Sally Simich, Keith Ozols, and Peter FitzGerald Hood River, Oregon February 2013

IDEA 2004 Requires a SUMMARY OF PERFORMANCE: “a local educational agency shall provide the child with a summary of the child's academic achievement and functional performance, which shall include recommendations on how to assist the child in meeting the child's postsecondary goals.” (§ (e)(3)).

Summary of Performance (SOP) Regulations IDEA Regulations are almost completely devoid of specifications regarding the contents or development of the SOP such as: Who develops it? When should it be developed? What should be included? Is the IEP team involved? Is student or parent input required? Where should it be kept?

IDEA Evaluation Changes IDEA 2004 does not require: Mandatory 3-year re-evaluations Discrepancy determination for LD label Assessments before exit from high school It does encourage use of evidence-based assessment and instruction to prevent/identify disabilities: Response to Intervention (RTI) Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) Curriculum-Based Assessment (CBA)

Conduct Age-Appropriate Transition Assessments Preferences Interests NeedsStrengths Write Measureable Post Secondary Goals Education/Training Employment Independent Living (as needed) Identify Transition Services Specially Designed Instruction Related Services Employment & Living Skills Community Experience Write the Course of Study Write the Annual IEP Goals Coordinate Services with Adult Agencies

The Dilemma IEP or 504 Plan is not sufficient to meet documentation requirements Secondary personnel are no longer required to do transition assessment Secondary schools are moving toward more functional data (Response to Intervention, Progress Monitoring, Functional Behavior Assessment, Curriculum-Based Assessment) Employers need clear direction regarding functional limitations and needed accommodations Postsecondary personally have typically used recent evaluations to determine eligibility

The Problem If we don’t resolve this transition assessment dilemma, students with disabilities who cannot afford to pay for their own diagnostic evaluations may be denied access to postsecondary supports and accommodations. This may also impact reasonable accommodation in the workplace.

Caught in Transition Individual with a disability needs to self-advocate. Must provide documentation of a disability. Employers and institutions of higher education have the right and the need to establish their own documentation expectations.  A Summary of Performance that does not provide data to document the disability, describe current limitations and needed accommodations will need to supplemented by additional information.

Utility of the Summary of Performance Might the new IDEA foster the development of a “summary of performance” that would provide the data helpful in documenting a disability under 504/ADA and determining appropriate accommodations? The SOP applies to all graduating students with all disabilities going to any postsecondary environment

Implementing the Summary of Performance The SOP is most useful when linked with the IEP and transition planning process and the student has the opportunity to actively participate in the development of this document. The SOP should be developed by someone who knows the students and should be reviewed and approved by the IEP Team The SOP must be completed during the final year of a student’s high school education. It can be the basis for transition planning throughout high school so it is virtually completed by the senior year

Building a Bridge to VR and other Agencies Why building that bridge is important. What are the key elements for VR? How is this information going to be used? How is it helpful for the student and VR?

Definition of Transition Services

Plan and Service Requirements

Questions and Contact: Sally Simich: Keith Ozols: Peter FitzGerald: