Transitional IEP info??

klmno

Active Member
OK- I read difficult child's latest IEP from the meeting earlier this week. Everything seems ok except this one lingering doubt- they have him listed as going for an advanced diploma and wanting to go to college. They have listed accommodations that are reasonable now and that should help him develope more in ways that would help him on post-graduate years.

What I'm having doubts about is where they list actions the sd will take to "link" difficult child to transitional services for post-graduate goals. They have listed a link to vocational/technical training, our dept for the unemployed, and doctors ( which I think is dept. for rehabilitative services). That all might be good if they believe difficult child is not college bound, but they have him listed as being college bound and wanting it and they included things that makes it look like they are in support of it.

So what do I do? I want to ask them to include a link for a transition that really reflects college bound but I'm not sure what specifical;ly to ask for. If it really is impossible, I want them to stop patroning us, if that's what they are doing.

And is it typical and appropriate for the transitional plan to be written as a "transitional iep" and is this just as legal with the same backing as a typical IEP?
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
All kids have to have a transitional IEP starting at 14 I believe. That is when they start the transitioning into what happens after they become adults and yes, they put the programs on there that help with most of the disabled adult that you listed. If you want you can ask that they add that his HS IEP follow him into college should he attend post HS education but I dont think colleges actually have to take IEP's. They do have to follow ADA and most do make accommodations for most disabilities like learning disabilities or physical disabilities but sometimes behavioral stuff is hard to get in. I had to wing it with a few teachers to get some modifications at a community college because of the bipolar and problems I had with a few subjects and material.
 

JJJ

Active Member
They are required to do what it sounds like they did.

Child states goal is college. Therefore, IEP states goal as going for "advanced diploma" from high school and has accomodations/modifications to help him succeed in his high school classes toward that end. His IEP is not binding on the college so it doesn't matter what is written there as far as the college is concerned.

Statisically, only 60% of high school graduates go onto college. Of those that do go, only about 55% actually graduate. (meaning only 1/3 of high school graduates complete college). Your son is a convicted felon, with long term incarceration and probable mental illness. All 3 of those make him STATISICALLY less likely to start and finish college. The school would be completely remiss if they didnt provide goals to support the STATISTICALLY likely outcome that either your son will not attend or will not complete college and will need the assistance of those organizations.

This does not mean that your son won't attend college and graduated. It does mean that the school must provide support for BOTH goals -- his college goal and the statisically probable one.

Colleges do not look at IEPs to decide whether or not to admit a child. I'm not even sure that they ask if the child has an IEP during the application process. Most are concerned with two pairs of things (1) GPA (2) ACT/SAT score and if those get you through the first level of screening (3) recommendations and (4) extra-curriculars. Of course, if he is going to start at community college -- all they care about is that he has a high school diploma.
 

klmno

Active Member
I get what you're saying but my concerned is more in ther area of HS (after release from Department of Juvenile Justice) helping him prepare for college- not in the courses they allow him (they finally got that covered) but in linking him with college admission requirements, taking the tests required to get in, linking him with financial aid apps, and so forth. It has been way too long since I was in HS to remember all they do plus I missed a lot of it because I graduated after 3 years so wasn't even in HS the fourth year when they do most of that. But I do know that when a HS sees a kid as college bound, they help link them to the things to start the process of applying and having typical college entry requirements. If they can list "link student to vo tech" they can list "link student to XXXX" that would be beneficial in suupporting his college goals.

Of course I am aware he might not get in, but if he has a chance then not providing him the same "links" they would most college bound students would almost kill wghatever chance he did have. I'm not asking that we address whether or not difficult child should have accommodations in college, should he actually get there. Basicly this IEP looks like they are giving him what is sensible and reasonable to keep him eligible for the advanced diploma but when it comes to "career day", they are saying take him to vo/tech, not college. If the only reason they are doing that is because they don't think he'll actually go or because of statistics, that just isn't a good enough reason to me. That's almost forcing him to become another statistic instead of encouraging him NOT to.

I'm fine if they want to leave those things in but are willing to add in things to actually help him link to college, too. I'm just not sure what specifically to ask for. That was where my question lies. I'll google and see if I can come up with anything.

JJJ- it might appear all the same, but difficult child was not convicted as an adult so the law is written "convicted of an offense that would be a felony if committed as an adult". However, they do not entirely expunge records of juveniles with these types of offenses in this state. But they aren't made public unless the juvenile was convicted as an adult- difficult child would have to sign a release form in order for his juvenile court records to be released- say to a potential employer. That has really nothing to do with college. Any college he might apply for will know simply by reviewing his previous school records. They just won't know specifics of his convictions unless difficult child tells them, but he'd probably be better off if he did tell them, assuming it actually gets to that point.

What happens with difficult child after HS is all dependent on how he does the remaining 18+ mos of HS after his release next year. If he actually does stay out of legal trouble and keeps school work up, he would have the background required for college entry. If he doesn't, it won't matter because he'll be recommitted again. So the difference to me is what "tag" his next HS will put on him which pretty much determines how they treat difficult child in daily interactions as well as any incident. difficult child will pick up on that pretty quickly and start wearing whatever label they put on him, true to his form. If they don't treat him like he has a chance, I can't see him doing any differently than he did before.

While a college probably can justify not accepting him due to his record, I'm not aware of any law that says he can't go to a college. I'm pretty sure he still could if he makes it the last 2 years of high school in the ccommunity. (Big, big IF, I know.) Department of Juvenile Justice doesn't have him categorized as a serious or violent offender and he's not ever committed any of the major offenses that schools worry the most about- sexual offenses, for instance.
 
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BusynMember

Well-Known Member
This is the response I am getting from all the higher ups in my state, not the school district: If you aren't GOOD with the entire IEP, don't sign in, tell your son not to sign it, and talk to them about what you want. Dependent upon how adamant you are about getting those issues included, you may have to take it further, but that is up to you. I'm in IEP hello right now and I'm learning.
 

CrazyinVA

Well-Known Member
Staff member
I think those are all very standard, and are required to be stated for most high school Special Education students around here; I recall it being in the IEPs for both my girls (and both had college-bound, advanced diploma written into theri IEPs, until their senior year when it became clear the advanced diploma wasn't going to happen). They are required to state what supports will be offered/available after they turn 18/leave high school. In their senior year, both my difficult children had to sign something acknowledging they knew about those supports being available, however, neither of them took advantage of them (although I wish they had, to be honest).

If it bothers you, just ask them what it means since it seems in confict with the college-bound plan. I'd bet they'll tell you they're required to put that stuff in there.
 
i think it sounds like pretty standard language too.

and in all honesty, let them link away to those places...they are additional resources with additional funding that may be invaluable to your son. (Voc Rehab, for one, might surprise you...its not just teaching menial tasks.)

if you are concerned, particularly if you think he wont be in the standard district school (which i'm just guessing is your concern or else one would think this would be a non issue), request something be added to the IEP that he has regular access to the guidance dept (or whatever they call it in your district) for explanation and support of his college bound path. maybe even spell it out further--will meet with guidance 1X/mo to review courseload, funding, college app support.

it also might be worth asking around to see if there are any special seminars for both students/parents and specifically request prior written notice of them and access to that service if you think they would give you are hard time or not tell you about that....i know here sometimes they have meetings to teach parents about various funding options, "college fairs", and maybe even an extracurricular SAT class.....it would hold them accountable if you had it in writing that you need to be made aware of such things.

i think its completely reasonable to want specific language about access to services in his IEP, but if it were me, i'd try to leave the services listed in.
 
OH.
(and you'll need to research this part further as i'm weak on the fine points, LOL..but the jist of this i'm pretty sure is accurate!)

re: sat/act testing and accoms/mods...

if he needs this, it has to be addressed, in writing, through the testing agency. even though he may have an IEP spelling out testing mods or accoms, it wont apply to the SAT, although you can submit it for additional support of your request. the SAT is administered through an outside agency and therefore they make their own determinations regarding mods/accoms and can deny them. it is a process that takes some time so if its something that you think you will need, its very worth discussing with your SD how you need to go about requesting what he needs.

i kinda babbled that. but if it will apply please look into it.
 

klmno

Active Member
Thanks, Ladies! I woke up at 4:00am because I went to sleep so early and then googled and found a few great lists of things for college prep and transitional ieps. I had never seen a traditional iep so that helped. Anyway, I saved those lists and will asks this school to include things like PSAT, SAT, etc, links to financial aid resources, and so forth in their list. I really don't mind if they want to leave the other stuff.
 

klmno

Active Member
Well, I can browse it at my leisure. difficult child can't browse at all and will have no leisure for the next 8 1/2 mos, at least. LOL!
 
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