Frequently Asked Questions (10/1/2006)
State Performance Plan Indicator #13
Self-Review re: Transition Content in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
1. When must the new requirements for transition services be included on students’ IEPs?
All IEPs developed after July 1, 2005 must include the new requirements for transition services as amended by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004.
2. Which school districts must complete the Secondary Transition Individualized Education Program (IEP) Self-Review For Students With Disabilities?
Each year beginning with the 2005-06 school year, a representative sample of school districts in New York State must complete the self-review. Over a six-year period, all school districts in the State will have completed the review. To find the year in which your school district must complete the review, see https://www.p12.nysed.gov/sedcar/sppschedule.html.
3. What is the age range of the students with disabilities whose IEPs are subject to self-review using the Secondary Transition Individualized Education Program (IEP) Self-Review For Students With Disabilities?
All students with disabilities with IEPs who are between the ages of 15 and 21 during the school district’s assigned reporting year must be included in the sample of students whose IEPs must be reviewed.
4. Must the sample of students include students who may have left school during the reporting year?
Yes, if the student had an IEP in effect during the school year in which he/she left the school district.
5. What if the randomly selected sample is not representative of major characteristics of the target population (e.g., age, disability)?
If the random sample fails to select a sample of students that is representative of the student population, the district should either conduct another random sample or add additional randomly selected students to the previously selected sample until the list is representative of the student population before proceeding with IEP reviews. The school district process to randomly select students must be such that it assures each student’s position on the list is neutral to major student characteristics and every student in the target group has an equal chance of being selected. For example, to ensure a truly random sample, use a process by which student’s names are listed alphabetically or by student identification number rather than grouped by disability or types of placement.
6. Which IEP should be reviewed if a student had revisions to his or her IEP during the 2006-07 school year?
The most recently developed IEP should be reviewed.
7. Instead of writing all IEPs at a specific time of year (e.g., Spring), some school districts convene IEP review meetings throughout the year and implement the IEPs immediately. How do these school districts select IEPs for review?
The most recently developed IEPs should be reviewed.
8. What is the difference between post-secondary education and training goals?
Post-secondary education goals are goals related to formal educational programs that offer a degree or certificate of completion, such as two year or four year colleges, leading to a certification or an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree, a high school equivalency diploma, a one- or two-year proprietary school business or technical certificate, or a formal trade apprenticeship.
Post-secondary training goals encompass other kinds of training, such as work adjustment training, day training or day treatment, driver or travel training, or single courses taken for learning the content, such as a course in word processing, cooking or money management.