Supporting Early Childhood Transition:

1. Supporting Early Childhood Transition: State of the Evidence and Implications for Policy and Practice Beth Rous Caroline Gooden

2. As a result of attending this session, participants will: • Have information on key practices that support the transition process for children and families. • Gain resources and information on key transition outcomes for children and families and supporting research evidence. • Have a clearer understanding and information on key elements for meeting the transition requirements on the APR.

3. Purpose of the Session Provide information on the key elements of the transition process for children as they leave early intervention and enter preschool….. …. while ensuring that states and programs are able to balance recommended transition practices and transition mandates required as part of IDEA.

4. Setting the Context Overview of NECTC Studies and Conceptual Framework

6. NECTC Conceptual Framework Contextual Factors

7. Measuring Transition Outcomes for Children Child and Family Preparation Child and Family Adjustment Rous, Harbin & McCormick, 2006

8. Measuring Transition Outcomes for Families Child and Family Preparation Child and Family Adjustment Harbin, Rous, Peeler & McCormick, 2007

9. NECTC Conceptual Framework Transition Outcomes for the Child and Family

10. NECTC Conceptual Framework Key Elements of the Transition Process

11. Requirements Transition Indicators for APR

12. APR Requirement (Indicator C8) Percent of all children exiting Part C who received timely transition planning to support the child’s transition to preschool and other appropriate community services by their third birthday including: IFSPs with transition steps and services; Notification to LEA, if child potentially eligible for Part B; and Transition conference, if child potentially eligible for Part B. (20 U.S.C. 1416(a)(3)(B) and 1442)

13. APR Requirement (Indicator C8) Indicator Measurement Percent = [(# of children exiting Part C who have an IFSP with transition steps and services) divided by the (# of children exiting Part C)] times 100. Percent = [(# of children exiting Part C and potentially eligible for Part B where notification to the LEA occurred) divided by the (# of children exiting Part C who were potentially eligible for Part B)] times 100. Percent = [(# of children exiting Part C and potentially eligible for Part B where the transition conference occurred) divided by the (# of children exiting Part C who were potentially eligible for Part B)] times 100. • IFSPs with transition steps and services; • Notification to LEA, if child potentially eligible for Part B; • Transition conference, if child potentially eligible for Part B.

14. APR Requirement (Indicator B12) • Percent of children referred by Part C prior to age 3, who are found eligible for Part B, and who have an IEP developed and implemented by their third birthdays • (20 U.S.C. 1416(a)(3)(B)) • Measurement • # of children who have been served in Part C and referred to Part B for eligibility determination. • # of those referred determined to be NOT eligible and whose eligibilities were determined prior to their third birthdays. • # of those found eligible who have an IEP developed and implemented by their third birthdays. • # of children for whom parent refusal to provide consent caused delays in evaluation or initial services.

15. APR Requirement (Indicator B11) Percent of children with parental consent to evaluate, who were evaluated within 60 days (or State established timeline) (20 U.S.C. 1416(a)(3)(B)) Measurement # of children for whom parental consent to evaluate was received. # determined not eligible whose evaluations were completed within 60 days (or State established timeline). # determined eligible whose evaluations were completed within 60 days (or State established timeline).

16. Key Elements in Transition Planning Bridging the Transition Requirements with Recommended Transition Practice

17. Five Key Elements to be Considered: • Preparation of the Child and Family • Sharing of Identifying Information with Potential Programs • Conducting the Transition Conference • Implementation of the Transition Plan • Referral to Receiving Program

18. The ideal transition planning process is designed to address the key elements, yet is flexible enough to help meet the specific needs of individual children and families. B 12 C 8 B C 2 C 8 C C 8 A B 11 B 6 C 3 B 7

19. Key Element #1 Preparation of the child and family for the transition process Part C-APR-Indicator 8A

20. APR Requirement (C8) Percent of all children exiting Part C who received timely transition planning to support the child’s transition to preschool and other appropriate community services by their third birthday including: A. IFSPs with transition steps and services

21. NECTC Preliminary Results:Indicator C8 A Based on review of IFSPs

22. Preparation of the child and family: What does this mean? Having conversations with family members about the upcoming transition of their child.

23. What are we talking with families about? Discussions about: • the family’s needs related to the transition of their child at age three. • the child’s needs related to their transition at age three.

24. How can I structure these conversations with the family? • Help families identify their needs by asking questions like: • “When you think about your child leaving early intervention when they turn three….” • “Where do you see your child? At home? In a preschool program in the public school? In a Head Start Program?” • “What questions do you have?” • “What information do you think you need?” • “What can we do to begin to help you and your child get ready?”

25. Considerations Desired Child and Family Transition Outcomes

26. Planning for the Transition Conference Conversations also include helping families think about the upcoming Transition Conference including: • Current services they receive outside of early intervention. • Their ideas about services, programs, and resources they are interested in continuing or exploring for their child at age three. • Give them ideas about programs if they don’t know what is available. • Get the family’s permission to contact those programs to invite them to the Transition Conference. • Talk with them about what will happen at the Transition Conference.

27. What do I do with this information? • Specific child and family needs are addressed on the IFSP • Information about potential services for the child at age three is used to determine who to invite to the Transition Conference

28. When does this happen? • Family needs and questions determine when and how transition conversations take place. • However, specific conversations that lead to the Transition Conference should begin around the child’s 2nd Birthday.

29. NECTC Preliminary Results As reported by families

30. NECTC Results: Age when concerns were identified As reported by families

31. Reflection What does preparation of the child and family for the transition process look like: • In your state? • What key strategies do you promote to support preparation of the child and family? • What key strategies might you implement to better support preparation of the child and family?

32. Key Element #2 Sharing identifying information about the child and family Part C-APR-Indicator 8B

33. APR Requirement (C8) Percent of all children exiting Part C who received timely transition planning to support the child’s transition to preschool and other appropriate community services by their third birthday including: B. Notification to LEA, if child potentially eligible for Part B

34. What is Identifying Information? Identifying information includes: • The child and family’s names and contact information • The child’s birthday • The child’s disability or diagnosis and current program • Services the child is currently receiving and by whom

35. What does this mean? • With family permission, issuing an Invitation to the Transition Conference to the list of agencies families identified as potential receiving agencies. • This is the first official contact that includes identifiable information about child and family.

36. How is the invitation issued? • Invitations can be issued in a number of ways, based on state policy, the relationship between agencies & agreements made. • This includes: • A formal written invitation • A phone call, followed by a written invitation • An e-mail invitation • A personal contact

37. Who gets the invitation? • Conversations with programs should be held in advance to determine who should receive the Transition Conference invitation. • In some programs, there is a designated Transition Coordinator, in others it may be the Director or a Lead Teacher. • LEA representatives are required to attend the Transition Conference for children who may be eligible for IDEA services at age 3.

38. What is the content of the invitation? The invitation should include information about: • The purpose of the Transition Conference. • An overview of the specific information the agency representative will be asked to share at the meeting. • The time and location of the meeting that has been agreed upon with the family. • A list of the invited attendees.

39. When do we issue the invitation? • Two (2) to four (4) weeks prior to the Transition Conference OR • Within the timeframe negotiated between the agencies or as part of the state or community interagency agreement.

40. Reflection What does sharing of identifying information about the child and family look like: • In your state? • What key strategies do you promote to support sharing of identifying information? • What key strategies might you implement to better support sharing of identifying information?

41. Key Element #3 The Transition Conference Part C-APR-8A and C Part C, §637 (a)(9)(A)(ii)(II)

42. APR Requirement (C8) Percent of all children exiting Part C who received timely transition planning to support the child’s transition to preschool and other appropriate community services by their third birthday including: A. IFSPs with transition steps and services; C. Transition conference, if child potentially eligible for Part B.

43. Part C §637 (a)(9)(A)(ii)(II) The IFSP must include the steps to be taken to support the transition of the child (Sec. 303.148 of Part C, §637 (a)(9)(A)(ii)(II)) • Preschool services under Part B of the Act, to the extent that those services are appropriate; • Other services that may be available, if appropriate.

44. What does this mean? • This is the official meeting to plan for the transition of the child out of EI (Part C). • All children participating in EI must have a Transition Conference, whether or not they will continue to receive services through an agency after age three.

45. What happens at the Transition Conference? • Representatives from other programs provide specific information about the resources and services they provide, what children are eligible for their services, and how the referral process works in their program or agency. • A Transition Plan is developed for the child and family as part of the IFSP.

46. What do we include on the Transition Plan? During the meeting, the team (including the family) discusses and documents….. • Specific family needs, goals and activities to help them make a decision about where to refer their child for services at age three. • How records will be transferred. • Specific outcomes and goals related to preparing the child for the transition.

47. What Does the Transition Plan Look Like? • Embedded within the IFSP with notation that it is part of the Transition Plan • Specific form attached to the IFSP

48. When does the Transition Conference take place? At least 90 days, and up to 9 months prior to the child’s third birthday

49. Who is responsible for the Transition Conference? • The child’s Early Intervention Service Coordinator initiates and chairs the meeting. • IFSP team members and family members participate. • Other program representatives attend and participate. • A representative from the public school (Part B, Section 619 - early childhood special education) must attend the Transition Conference as outlined in IDEA.

50. Reflection What does the transition conference and Transition Plan look like: • In your state? • What key strategies do you promote to support the transition conference and Transition Plan? • What key strategies might you implement to better support the transition conference and development of the Transition Plan?