Question:

Dear Ms. Harvell,

If you are an LD student who did not pass the high school exit exam can you still walk? That is unclear because one of the goals would be to pass the high school exit exam. What about the severely handicapped (SH) student who cannot earn a diploma? Can you answer these questions?

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Question:

Hi Priscilla,

I am a high school special education teacher who has to write measurable post-secondary goals for each of my students 16 and older. Could you give me some examples of what a measurable post-secondary goal might look like? I also need a resource for reference.

Thanks,
Sue (an overwhelmed teacher trying to do her best!)

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Question:

Hi Priscilla,

One of my jobs at my school district is as a WorkAbility coordinator. I recently attended your training, TFAM, and realized my own assessment resources are limited. The assessment process you and Renee presented is certainly worth a try. You also provided several books/resources that offered a number of informal and formal assessment options. Do you have a list of those resources you had at the training?

Thanks, Penny

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Question:

What services are available for students with ASD when they leave the K-12 system?

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Question:

Hi,

I am working on an action research project for my MAE at Chapman University. The focus of my research is on how to best assist students with transitioning out of small group individualized instruction in R.S.P. to whole class instruction in the general edu cation classroom. I have a group of students in fourth grade who are transitioning out of R.S.P. They have been receiving RSP support since first grade but are having a very difficult time being successful in the general edu cation classroom. I was wondering if you had any resources or ideas that could assist me with helping these students to be successful.

Thank You,

Holly Orzol

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Question:

I am a parent of two precocious 13-year-old twin boys. My husband and I have talked about different jobs with them but somehow we feel like we’re am missing information to give them. Do you have any tips we can use to make sure we provide career awareness information in a parent friendly way?

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Question:

I am currently a principal of an alternative school. Because of reduction in force, I am being placed in a position as Transition Specialist. What are the qualifications for this position?

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Question:

I teach a high school special education class for students with mild to moderate disabilities. I have parents who want their son to participate in our district’s Regional Occupational Program (ROP); however, the district says he does not qualify for this program due to his disability. I agree with the parents that he would do well in this program, specifically the auto repair class, with accommodations. I’m willing to do what I can to make this work for this student. Are there guidelines for students with disabilities participation in ROP programs? Thank you for any help you can offer.

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Question:

Hi Ms Harvell,

My name is Marnie and I teach a high school special day class for students with learning disabilities. My students have various disabilities and a number of my students are on the Autism Spectrum. Some of my students will be able to attend community college, go to trade schools or go to work after high school. I have placed much of my curriculum focus on academics with little emphasis on life after high school. However, I realize my resources are limited when it comes to information for students on the Autism Spectrum and preparing them for secondary/post-secondary options. What is out there for this group? Thanks for any resources you can offer.

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Question:

Hi Priscilla,

I am teaching my mixed grade high school students about self-advocacy and would like to help them lead their IEP meetings. Could you give me a list of different programs available to assist me?

Thanks. SDC/LH teacher

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Question:

Hi Ms. Harvell,

I need a really good, motivating web site for my high school students to learn about the reality of living on their own. They are writing essays about their futures as adults and all I hear about is wanting to live in a big house, drive a nice car, have all the latest technology, etc. What’s a teacher to do to bring them back down to earth?

Sue

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Question:

Hi Ms. Harvell,

I’m a parent of a 16-year-old boy “Toby” and I’d like some materials to help him focus on being independent and what it takes to live on your own. Are there any teen web sites or checklists available (not too expensive please) that I can use to jump-start him. Please help!

“Sue”

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Question:

How can I teach life skills to students with mild to moderate mental retardation?

Terry

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Question:

Dear Priscilla,

We are attempting to create sample goals for our teachers for transition and post-secondary goals with objectives and benchmarks. Want to give the best information possible and would appreciate your advice. Do you have any tips? Also, do you have a sample?

Thanks so much, Gwen

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Question:

NOTE: This e-mail was sent to Dru Saren, Ask a Specialist Behavior Specialist, who referred it to me due to its Transition focus.

Dru,

I attended your conference in San Francisco and I mentioned to you I was working with a Down Syndrome girl. We are now trying to make a strong program for her outside of the school setting. Do you have any suggestions for the type of services we should include? She is a delightful person with a great sense of humor. Because of the lack of intervention in the past, she has had some behavior issues that I have addressed as her behavior specialist. She is doing well in this area now, is working with a job coach (volunteer) at two sites, and is very successful. Please let me know of any suggestions you have to offer. Your input is greatly appreciated and respected.

Thanking you in advance,

Loretta
Program Behavioral Specialist

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Question:

Hi Ms. Harvell,

Up to the end of last year, I taught elementary special education. This year, I will begin teaching at the high school level (SDC/LD class). My knowledge of local, state and the federal expectations in the area of Transition is so limited (almost nil). Could you tell me if the Diagnostic Center Northern California offers trainings on Transition related curriculum, laws, expectations, etc?

Thanks, Rose

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Question:

Dear Ms. Harvell,

I am a special education teacher (9-12) in a very rural community. I have two problems when addressing transition with my students and their parents. The first problem is how I deal with aggressive parents who have demanded excessive modifications for their child (16 years old) through out his education and in turn have created a student that depends on others to do his work for him (parents). He is very unmotivated and expects everything to be given to him and though he could work at a grade appropriate level, he only works at a 6th grade level.

The parents have admitted that they have done too much for their child and now they and their child insist that their child will go to college and become a teacher / coach. Though they do not want any teacher to assign writing assignments unless totally necessary and technically nothing can be graded (spelling, grammar, etc.) Unfortunately, I really do not believe he can make it in college and I do not want his parents to try and sue me because his "transition" was not appropriate.

HELP!!

Next problem, what if the student / parents do not want their child to do anything? "He/she can just stay at home; my husband and I make enough money." I have already tried discussing the "what if something happened to you, independence, etc. Sorry this is so long.

Thank you,

Ms. Win-nell

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Question:

Hi Priscilla,

This question was asked to me at the last meeting of SELPA transition meeting!

What is meant by “Training” on the new State Individual Transition Plan (ITP) forms? AND how is that different from “Education”?

Thanks,

CT :)

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Question:

Hi, Priscilla,

I recently held an IEP meeting for a student who will be going to high school next year. The parents had a lot of questions regarding preparing their child for this huge change starting NOW. The student struggles with changes and often becomes extremely anxious, and this often leads to highly unsafe behaviors (leaving campus, making verbal threats, drawing/writing threats toward staff & peers). Can you please give some steps/ideas/strategies to share with the parents and their child to help them make this transition smoother. The parents request that ALL teachers who will be involved in educating their child next year be present at the transition meeting at the end of the year.

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Question:

Hi Priscilla,

What are some sources for great ideas for regular education teachers who have Learning Disabled (LD) kids in their classes? I teach 6th graders in a general inclusion program.

Thanks, Kim Loquaci

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Question:

Dear Priscilla,

I would like to teach my high school resource class about advocacy skills. They get “bored” with what I (and other adults in their lives) have to say. Are there any websites that are student friendly, i.e., articles by students with disabilities, available that are safe for browsing? Thanks for any help you have to offer.

Pam

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Question:

Dear Priscilla,

I have recently been asked to help develop a criteria rubric for a program we are developing in our district. We have a Young Adult Program for students who are mildly cognitively impaired. This is geared toward graduation using an objective-based curriculum. However, there are many in the community who are functioning at a level too low for this program and too high for another in our district. Also, there are those who have graduated from there local district but have not transitioned into the "real world." Some are drop-outs wanting to return to school and have no place within their district. Ideally, we would like to provide transitional services for the population who fits within this 'gap'. Are you aware of any models of criteria that might help us determine who should qualify? We thought about basing it on an adaptive scale. What are your thoughts?

Liz

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Question:

Dear Ms. Harvell,

My daughter, "Brenda" (not her real name), suffered a brain injury a few years ago at the age of 13. She's now 17. The school is having a meeting to talk about transition and want me to bring her to the meeting. I know what's best for her and feel she doesn't need to be there. Do I have to bring her to the meeting? Oh and I plan to legally become her permanent guardian before she's 18 so no one will take advantage of her as an adult. Can you tell me how to go about doing that?

Thanks very much,

"Dorothy M."

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Question:

Dear Priscilla,

I am a great believer and user of your transitional program. I attended your two transitional presentations (moderate to severe) at SCOE in Santa Rosa last year. Yesterday, while perusing your resource section, I came across a resource for which the web site address was no longer working. I was wondering if you could tell me about this resource and how I might access it now.

You listed it under "Accommodation self-assessment. The website was listed as: "http://www.1dinfo.com/self-advocacy_chapter_5.htm#top"
This is an area of importance to me -- and resources on accommodations self- assessment, even if different from this one would be greatly appreciated.

Lora

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Question:

Dear Ms. Harvell,

I am very confused by the new IDEA law. My daughter attends a California middle school and is in a special day class. She will be turning 14 this year and I don't know if she is to have a transition plan in her IEP? What I read in the new IDEA is that now, transition does not start until the child's 16th birthday. Is this law in effect now? Should I not consider transition for my daughter until she is 16?

Help!

A confused Mom

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Question:

Ms Harvell,
How do you write measurable transition goals that show the needed linkages?

Thank you.

Ruby

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Question:

Hi Priscilla:

I love the web page and all the info you have. I am currently interested in up-to-date info on transition laws and practices! Great info.

Do you still provide training in transition?

Dona

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Question:

Ms. Harvell,

I am currently a high school senior with a learning disability and plan to graduate in June 2006. My plans are to enter a community college and transfer to a state university after two or more years. My resource teacher is helping me gather information about different community colleges and recently attended one of your trainings. She suggested I ask you for help and some direction. This assignment is part of my research and writing grade in English. Thank you for any ideas you can share with me.

Damien

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Hi Everyone,

This month none of you had any pressing Transition questions, so I thought it would be helpful to provide you with an update to my resource list. In my last few trainings and classroom projects, I have shared with educators ideas and resources related to connecting California Standards and Transition activities. The participants have found the list very useful and I hope you will too. Please use and share this information with your colleagues, administrators, families, and most of all your students!

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Question:

Hi Ms. Harvell,

I am a Program Specialist/WorkAbility I Coordinator in a small school district and am collecting information that to help special education teachers prepare their students for future adult responsibilities. Can you provide some information on what students need to know as they transition through school? Thanks for your help.

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Question:

I teach a high school special day class and am focusing on developing self-advocacy skills. As a part of this process, I would like to introduce the subject of disability awareness. Could you give me some tips on how to proceed?

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Question:

Dear Ms. Harvell,

I am a secondary school counselor whose caseload includes special education students. Could you explain the difference between the following programs: WorkAbility, Regional Occupational Programs (ROP), and School-to-Career.

Thank you for your help.

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Question:

Dear Ms Harvell,

I am an 11th grader and I am looking forward to being a senior next year. I want to live on my own after high school but don't know if my job at pizza hut will be enough money to live on. My mom thinks when I turn 18 I should be supporting myself. How can I make sure I can live on my own?

John

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Question:

Ms. Harvell,

My son is soon to be a senior in high school. He has a learning disability and has had limited success throughout his school career. His father and I would like him to try the local community college, but he’s adamant that once he graduates, school is over for him. Please help us encourage him to continue school.

Anxious parents

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Question:

Dear Ms. Harvell, I am a new Transition Specialist in the bay area and would like to plan a Transition program for a student with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI.) She experienced TBI at 16 and is now 19 and ready to move into an 18-22 Transition Program. Her injuries left her with difficulty controlling her behavior, periods of depression, and mild cognitive challenges. She has no functional use of the left side of her body, however, she can stand with some minimal support. Academically, she reads at the 6 to 7th grade level but she experiences bouts of frustration and apathy and then tends to give up. Her goal is to work as a cashier in a restaurant. I hope this is enough information for you to help me.

Thank you.

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Question:

Hi Ms. Harvell,

I am at the end of my junior year in high school and would like to find out more about colleges. I have a learning disability and will need information on colleges that have really good learning support programs for students like me. My teacher said as part of my research, I should check out your Ask a Specialist web site. So here I am. Can you help me?

Jimmy in Hayward

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Question:

Ms. Harvell,

I have continually had difficulty with writing Transition objectives for my students who are 14+ years of age. I know I am supposed to write about course of study but really do not know how that would look. Are you able to help me with this?

Troubled RS Teacher

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Question:

I am a parent of a high school student with learning and physical disabilities. We are beginning to thinks about his life after school and would like to know who some of the agencies are that could be potential consultants to his IEP/ITP team. Also, are these agencies required to participate in my child's IEP/ITP (Individual Transition Plan) if they commit themselves.

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Question:

I work in small school district as a special education middle and high school resource teacher. I realize the importance of Transition, i.e., school to work, as my students prepare for life after high school. Our school resources are limited and so one of my goals is to create a Transition library so students have ready access to various research materials through books, the Internet, and each other. Could you suggest a few of your favorite books and Internet website to get me started? Thanks.

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Question:

I recently attended one of your Transition trainings and while I found it useful, I still have a question: How do you provide quality Transition goals and/or activities for ten students in a six months period of time?

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Question:

Hi,
I am a secondary teacher of learning disabled students in a SDC/LD Program. With the beginning of another school year, I want to start off with a focus on helping my students develop self-determination skills necessary for success at school and in the real world. I also want to help them effectively move into life after high school. Please give me some ideas and any resources you may have. My class has access to the Internet as a research tool.

Thanks in advance, a proactive teacher.

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Question:

Dear Transition Expert:

I teach middle school special day class for students with severe handicaps, e.g., physical, cognitive, speech and language, and other health impaired. The WorkAbility Director in our district shared the Diagnostic Center North's Middle and High School Transition Portfolio, which seem to be geared more to the resource student. My students are capable, I think, of working on such a document if modifications are made. I would like to adapt the self-awareness section to my student. Is this a possibility? What are some activities I can do to help my students create a Middle School Transition Portfolio that reflects who they are and what they want to become. I would also like them to be able to talk about their self-knowledge information at their IEP meeting. Thanks for any suggestions you might have in your repertoire of resources.

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Question:

Dear Transition Expert:

My 16-year-old is behind other students her age, mentally, emotionally and socially. She is in special education classes now, but I am very concerned about what she will do after she finishes school. Her goals change from day to day and are always unrealistic. For instance, this month she plans to take pictures for a fashion magazine, while last month she planned to be a model. As you may guess from these examples, she likes art and is particularly interested in things like clothes, accessories, and jewelry. How can I help my daughter develop more realistic plans? How can her school district help her prepare for her life after school?        

A worried Mom

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Question:

Dear Transition Specialist,

I am very embarrassed to admit this but I have little to no information on what adult services are available to the students I serve. I teach a high school special day class/SH program and my students' function at the primary level academically. Our district has an 18-22 Transition Program that, in my opinion, does little to prepare this population for adult agencies. Please help me broaden my knowledge with as many resources and websites as possible. Thanks!

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Question:

I am a Speech and Language Pathologist and serve students between 14 and 18 years of age. In looking at the IDEA Transition Requirements for individuals 14-21, I cannot determine if I am responsible for providing Transition Language in my IEP's for students with a speech and/or language only IEP. It "feels" like a very gray area to me. Could you clarify and also offer strategies/interventions and resources you have found to be useful?

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Question:

I am a special education teacher in a small rural district. I am the only special day class teacher for students ages 15-22. I have a Community Based Instruction (CBI) on a high school campus. Since I get the students at age 15 or 16 I could potentially have them in the same program for seven years. I already have had a few students for five to seven years. With a caseload of 12-13 students and diversity in their levels it is very difficult to offer ALL students person centered transition planning. This is especially true for the students who have already spent four years on a high school campus and should be in a post secondary transition type class. Do you have any suggestions? Or do you feel it is appropriate for students to stay on a high school campus for six to seven years.

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Question:

I am a Transition Specialist in my district and I would like to create a resource list of standard and non-standard Transition assessment tools. Hope you can help me.

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Question:

Are there sources that list best practices in terms of models for providing transition services to young adults in the special education context? I've heard that some counties have really interesting programs with classes that take place on community college campus or work really closely with rehab agencies, and I was wondering where I could find out more.

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Question:

Dear Ms. Harvell,

I teach students with Learning Disabilities who will one day graduate from high school, get a job and perhaps marry and have children. We work a lot on developing self-determination and self-advocacy skills. One of our more "heated" discussions occurs when we define "disability" and the importance of "disability awareness." Students don't like labels (unless their wearing them) and often say things like "I'm not retarded" or "I don't have a learning disability." I want to guide them towards an acceptable understanding of the term and also show its connection with possible accommodations needed to equal the academic and career playing field. Sorry for the long scenario! Hope you can help. L. O., SDC/LH teacher.

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Question:

My special education students come from culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Some of the parents speak and understand English; however, I want to make sure that when I discuss the area of Transition in planning meetings that I practice cultural sensitivity. What are general tips that you have found useful and I should keep in mind during planning meetings?

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Question:

I am interested in tips on how to help my students learn about their IEP/ITP process and how to be an active participant in their meeting. In other words, I need help with student-led IEP's! What is some curriculum that primarily focuses on the IEP meeting participation?

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Question:

Is there a tool I can use to help my students learn more about themselves through self-assessment and setting goals? I teach special day class students at the middle school level. Thank you for any tips you have to offer.

Submitted by a Special Day Class Teacher.

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Question:

I am a special day class teacher at the middle school level. Not only do many of my students have unrealistic goals but their parents do also, e.g., college bound child, honors vs appropriate curriculum focus, etc. I would like to know if you have suggestions that encourage parent involvement in their child's career exploration, self-awareness, and decision making that will create understanding lead to more realistic post-secondary options.

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Question:

I am working in career advising with a Special Education student (a Senior in high school). Her learning abilities fall within the borderline M.R. range. Her teachers tell me that she wants to become a Massage Therapist. She has no work experience and is unrealistic about her abilities and resources. How can I assist her in making more entry-level, realistic choices? At this point, she has her mind made up and is uninterested in pursuing alternative career research.

Chris Simons, Vocational Services.

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Question:

I have a 15 year old daughter "Sandy" who is in Special Education and all she talks about is becoming a "rock singer". Not only can't she sing, but Sandy is shy. What should I do?

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Question:

I am a middle school special education resource teacher and understand the importance and value of collaboration in student transition planning.  What can I do to be more effective in this planning process?

Thanks for any suggestions you might offer.

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Question:

There is still much discussion and various interpretations regarding transition requirements in my school district.  Would you please clarify how transition services requirements under the 1997 Amendments to the IDEA differ for students 14 and those age 16?  What areas MUST I address re each age level?

Resource Specialist Teacher

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