Special Education Report

Co-ordination of Services with Other Ministries or Agencies

Foundational Principles and Key Expected Practices to Support Pathways and Transitions:

Foundational Principles 

·         Programs, pathways and career planning meet the learning needs and interests of all students

·         Authentic learning experiences and experiential learning are built into all subject areas and programs

·         Students, parents/guardians, and teachers understand the full range of pathways, options, programs, and supports that are available

·         Students have opportunities to build on in-school and out-of-school experiences and activities to explore further their personal interests, strengths, and career and destinations

·         Teaching and learning incorporates 21^st century content, global perspectives, learning skills, resources and technologies

·         Students with diverse learning needs have access to appropriate transition planning and resource supports

·         A process is in place for identifying a caring adult(s) to support transitions for students (e.g., students ‘at risk’, students with diverse learning needs)

Expected Practice

·         Clearly defined processes supported by a team approach

Personalized and precise Transition Planning

·         provides the foundation for successful transitional experiences

·         helps a student:

Ø  build resilience

Ø  learn to cope with change

Ø  adapt to a variety of settings

·         means not only the movement between home and school and between grades and school

Ø  but also the deeper understanding of the needs of the student as he/she faces numerous changes in activities and locations throughout the day

·         needs to consider all physical, emotional and program transitions that may be faced by a student

Effective Transition planning should address

·         Entry to school

·         Transition between grades

·         Moving from school to school or from community agency to school

·         Transitions from elementary to secondary school

·         Transitions from secondary school to next appropriate pathway

·         Moving between activities, settings or classrooms

 Every transition plan must

·         Reflect a Student profile

·         Include specific goals for the student’s transition(s) that are realistic

·         Reflect the strengths, needs, and interest of the student

·         Indicate the actions required now and in the future to achieve stated goals that must build on the students’ strengths, needs and interests

·         State the persons or agency responsible for or involved in completing or providing assistance in completing each of the identified actions

·         Articulate the timelines for the implementation and/or completion of each of the identified actions

·         Be created within schools with clearly defined processes supported by a team approach, which may include multi-disciplinary teams, in response to individual student learning needs

·         Be developed and included as part of the IEP for all students with special education needs including any student identified with one or more exceptionality(ies.)

·         Be developed in consultation with:

Ø  parent(s)/guardian(s)

Ø  the student (if age 16 or over)

Ø  school team including specialized staff

Ø  community agencies and post secondary education services

·         Be regularly monitored and reviewed as part of the student’s IEP