a WorkAbility program and is funded through the Department of Education.

DOR Student Services are available to students with disabilities between the ages of 16 and 21 who are enrolled in school and include job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, post-secondary counseling, workplace readiness training, and advocacy training.

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services include counseling and guidance, job-search and placement assistance, supported employment, assistive technology services and devices, and more.

Frostig School put together a tremendous pamphlet to guide young adults through their transition planning. It lists a variety of programs focused on job training and supported employment (there are some great outside-the-box ideas from the California Conservation Corps to Inclusion Films), speciality technical and trade schools, LA-area community colleges, independent living programs, college programs, and more.

For a great resource to help you with person-centered transition planning, check out this padlet of videos, worksheets, and templates.

The California Transition Alliance offers an in-depth ITP guide.

Check out the following websites, services, and checklists:

Ivy Keller Undivided Writer

Reviewed by

Contributors

Richard L. Rosenberg, PhD, board member of the California Transition Alliance, faculty at Cal State LA, Chapman University, and San Diego State University

Dr. Sarah Pelangka, Special Education Advocate, BCBA-D, and owner of KnowIEPs

A Navigator is your Partner at each turn

Every Undivided Navigator has years of experience supporting families raising kids with disabilities or parenting their own. Partner with an Undivided Navigator for a free Kickstart to learn first hand what support feels like!

Expert-driven content, guidance, and solutions.

Member events and office hours with real answers, plus access to our private parents' group.

Priority to begin a free Kickstart of the Undivided Support System with a dedicated Navigator.

"It's so helpful to have one place that you can go to get many answers." -Leeza Woodbury, with Navigator Kelly since 2020

Try a Kickstart

*Currently offering Navigator Kickstarts to residents of California

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The school district is required to initiate transition planning by a student's 16th birthday, but it's a good idea to start the ITP process early. Here's how.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We define social and emotional learning (SEL) as an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.

SEL advances educational equity and excellence through authentic school-family-community partnerships to establish learning environments and experiences that feature trusting and collaborative relationships, rigorous and meaningful curriculum and instruction, and ongoing evaluation. SEL can help address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools and contribute to safe, healthy, and just communities.

New to Social and Emotional Learning? Start here (2 min. read).

Think of a young person in your life. What skills will they need to achieve their hopes and dreams?

Chances are, you just named social and emotional skills - like staying motivated, communicating effectively, practicing curiosity, and working with others to solve problems. Social and emotional learning, or SEL, helps develop the skills we need for life.
Hear why students, parents, and educators want SEL in schools. Here are 3 things to know about social and emotional learning:

1. Social and emotional learning is a foundation for many of our most pressing priorities: SEL helps young people - and adults - learn and practice skills that set them up for academic success, fulfilling careers, healthy relationships, and responsible civic engagement.

2. The research is clear: Social and emotional learning in schools leads to positive outcomes, including better academic performance, and decreases in stress and anxiety.

3. There's no one-size-fits-all approach: Social and emotional learning brings families, schools, and communities together to make sure every child has caring relationships and what they need to learn, grow, and thrive.

Subscribe now for our expertly curated 3-part email series delivered straight to your inbox. We'll roundup the key facts from our website on SEL is, it matters, and it shows up in schools.

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
SEL can help all young people and adults thrive personally and academically, develop and maintain positive relationships, become lifelong learners, and contribute to a more caring, just world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In order to perform at optimal levels in all education settings, all youth need to participate in educational programs grounded in standards, clear performance expectations and graduation exit options based upon meaningful, accurate, and relevant indicators of student learning and skills. These should include:

Academic programs that are based on clear state standards

Career and technical education programs that are based on professional and industry standards

Curricular and program options based on universal design of school, work and community-based learning experiences

Learning environments that are small and safe, including extra supports such as tutoring, as necessary

Supports from and by highly qualified staff;

Access to an assessment system that includes multiple measures, and

Graduation standards that include options.

In addition, youth with disabilities need to:

Use their individual transition plans to drive their personal instruction, and strategies to continue the transition process post-schooling

Access specific and individual learning accommodations while they are in school

Develop knowledge of reasonable accommodations that they can request and control in educational settings, including assessment accommodations, and

Be supported by highly qualified transitional support staff that may or may not be school staff.

Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In order to perform at optimal levels in all education settings, all youth need to participate in educational programs grounded in standards, clear performance expectations and graduation exit options based upon meaningful, accurate, and relevant indicators of student learning and skills.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Self-Advocacy & Self-Determination | Project10

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Self-determination is the process by which you control your own life, including the skills, knowledge, and beliefs that allow you to make informed choices and accept the consequences/responsibilities that result from those decisions.

Are you ready to make your own choices and live with the consequences? Are you able to set goals and complete the steps necessary to achieve those goals?

Self-advocacy is knowing your rights and having the ability to effectively communicate your needs, interests and desires. Self-advocacy, one part of self-determination, is the ability to speak for yourself and seek what you need for your life. This includes risk-taking, negotiating, the ability to respond to conflict/criticism, and persistence to achieve your goals.

How well do you know yourself? Can you describe your strengths, weaknesses, and disability? Learning about and being able to communicate these things are part of transitioning to adulthood.

Click to view the differences.

Teaching Self-Advocacy from Transition Tennessee on Vimeo.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Self-determination is the process by which you control your own life, including the skills, knowledge, and beliefs that allow you to make informed choices and accept the consequences/responsibilities that result from those decisions. Are you ready to make your own choices and live with the consequences?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Independent Living - Transition to Life After High School - PACER Center

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Wherever and however you picture yourself living someday, you can learn more about independent living skills in the video collections.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Must Have Independent Living Tasks for Special Education Classrooms - Full SPED Ahead

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Independent living skills or activities of daily living (ADLs) are those things we normally do in daily living including any daily activity we perform for self-care such as feeding ourselves, bathing, dressing, grooming, work, homemaking, domestic and leisure. The ability or inability to perform ADLs can be used as a very practical measure of ability/disability in many disorders.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Page 8: Post-Secondary Preparation: Independent Living

IDEA'04 requires measurable post-secondary goals for independent living, when appropriate. However, a precursor to independent living involves learning self-determination and social skills. When students are able to identify their goals and effectively communicate with others in a variety of settings, they can achieve greater success. Young people who can do this are self-determined and able to advocate for themselves and utilize effective social skills in the areas of education/ training, employment, or independent living.

Self-Determination

Broadly defined, self-determination is the ability of a person to be actively involved in and in control of his or her own life. Students with self-determination can be described as being able to:

Define goals for themselves

Take the initiative to make their goals happen

Make choices and understand the consequences of their actions

Seek support when taking risks

Self-determination is affected by one's thoughts, beliefs, knowledge, and skills. As students begin and continue their transition from high school to postsecondary living, it is normal for them to feel a range of emotions, such as excitement, fear, anxiety, and anticipation. School counselors may help students to define and improve their self-determination by:

Helping students develop a greater self-awareness

Teaching decision-making, goal-setting, and negotiation skills

Creating problem-solving opportunities

Keep in Mind

When students demonstrate greater self-determination, some parents may feel a loss of control in directing their son or daughter's life plans. While it is easy for adults to make decisions for students who have disabilities, it is preferable to assume that they are competent to make their own decisions. The adults' roles shift to support students in identified areas of need.

Environment also contributes to the development of self-determination. When students have more opportunities to make choices, they in turn have opportunities to identify the effect of those choices. The questions below can help determine whether adequate support is in place to help students foster self-determination.

Social Skills

Like self-determination skills, social skills play an important role in the success of transition and future independent living pursuits. In many cases, students who have strong social skills may find greater success in their post-school environments. School counselors should help students understand the impact of social skills in all environments and the rationale for learning appropriate behaviors. They may provide instruction in a variety of social skills areas:

Interpersonal Skills

Use courtesy and show respect to others.

Cooperate with others.

Recognize nonverbal communication.

Accept and follow directions.

Respect cultural diversity.

Perform as a team player.

Independence in Living

Individuals who practice self-determination and who have good social skills are more likely to be successful in independent living arrangements. Independent living may include a range of living arrangements (e.g., living alone, with a roommate) and housing options (e.g., apartment). Even when it comes to housing, students must understand the type of disability they have and identify the types of accommodations that they may require.

For Your Information

Many residential options are available to individuals with disabilities (e.g., supported living in own apartment, protected settings, group homes).
Residential Options
Transition Update - Sandra Practices Self-Determination and Social Skills

Sandra has been present during her IEP meetings for several years but has never been an active participant. Mr. Hunter has been working with Sandra to help her to become prepared and to be able to contribute information about herself. During Sandra's IEP meeting, she will:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IRIS | Page 8: Post-Secondary Preparation: Independent Living

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
IDEA'04 requires measurable post-secondary goals for independent living, when appropriate. However, a precursor to independent living involves learning self-determination and social skills. When students are able to identify their goals and effectively communicate with others in a variety of settings, they can achieve greater success.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Fast Facts

Many issues facing the nation-such as infectious diseases and climate change-require several federal agencies to collaborate and coordinate their efforts.

We have identified 8 leading practices that could help agencies collaborate more effectively, such as bridging organizational cultures -e.g., putting compatible policies in place or agreeing on common terminology.

For example, we've recommended defining "research and development" for the Department of Energy's 16 nuclear waste cleanup sites to help coordinate their efforts. Without a common definition, sites interpreted it differently and reported inconsistent information to the Department.

Highlights

What GAO Found

Interagency collaboration involves collaboration or coordination between two or more federal entities, or within components of the same entity. Collaboration can be broadly defined as any joint activity that is intended to produce more public value than could be produced when the entities act alone.

GAO's eight leading practices for interagency collaboration (below) include key considerations for collaborating entities to use when implementing them. This report also includes examples illustrating how the leading practices apply to a number of different collaboration challenges and successes in areas such as foreign aid, cybersecurity, and the federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Implementing these practices is critical to achieving important interagency outcomes, such as addressing long-standing challenges facing the federal government.

GAO's Leading Interagency Collaboration Practices and Selected Key Considerations

Why GAO Did This Study

Many of the meaningful results that the federal government seeks to achieve require the coordinated efforts of more than one federal agency. GAO's leading practices for collaboration can help address crosscutting challenges, such as infectious diseases, climate change, cybersecurity, and other areas identified in GAO's High-Risk List and those involving fragmentation, overlap, and duplication.

This report is part of a series of reports related to a provision in the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010. This report validates and updates GAO's 2012 leading interagency collaboration practices. It also provides illustrative examples from prior GAO work.

To validate and update these practices, GAO reviewed relevant prior reports and conducted reviews of scholarly and peer-reviewed literature related to collaboration. GAO also gathered the views of senior agency officials experienced in leading interagency collaborative efforts, subject matter specialists, Office of Management and Budget staff, and General Services Administration officials responsible for federal performance and collaboration issues. To identify examples of collaboration challenges and success, we conducted a content analysis of prior GAO work from fiscal years 2018 through 2022.

For more information, contact Dawn G. Locke at (202) 512-6806 or locked@gao.gov.

Full Report

Topics

Best practices Climate change Culture Cyberspace Diplomacy Federal agencies Global food security Infectious diseases Information sharing Interagency relations Military communication pandemics Performance management Personnel management Research and development Senior Executive Service diversity Telecommuting

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Government Performance Management: Leading Practices to Enhance Interagency Collaboration and Address Crosscutting Challenges

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many issues facing the nation-such as infectious diseases and climate change-require several federal agencies to collaborate and coordinate their...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Page 4: Interagency Collaboration

Recognizing that multiple individuals and agencies should be involved in transition planning is an important first step in addressing the transition needs of students with disabilities. Some of these can be met through informal supports (e.g., friends, peers), while others require formal supports (e.g., programs for people with disabilities). No one person or agency can meet the needs of all transitioning students; transition planning requires shared expertise and a wide range of services. These might include agencies that serve individuals with disabilities (e.g., vocational rehabilitation agencies) or those that serve all individuals (e.g., Social Security Administration). One role of the transition coordinator is to encourage representatives from outside agencies to participate in the transition planning process and interact with students, families, and others.

In the past, schools and agencies worked in isolation from each other, with the predictable result of uncoordinated services. In contrast, when agencies work collaboratively, they help create a bridge for students with disabilities from school to post-school activities and environments. Interagency collaboration is a process in which education professionals establish partnerships with personnel from multiple agencies to achieve a common goal: to improve the post-secondary success of students with disabilities. Interagency collaboration is a means to:

Coordinate services and supports

Identify and address gaps in services within the community

Share and leverage resources to reduce costs

Promote efficient service delivery

Listen as Mary Morningstar briefly defines interagency collaboration and who is typically involved in the process (time: 3:00).

Mary Morningstar, PhD
Associate Professor Special Education
Director of Transition Coalition
University of Kansas

Transcript: Mary Morningstar, PhD

Interagency collaboration takes on quite a lot of different definitions in terms of the big picture. In each school, the definition of interagency collaboration might look slightly different. But in general, it is a process whereby you carefully and purposely plan and design cross-agency, cross-program collaborative effort related to transition outcomes for youth. That's a definition that's been given within the research for what interagency collaboration means. Now, that certainly doesn't assist school practitioners to take it to the level they need for implementation. Many teachers serve different types of students. So if you're a teacher who's serving students with learning disabilities, their post-school outcomes and therefore their support needs once they're in the community and as adults are going to look different than teachers who are working with students with significant disabilities who may have long-term support needs. For those students and families, they would access different types of agencies and supports in the community.

So understanding how it operates in each community and for each teacher will look slightly different. But in general the process that would work for any teacher in any school district is first to identify the post-school outcomes, those measurable post-secondary goals that their students are interested in achieving, and then based on those outcomes to reach out and to go find the services and support that students would need in order to be successful in those post-secondary settings.

When we're thinking about interagency collaboration, the critical groups that need to be involved certainly includes school personnel, whether that's special ed teachers, transition coordinators, guidance counselors, school social workers. The folks that are engaged for all youth as they are exiting school and entering into their next phase, whether it's post-secondary education or employment. That's a critical piece of interagency collaboration. Families and students are also active and must be engaged in interagency collaboration themselves. They have very specific roles and responsibilities related to seeking out services and advocating for what they need from those service agencies.

And then the third and biggest, and that's the group that's most difficult to pin down. But those are those community organizations and agencies, both disability specific, for example vocational rehabilitation or agencies that are serving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health centers with some of the disabilities specific organizations. It can also include non-disability organizations. For example, an employment agency that's serving anybody in the community, or tutoring at a community college that's not specific to disability tutoring. So when we think about the group that have to be engaged it cuts across those three big groups, school, family, student, and then the community. It also cuts across disability specific organizations and those that anybody can access whether you have a disability or not.

Research Shows

Interagency collaboration has been substantiated as a promising transition practice for several decades.
(Kohler, 1993; Landmark, Ju, & Zhang, 2010; Noonan, Morningstar, & Gaumer, 2008)

Interagency collaboration leads to more positive post-school outcomes, especially when students are linked with services prior to exiting high school.
(Test et al., 2009)

Building both formal and informal support networks during high-school using a person-centered approach has been shown to be associated with better post-school employment and education outcomes.
(Povenmire-Kirk et al., 2015)
person-centered approach
A method of transition planning in which the student's needs, strengths, and capacities determine the services he or she receives.

Interagency Teams

To create smooth transitions, it is important for school personnel and community representatives to work together to improve the post-secondary transition process and outcomes for students with disabilities. Doing so involves creating teams of people who meet with each other on issues related to these outcomes. These teams engage in interagency collaboration and might be organized at different levels (e.g., the school district, community, or state) and vary in number and how they divide responsibilities. These teams typically:

Include representatives from disability-related organizations, community agencies, and workplaces all of whom understand the needs of the community as a whole and the needs of individuals with disabilities specifically.

Share ideas, talents, and resources; determine how best to include students with disabilities in the community.

Help to identify gaps in services within the community and solutions to bridge these gaps. One useful tool is the Quality Indicators of Exemplary Transition Programs Survey-2. This online survey can be completed by community teams to evaluate gaps in programs and services.

These teams and the work they do are always evolving. In addition, each state or community varies in how they are organized or structured. There can be and often is some overlap in team members. Below is one example of how interagency collaborative teams might be organized.

IEP/Transition Team

Responsible for creating the individual student's individualized transition plan (ITP)

Members individually determined according to guidelines established by IDEA

Additional members comprise the team based on the individual needs of the student

Agency representatives providing direct services to the student may be a part of this team

Ensures active participation from students and parents regarding transition planning informs the process

Typically, works directly with student

School/Community Team

Links education and adult service providers

Involved in planning transition services at the community level (e.g., resource fairs)

Include a wide range of professional representatives from community organizations, as well as family members and students with disabilities

Typically, not directly involved with students

State Team

Establish, evaluate, and revise policy

Develop coordinated systems to reduce duplication, prevent gaps, and increase efficiency of services among agencies

Evaluate the success of state and local transition services

Leaders of public agencies (e.g., director of the Department of Health), legislators, parent representative, school representative, community rep (e.g., member of school/community team), representatives from disability organizations

Typically, not direct service personnel

Mary Morningstar discusses a model of interagency collaboration that includes the IEP team and a community transition team. Next, she offers some tips for new teachers or those beginning the interagency process.

Mary Morningstar, PhD
Associate Professor Special Education
Director of Transition Coalition
University of Kansas

Transcript: Mary Morningstar, PhD (audio #1)

When we talk about the teams needed for transition, certainly the IEP team is the team that is most focused on the student. Oftentimes, if there isn't a transition coordinator in a building, the teacher or the case manager for that student's IEP often by default falls into that role of having to know about outside agencies. It's written into the law that if students are already being served by an outside agency or it's expected they would be served then the IEP case manager is responsible for inviting those outside agencies to attend the IEP meeting.

The role of beginning the process of collaboration for any special education teacher who's involved with students during transition planning is important. But it really is focused on what's going on with that particular student, and because it's an IEP it's really only during the period of time when the student is engaged in school in special ed services. When we think about models of interagency collaboration, the model that I'm most familiar with that is used most often around the country and across multiple states is a community transition team. That is where school personnel and all of the outside agencies might come together to start the planning process for collaboration. It may be at the district level if it's a large district. It may be in a city or in a town. Or it could be at a county level or a regional level. This is particularly the case in more rural communities, where services are more spread out or they may only be offered in a regional location. Then you might have several districts joining a regional community transition team. But that is where you would bring all the outside agencies together. That's often where they start to network, because they have to know about and learn about each other. And then once they know about and learn about each other they can start identifying where the barriers are in their community to successfully transition. And then they can identify some of those barriers, and then as a team they work together to solve and come up with solutions that are more at the systems level. So that will be beneficial to all the students coming through transition. So those are the teams that are most common when we talk about how you start planning for interagency collaboration.

Transcript: Mary Morningstar, PhD (audio #2)

Interagency collaboration can feel really overwhelming. I often think of it as the jet lag for schools and for new teachers in particular, because when you're going through a teacher-education training program you are very focused on the skills you need to be successful with students. It's all about student growth and student support. We don't think about how teachers are engaged in facilitating the transition into adulthood. That's not typically at the forefront of teacher preparation programs. So it can be sort of a shocking experience for teachers as they come into this field of secondary education and then the transition to adulthood.

It's really not what you know about interagency in terms of all the different agencies. It's about who you know that has the best, most current information. I would think any new teacher needs to find out from their district who is the one that's responsible for putting together that comprehensive map or guidebook for transition, who knows about all those outside agencies. How can I then get information about those agencies and who at those agencies are my go-to person to ask questions? Even I cannot keep up with all the regulatory changes, new laws that impact those outside agencies. But I know my go-to people when I have questions. I can identify who I need to turn to. I think that's probably a really critical first step for any novice teacher coming into a district, particularly at the secondary level. If their district says there isn't anyone in our district that does it, and they're passionate enough to want to create something, my experience is social workers know more about outside agencies than any one particular school personnel. So developing a district level team, be sure to include social workers and guidance counselors as part of that team would be a great way to start launching this process.

David Test describes the CIRCLES Project, an experimental model utilizing multiple levels of interagency collaboration to help assure smooth transitions for students with disabilities (time: 3:56).

David Test, PhD
Professor of Special Education
University of North Carolina

Transcript: David Test, PhD

The Circles Project itself is an interagency collaboration model. It is different than most interagency collaboration models. First, there are three teams. The first is the more traditional interagency collaboration team, and that is a district-level team. That team can meet three to four times a year. It's made up of the bosses, the director of special ed, the director of VR, the director of mental health, the director of developmental disability services, people who can make changes to policies and procedures that need to be changed.

Many school systems have some sort of team like that community level team that meets a few times a year. What makes Circles different is the second level of team, which is the school-level team, and that team is made up of teachers, and VR counselors and case-managers, and people from the adult service agencies that would deal directly with students and families. Those meetings take place monthly. They can rotate across the school system. Different school systems do it different places. Some do it in different high schools each month, some do it at a central location, say a community college that is centrally located in their county, some do it at the education center if it's easier for transportation. Those meetings usually take place over a day.

They're made up of presentations by students. Usually, in a day you can get maybe ten students to come and present. The meeting starts with a review of what happened in the last meeting to make sure that students and families and the agencies connected as they were supposed to. When it's time for the students to start, the students make a brief presentation, about five minutes, often with a PowerPoint. Sometimes they'll use Voki or other Web 2.0 tools. It's a presentation about what their strengths are, where they still think they need some support, and what they like to do after school in terms of employment and education and independent living.

Once they finish their presentation, they sit down at the table with all these representatives from different agencies. The people from the agencies talk to them about their services and what supports they may be able to offer them. Often, with a student comes at least one family member. Sometimes it's moms, dads, aunts, uncles, grandparents, sometimes friends. So sometimes it's an entourage, sometimes it's not. But they'll be part of this discussion. Then by the end of the meeting the student and their family leave the meeting with a to-do list. Here are the agencies that you should talk to or connect with for employment. Here are the ones if you're interested in apartment living. So they've met the people, they've begun to talk about and know what services and supports are available for them once they leave high school.

So what the school system does with that information, they take that information back to the IEP team, which is the third team. That information can be put into the student's IEP. The adult service people don't have to come to the IEP meetings, since they've already signed off unless something changes. The adult service folks, typically, they'll be invited to all these IEP meetings. They don't have time to sit through that many meetings, and so by going to one meeting a month they can get the information they need for their services, but also that information can get into the IEPs for students. It's a lot more time-efficient in terms of getting interagency collaboration. The Circles Project had been implemented in the Cleveland county schools in North Carolina for years and was very successful in terms of building interagency collaboration.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IRIS | Page 4: Interagency Collaboration

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Recognizing that multiple individuals and agencies should be involved in transition planning is an important first step in addressing the transition needs of students with disabilities. Some of these can be met through informal supports (e.g., friends, peers), while others require formal supports (e.g., programs for people with disabilities).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This module defines and discusses the purpose of interagency collaboration and addresses the importance of partnering with agencies to improve outcomes for students with disabilities who are transitioning from high school (est. completion time: 2 hours).

Work through the sections of this module in the order presented in the STAR graphic above.

Related to this module

Copyright 2021 Vanderbilt University. All rights reserved.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This module defines and discusses the purpose of interagency collaboration and addresses the importance of partnering with agencies to improve outcomes for students with disabilities who are transitioning from high school (est. completion time: 2 hours). Work through the sections of this module in the order presented in the STAR graphic above.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Explore own assumptions about working with families of children with special needs.

Identify variables that may challenge or support family-centered practice.

Choose effective ways to support families of children with special needs.

Know

Families of Young Children with Special Needs

Preschoolers with special needs are members of our communities, programs, and families and it is our responsibility to provide high-quality, inclusive support and care for these children and their families. While these families often experience additional challenging situations and stressors, they have hopes, dreams, and goals for their children just like other families. You can positively impact families with a preschooler with a disability by empowering them with knowledge, empathizing with their feelings, and collaborating with other support professionals in their lives.

Within the VLS, the terms special needs and disability are often used interchangeably. It is important to note that while the two terms have similar meanings, the word disability is generally used to refer to a long-term condition or impairment that impacts the way a child or youth learns, participates, or interacts with the world around them. The term special needs often refers to additional supports or assistance a child or youth may need within an educational, developmental, behavioral, or health context. Language is a powerful tool that can create a sense of identity, purpose, and pride and is particularly important to consider when working with children and families. One critical way to empower families of children with special needs is to have a dialogue with them around their preferred language when referring to their individual child's unique needs and abilities.

Working with Families of Children with Special Needs

Establishing meaningful relationships with families is a critical part of your work, and your communication is especially important when working with families with preschoolers with special needs. Some preschool children will enter your program with a known disability, and other families will learn that their child has a disability or is delayed while enrolled in your program. You may even be one of the professionals that assists in identifying an area of concern or delay. Families with eligible preschool-age children may receive special education services and have an individualized education program (IEP). Others may only receive support from a medical center, and some families will be involved with multiple systems of support. Regardless, families can be overwhelmed by what feels like a constant flow of suggestions, therapies, and appointments to help their child learn and develop. These families may need more help supporting their children and may turn to you, or others in your program, for assistance with connecting to services or agencies outside of your program. It may be helpful to form relationships with outside agencies so you, or trainers and administrators in your program, have up-to-date information on how to make a referral and the types of services offered and available. Positive interactions with families and other professionals can decrease families' stress and improve their well-being, as well as improve their confidence in you as their child's early care and learning program.

Families with preschoolers with special needs may go through various evaluation processes and may ask you to complete questionnaires or provide input at the request of a doctor, specialist, or teacher. Other professionals rely on this input, especially when they have limited amounts of time with children compared to program staff who often spend many hours each week caring for, educating, and observing children. This information can be used to determine if a child has a specific condition, support the child outcomes summary (COS) process, determine eligibility for specific services, and develop goals for an individualized education program (IEP). You, or a trainer or administrator from your program, may be asked to participate in an IEP review, a time when the team of professionals and families come together to assess progress, create new outcomes, and determine needed services. Preschool children with IEPs may attend your program and their local education agency (LEA). Services on an IEP may only be provided at the LEA, or interventionists and related services personnel may "push in" and provide services within your program. Regardless of how special education services are delivered, working with professionals from outside agencies helps things run smoothly for families and ensures that all of the professionals and caregivers in a child's life are communicating. This lessens family stress by reducing the need for primary caregivers to act as the in-between messenger of important information.

Families with preschoolers with disabilities may go through various evaluation processes and may ask you to complete questionnaires or provide input at the request of a doctor, specialist, or teacher. Other professionals rely on this input, especially when they have limited amounts of time with children compared to program staff who often spend many hours each week caring for, educating, and observing children in their daily routines. This information can be used to determine if a child has a specific area of need, support the child outcome summary (COS) process, determine eligibility for specific services, and develop goals for an individualized education program (IEP). You, or a trainer or administrator from your program, may be asked to participate in a family's IEP review, a time when the team of professionals and the family come together to assess progress, create new outcomes, and determine needed services. Preschool children with IEPs may attend your program and their local education agency (LEA). Services on an IEP may only be provided at the LEA, or interventionists and therapists may provide services within your program. Regardless of how these services are delivered, working with professionals from outside agencies helps things run smoothly for families and ensures that all of the professionals and caregivers in a child's life are communicating. This lessens family stress by reducing the need for primary caregivers to act as the in-between messenger of important information, goals and expectations.
Effective Practices
The first step in establishing strong relationships with families of children with special needs is to spend time discussing and learning their wishes and concerns for their children and to learn about the meaningful activities and routines they participate in at home. Maintaining this communication throughout a child's time in your program is essential. Ask questions to learn about strategies that work at home and consider using them in your classroom. Through your interactions you can build trust so both you and families feel comfortable sharing children's strengths and if there are concerns (Sandall, Hemmeter, Smith, & McLean, 2005). Before communicating concerns with families, it may be helpful to discuss with a coach, trainer, or administrator your plan to share this information using family-centered practice. Be prepared for families to react in a variety of ways, and know how you can offer support if they seek assistance from other agencies and resources. For families already receiving support from other professionals, ongoing communication with both families and professionals is critical to maintain consistency between program and home environments. When all the caregivers and professionals in a child's life are consistently using the same, effective strategies to promote development and outcomes, children are more likely to benefit and learn new skills.

In your collaboration with families, it is important to acknowledge and respect their strengths and unique background, while realizing their ability to make decisions that are right for them (Hanson & Lynch, 2004). This means that when a family's wishes and decisions are different from what you would recommend, you respond to the family's decisions with respect. Ultimately, meaningful communication and relationship-building will enrich the process for both yourself and the families you serve.

Take a look at the following guidelines that reflect family-centered practice. You may remember some of these from Lesson 1. Then, think about which of these you can use in your work with families of children with special needs (Turnbull, Turbiville, & Turnbull, 2000):

Recognizing the family as a constant in the child's life; caregivers and service systems may often change

Facilitating collaboration between families and professionals

Honoring and respecting family diversity in all dimensions (cultural, racial, ethnic, linguistic, spiritual, and socioeconomic)

Recognizing family strengths and the different approaches that families may use to cope

Sharing unbiased and honest information with family members on an ongoing basis

Encouraging family-to-family support and networking

Acknowledging and incorporating the developmental needs of the child and other family members into your practice

Designing and implementing services that are accessible, culturally and linguistically respectful and responsive, flexible, and based on family-identified needs

See

Video not available
Watch this video to learn about addressing the needs of families who have children with special needs.

Do

There are many ways you can demonstrate respect and consideration for families of children with special needs or disabilities in your classroom. Consider the following:

Acknowledge that families know their child best and ask them questions about services, resources, or typical routines that may be helpful to you.

Establish ongoing communication between home and school. Communication journals are a great way to maintain communication. These are usually sent home with the child and returned the next day. Teachers can share noteworthy observations, events, or daily challenges and families can respond to those or share their own news or reflections. While communication journals can be used with families of all children in your classroom, they can be an especially valuable tool in establishing consistency between home and school environments for children with special needs.

Incorporate children's books in your classroom library that reflect consideration of multiple abilities and differences.

Modify daily activities so that all children can participate in their own way.

Invite families to talk about their child. For example, a family member may come in your classroom and talk about their child's use of adaptive equipment (e.g., braces, wheelchair, or a communication device). The family member may explain the use of equipment, which can help children and other families understand aspects of their life. This also promotes acceptance of differences.

Be a team player! Work collaboratively with families and other professionals who may be involved in the delivery of services to children with special needs.

If disagreements or miscommunication arise, consider the following:

Remind yourself that your role is to support families' hopes and dreams for their child.

Be patient. Dealing with a child with a disability may be challenging at times, and family members need time to navigate this experience at their own pace.

Avoid making judgments of families and their children.

Consider difficult times as opportunities to build trust between yourself and families.

Question your assumptions about working with families of children with disabilities or special needs and urge other professionals you know to do the same.

Talk with your trainer, supervisor, or coach when in doubt about any aspect of your work with families.

Video not available
Watch this video to hear a family of a child with special needs share their school experience.

Barrera, I., & Corso, R. M. (2003). Skilled Dialogue: Strategies for responding to cultural diversity in early childhood. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

Center for Parent Information & Resources. (n.d). Supporting the Parent Centers Who Serve Families of Children with Disabilities. Retrieved from https://parentcenterhub.org/

Hanson, M. J., & Lynch, E.W. (2004). Understanding Families: Approaches to diversity, disability, and risk. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

Harry, B., Kalyanpur, M., & Day, M. (1999). Building Cultural Reciprocity With Families: Case studies in special education. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

Harry, N., Rueda, R., & Kalyanpur, M. (1999). Cultural reciprocity in Sociocultural Perspective: Adapting the normalization principle for family collaboration. Exceptional Children, 66(1), 123-136.

Howard, V.F., Williams, B.F., Port, P.D., & Lepper, C. (1997). Very Young Children With Special Needs: A formative approach for the 21st century. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

Johnson, B. H. (1990). The changing role of families in health care. Children's Health Care, 19(4), 234-241.

Kalyanpur, M., & Harry, B. (1999). Culture in Special Education: Building reciprocal family-professional relationships. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

Lynch, E. W., & Hanson, M. J. (2004). Developing Cross-Cultural Competence: A guide for working with young children and their families, 3rd ed. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (2011). NAEYC Position Statement: Code of ethical conduct and statement of commitment. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/positionstatements/ethical_conduct

National Association for the Education of Young Children. Engaging Diverse Families.

Peck, A., & Scarpatti, S. (2002). Special Education around the world. Teaching Exceptional Children 34(5).

Poston, D., Turnbull, A., Park, J., Mannan, H., Marquis, J., & Wang, M. (2003). Family Quality of Life: A qualitative inquiry. Mental Retardation, 41(5), 313-328.

Salend, S. J., & Garrick-Duhaney, L. M. (2002). What Do Families Have to Say About Inclusion? How to pay attention and get results. Teaching Exceptional Children, 35(1), 62-66.

Sandall, S., Hemmeter, M. L., Smith, B. J., & McLean, M. E. (2005). DEC recommended practices: A comprehensive guide. Longmont, CO: Sopris West.

Trivette, C. M. & Dunst, C. J. (2005). DEC Recommended Practices: Family-Based Practices. In S. Sandall, M. L. Hemmeter, B. J. Smith, & M. E. McLean (Eds.). DEC Recommended Practices: A comprehensive guide for practical application (pp. 107-126). Longmont, CO: Sopris West.

Turnbull, A. P., Turbiville, V., & Turnbull, H. R. (2000). Evolution of Family-Professional Partnerships: Collective empowerment as the model for the early twenty-first century. In J. P. Shonkoff & S. J. Meisels (Eds.). Handbook of Early Childhood Intervention (pp. 630-650). Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

Turnbull, A., Turnbull, R., Erwin, E. J., & Soodak, L. C. (2006). Families, Professionals, and Exceptionality: Positive outcomes through partnerships and trust. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

Consider your view on families of children with special needs and think about your role in their lives

Consider how much information a family is comfortable sharing about their child's needs

Use these resources to learn more about families with children with special needs

Understand the emotional impact a family can experience when they learn about their child's disability

Create a list of resources to support children with disabilities

This activity is required for the CDA Professional Portfolio and should be completed by CDA candidates only.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Working With Families of Children With Special Needs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore own assumptions about working with families of children with special needs. Identify variables that may challenge or support family-centered practice. Choose effective ways to support families of children with special needs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Because families play such a vital role in a student's education, it is important for educators to develop strong and positive relationships with them. Since a child with a disability usually requires more time and effort than a nondisabled child, families and schools need to work together to ensure the student has the supports needed to be academically successful. School personnel need to consider the challenges and factors that may cause stress for families with special education children.
One way that schools can support families is by helping them understand and accept their student's disabilities. According to Smith (2016) when parents understand the nature of a particular disability, and accept their child as having this disability, it is much easier for families and school personnel to collaborate in the special education process (p. 210).

​In order to ensure that the IEP services and accommodations are providing a successful educational path for the student, schools and families must continue to collaborate on the student's progress. It is important to involve parents in the referral and assessment meetings, the IEP meetings, annual review meetings, and meetings related to conflict resolution. Schools can also support families in the development of home-based interventions and learning skills that are being used at school. Involving parents in the special education process can also be extremely helpful for educators since parents know their children better than teachers or school personnel.

Not only is it best practice to provide parents of children with disabilities with supports, it is also a legal requirement of IDEA to involve parents in the special education process (Smith, 2016). IDEA and section 504 provide parents of children with disabilities with a range of legal rights. In addition to receiving consent from parents and communicating the IEP process, schools must also ensure that they are meeting specific legal rights.

Principals and site administrators play an essential role in creating a positive school culture that invites parents to participate as active partners in the special education process. Not only should they welcome parents and their involvement in the child's educational program, but they should also ensure that school staff members maintain the same attitude (Smith, 2016).

Parents' Rights. (2017, January 11). California Department of Education (CDE). Retrieved February 07, 2018, from https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/qa/pssummary.asp

Smith, T. E. (2016). Serving students with special needs: a practical guide for administrators . New York: Routledge.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Because families play such a vital role in a student's education, it is important for educators to develop strong and positive relationships with them. Since a child with a disability usually...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you are an educator of children with special needs, it could be more demanding than teaching normal children. Being a teacher of a special child, you should also know how to deal with their parents. It is equally important to know how to work with their guardians as it is important to teach the kids.

Working with the parents of children with special needs is not a simple job. It comes with many challenges that need to be addressed; otherwise, your job can be at stake. Below are some tips that will help you in knowing how to deal with them.

1. Open Doors of Communication

A teacher is the only source for parents to look into the daily school activities and performance of their child. The role of a teacher becomes more significant for children with special needs.

The first thing that needs to be done is to open up communication with these parents. Keep them updated and communicate with them more frequently to avoid misinformation and anything bad. Give them feedback about their child's performance on a regular basis so that they will be able to know in advance where their child is lacking and what efforts are needed from their side. Communicate the areas and activities that their children are good at and what they enjoy.

If parents of children with special needs are not addressed and communicated too frequently, it may lead to problems later on. For example, if one day they are called to the school all of a sudden to address a particular situation, which they are unaware of, it can lead to frustration and shock. This can make the situation worst.

2. Never Start a Discussion with Complaints

Always start the communication with a greeting and never forget to praise their child. Tell them how extraordinary their child is, as every parent loves to listen to their child being praised. Always remember never to start a discussion with complaints. Being a successful teacher, you can also initiate the conversation with a funny short story about their child.

Telling stories relaxes the parents and assures them that the teacher knows their youngsters and appreciates teaching and spending time with them. Then you can slowly move towards the main issue and tell the parents how the special student is struggling with decoding and concentrating. Also, add how you are coping with the situation and different efforts that you are making to change the behavior of the child.

3. Never Criticize the Behavior of a Child

Being a teacher, you should never criticize the behavior of a child. It not only makes the child feel embarrassed but also makes the parents feel uncomfortable and self-conscious.

What you can do is tell them in a very polite way, not to mock but to guide their child which behavior is acceptable and which is not. Advise parents to indulge in discussions to make them act appropriately. However, never ignore your part. Communicate all your efforts towards their personality and character development. Do not leave the impression that disciplinary behavior can only be built at home.

4. Provide Information to the Parents

Help parents by teaching them how to handle the disability of their child. It is not only humane but also very important for your career growth as well.

Help the parent in getting more information and give them access to various websites that would guide them on how to deal with a child with special needs. Also, provide them handouts and different materials for reading that specifically talks about a disability, how to deal with it, and any additional recommendations.

For instance, if you visit a carpet cleaning business to get your carpet or rug clean. The business would give you their handbook or access to its website to know more about the business and its services. In the same way, you must also provide information to the parents in the form of brochures, pamphlets, etc.

5. Ask Parents to Use Props

It is never easy for parents with special children to make them sit in one place and do homework. To help them perform better in studies, encourage parents to use props. Props are best for counting and other forms of learning. Anything can be taken as a prop, from toys to fruits or even vegetables.

6. Never Directly Ask For Medication

Being an educator of a special child, never ask their parents directly to give their children any kind of medication, even if you think it is essential. It can make them worried and confused.

If, in any case, you think medication is required, always request a medical specialist to counsel the parents of the child. A medical specialist would first examine the child and then prescribe any medication if he deems necessary.

The proposal for medication should never come directly from an educator. Why? Because the parent would then think that the teacher wants to get rid of their child and his responsibility even if it is not the case.

7. Avoid Stereotyping

Every child is different, with their own needs, and they need to be dealt with in their own way. Never make fun of a child's disability or use inappropriate language. This can hurt the feelings of both the children and parents.

If a teacher makes fun of someone else's child, it only reflects the utter lack of compassion and ignorance. Avoid stereotyping and never define a child by their disability. Always use the first language with students with special needs, a child with Down syndrome, and Autism. It is not only appropriate but also professional.

8. Avoid Labeling

A teacher should avoid labeling a child. Teachers who deal with special children usually have an understanding of the most common disabilities among the children; therefore, they should avoid labeling a child. Various disabilities among children have common traits. Never try to diagnose a child.

Final Thoughts

Every child is different. Your job as an educator of these special children comes with more responsibility and dedication. Special needs are a broader term, and most of the time, the parent seeks professional support from the teachers.

Teachers, while dealing with parents having special children, should stay patient and open the doors of communication to avoid misunderstanding. They should be encouraged to share every possible detail with them right from the start. Avoid stereotyping and never prescribe medication. It would hurt the feelings of both the parents and their children with special needs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
8 Tips for Working with Parents of Special Needs Children | Resilient Educator

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you are an educator of children with special needs, it could be more demanding than teaching normal children. Being a teacher of a special child, you

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Engaging Families of Children with Disabilities | ECLKC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn how to effectively partner with families of children with disabilities. This partnership not only promotes children's learning and development, but also supports family learning, advocacy, and leadership skills.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A framework for ensuring that high school special education students develop the skills they need to join the workforce with confidence.

As a special educator, I have one goal in mind: to help students gain the skills and knowledge necessary to be as independent and fulfilled as possible in their adult lives. After teaching at the middle school level for over a decade, I decided to make the leap to high school and to specialize in work-based learning in order to help facilitate lifelong success for my students.

Work-based learning is the intersection of project-based learning and social and emotional learning, as it invites students to work on real-world tasks that will facilitate their ability to obtain employment. The social and emotional learning component? Developing the soft skills, or interpersonal skills, necessary to thrive at work.

It's incredibly rewarding to help students secure their first job, complete their first tax forms, open their first bank account, and yes, make their first purchases with their very own money.

I've seen countless students with special education services move from a negative self-image and disengagement from school to increased self-worth and a new sense of success after accomplishing the task of attaining employment. They start to believe in themselves on a much stronger level as they realize their capacity to participate in the workplace.

Giving Students the Tools They Need

Over my years as a work coordinator, I've learned many helpful approaches from seasoned colleagues and personal research. Here are some helpful tools and strategies that may support student success.

Over-helping helps no one. Too often, students with special education services develop over-dependence on adults at school. Many have grown up with extra support, and they may not realize that they can perform countless tasks on their own. Work-based learning is a chance for students to find their full capacity with independence. As a rule, I never say or do anything a student could say or do themselves.

For example, rather than calling an employer to see if they're hiring, I train the student on how to make that phone call on their own. Decreasing support and facilitating independence is critical to ensuring lifelong student success, and work-based learning is the perfect platform for this.

Connect the classroom to the workplace. Work-based learning programs should always include a classroom component. Each state has different requirements for work-based learning programs, but many require a "career seminar" class to support student learning in tandem with on-the-job experiences. Career seminars focus on explicit instruction in areas such as safety, labor laws, the job-seeking process, choosing a career, and employability skills.

I run my career seminar class as if I'm a manager at work. For example, students have a scheduled break halfway through class, and this is the only time they can check their phones. Students clock in when they enter the room by entering an assigned number in a Google Form. The more we can practice the activities and habits they'll need at work, the better. This supports their ability to maintain employment for the long haul.

Share your story. What was your first job in high school? I'm guessing you didn't start your work life as a teacher. Share your work experience story with students, including both the challenges and the rewards. What came easily to you? Were there bumps in the road, and how did you overcome them? How did you wind up in teaching, including your particular content area?

Invite students to share their own employment stories if they're already working. Conversations about successes at work can deepen relationships and motivate other students who may feel inspired to join the workforce and enjoy the benefits this can bring.

Skills pay the bills. When you approach your instruction through a work-based learning lens, it's all about transferable skills that will stay with students-which all working adults must learn and practice to keep a job. These include abilities like communication, conflict resolution, accepting constructive criticism, organization, and adaptability.

With such skills in mind, many classroom situations can become teachable moments geared toward work-readiness, including undesirable behavior choices. Rather than engaging in power struggles with students, remind them that you have the same goal: their future success and employability. From this place, you can engage in problem-solving together. Continuously bring it back to their skills for work, rather than school rules or policies they may find arbitrary.

Don't stop believing. Cultivating hope, resilience, and a growth mindset in your students will support them tremendously in their future attempts to join the workforce. The path to their dream career may be marred with obstacles and challenges along the way. In order to overcome them, students need to believe in themselves and commit to persevering through setbacks.

As educators, we can help foster their success when we convey that we truly believe in them and in their potential. In today's job market, there's a job to suit most every student. There are countless programs available to create avenues for individuals with disabilities to gain meaningful paid employment. Share this with students, believe in their potential, and convey your commitment to build their capacity.

I'm so grateful to be a coordinator of work-based learning. Countless students have reconnected over the years to tell me their own success stories, which were launched by their high school work program experiences. Whether it's a restaurant employee who moved up to manager, a child care aide who moved up to teaching, or an apprentice in the trades who became a foreman, work-based learning planted the first seeds to grow success. Work-based learning is an extremely valuable opportunity to bring out student strengths and help them leverage those strengths to lasting lifelong rewards.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A framework for ensuring that high school special education students develop the skills they need to join the workforce with confidence.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Through the interaction of study and work experience, students can enhance their academic knowledge, personal development, and professional preparation. Specifically, work-based learning opportunities can help a student

clarify academic and career interests;

fund education expenses;

gain academic credit;

apply practical theories from classroom work and develop human relations skills through interaction with coworkers;

gain exposure to specialized facilities not available on campus;

develop job-search skills, résumés, and cover letters;

identify career assistance programs; and

develop contacts for employment after graduation.

For students with disabilities, work-based learning offers additional benefits. Participating in a work experience can give them a chance to determine if they can perform the essential functions of a particular job with or without a reasonable accommodation. It also gives them a chance to practice disclosing their disability and requesting accommodations from potential employers while determining which accommodations work best for them. These experiences help students with disabilities develop the confidence and self-advocacy skills needed for success in higher education and challenging careers.

Many secondary schools and colleges offer programs that help students gain work experiences before graduation. Work-based learning options may include internships, cooperative education, job shadowing, service learning, independent study, informational interviews, and career services.

For more information related to work-based learning and students with disabilities, consult The Employment Office.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why should students with disabilities participate in work-based learning?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Through the interaction of study and work experience, students can enhance their academic knowledge, personal development, and professional preparation.