The 11th Annual Transition Conference for transition aged youth and young adults with disabilities, their family members and teachers, vocational professionals, caregivers, health care professionals, college students pursuing careers in special education and community advocates will be held at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, 2233 South Martin Luther King Drive in Chicago, Illinois from October 29-30, 2015.
The conference, titled “Stepping Stones of Transition”, invites participants to imagine the possibilities for students with disabilities in the areas of independent living, education and training, employment, community integration, health care, and self-advocacy.
Conference sessions will be organized into 4 tracks: Education, Employment, Community and Healthcare.
Thursday, October 29th features keynote speaker Steve Hopkins, co-founder of 3E Love, and multi-choice Break-Out Sessions with a Welcome Reception at the end of the day. Friday, October 30th concludes the conference and highlights multi-choice Plenary Sessions and Break-Out Sessions in the morning. The conference concludes at 1:00 p.m.
Registration
Conference participants are strongly encouraged to register using the Illinois Transition Conference online registration. “Go Green” and help conference planners take eco-friendly steps to better our environment by registering online and eliminating paper registration forms. A limited number of hard copy registration booklets will be made available by request only to those that do not have internet access. Contact Family Matters at 866-436-7842.
One day you are bringing your new born home from the hospital for the first time and the next day he/she is headed out the door for their first day of kindergarten. Obviously this is an exaggeration, but the point is kids grow up fast! Building an academic foundation is key to developing successful life long learners. However, not every child learns the same way. Building your child’s academic foundation can be painfully difficult if your child has diverse learning needs. Without the appropriate help, your child could fall critically behind and face significant challenges in their adult years as a result. You might ask yourself, “How would I know if my child has diverse learning needs and may possibly benefit from special education services?
Answer these questions for yourself.
Is your child consistently receiving failing grades on homework assignments and tests?
Do you constantly get calls from your child’s school about his or her behavior?
Did you receive a note from your child’s teacher requesting that your child be evaluated for special education services?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to have your child evaluated to see if he/she could benefit from special education services or a 504 plan. Addressing your child’s challenges early in his/her academic career can provide them with life long tools to navigate future challenges such as employment, college and adult life in the community.
If you do suspect your child need special education services request an evaluation. Below are 6 steps parents can take to acquire an evaluation of their child.
Step 1: Request an Evaluation
Parents should write a letter to the school district requesting that their child be evaluated for special education services. It helps to include principals and case managers when submitting the letter so that everyone is on the same page.
Step 2: District Decides to Proceed
Within 14 school days the school district will decide whether or not to proceed with an evaluation for the child in question. Either way, parents should receive a letter stating that the school district will evaluate the child or the school district will not evaluate the child with an explanation regarding their decision.
Step 3: Parents Consent to Evaluate
Before any evaluation can get underway, parents must consent to the evaluation. In many cases consent can be given in the Request for Evaluation letter in ( see step one.) However, school districts may have their own forms for parents to complete, so check to make sure.
Step 4: Evaluation Takes Places
School Districts have 60 school days to complete the evaluation and hold a conference with the parents to share the findings of the evaluation. Please note: 60 school days begin once consent to evaluate has been given to the school district to proceed.
Step 5: Eligibility Conference is Held
Once the evaluation is complete, a meeting is held to discuss whether an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is appropriate for the student based on the findings of the evaluation. If an IEP is appropriate for the student then the IEP team and the parents develop an IEP for the student.
Step 6: Parents Consent to Placement
Parents must provide written formal consent to placement before special education services can begin. Services will begin 10 days after parents provide their consent, unless the parents specify they want their child placed sooner.
Family Resource Center on Disabilities is the region one parent training and information center for Illinois. We provide special education training, support, and information parents of children with disabilities. Visit www.frcd.org or call (312)-939-3513.
JOINT GUIDANCE ON ACCESS FOR ENGLISH LEARNER STUDENTS
On January 7, 2015, the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice published joint guidance on the responsibilities of states, local education agencies, and schools to ensure English learner students have equal access to educational opportunities and that parents with limited English proficiency receive information in a language they can understand. See the links below for the guidance and resources:
During this workshop, parents step away from daily activities of family life to learn information and strategies useful for shaping secure futures for their children. Through a case study, participants review the range of on-going family supports related to adult life in the community for a young person with disabilities. Guest speakers share their expertise regarding resources for financial and estate planning. During the session, parents will begin to write a “letter of intent” that provides future care givers with guidance in understanding the needs and desires of the person with disabilities and his family.
On behalf of the Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services (ODLSS) Transition department, we want to invite you to attend the What’s Next 101 (WN101) Parent Modules taking place this school year.
We are excited to present students and families with information pertaining to Transition related topics that will assist Diverse Learners in transitioning to life after high school. WN101 is a series of parent modules focusing on pertinent Transition related information.
We strongly encourage parents to attend each training taking place nearest to your home with the end result being that students and families complete the modules in its entirety.
The U.S. Department of Labor has released the Economic Picture of the Disability Community Project, a joint initiative between DOL’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, Employment and Training Administration, Chief Economist, Office of the Secretary, and the White House Council of Economic Advisors (CEA). The data produced are based on an analysis of the Census Bureau’s 2010-2012 American Community Survey, matched to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2012-2022 occupational projections. The report contains both the familiar news that employment levels for people with disabilities are low, adding that they tend to concentrate in low-paying, slower-growing occupations, and the good news that job growth for people with disabilities in well-paying occupations has substantial potential.
For more detailed information on the potential for job growth among people with disabilities in well-paying occupations over the coming decade, click here.
Information from PACER CENTER REFERENCE POINTS’ Newsletter administered by PACER Center
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandates the services children with disabilities receive from the school system. IDEA will be reauthorized soon; it is critical that parents voice their concerns to legislators so students with disabilities can receive better services. In this webinar, participants will learn how an IDEA reauthorization works as well as what changes can be made in a reauthorization.
You will be contacted via email once you have registered.
Stepping Stones of Transition”
