Transition 2014: “Follow the Signs for a Smooth Preschool Transition” Presented at IECC on May 8, 2014 by Judy Clay, Early Childhood Coordinator, Arch Ford Co-op and Deborah Swink, LEA Supervisor, Van Buren County Schools

Teamwork! TEAM: T- Together E- Everyone A- Achieves M- More!

Team = Work! Three types of workers: 1. Those who get things done, 2.Those who watch things get done, and 3.Those who wonder how so much got done.

Our Teams Can Get It Done!

Viewing Our Regulations: Transition from Early Childhood to Kindergarten Special Education Program Revised

Follow the Signs…. Why does the transition process for preschool children need to be planned out?

Follow the Signs…. I’m just not into “planning ahead”- can’t I just bump into the parents & talk about my student’s future?

Follow the Signs…. Hey, what’s all this about exchange of records anyway? How can have a 4 year old even have a record?

Follow the Signs…. Timeline - I can’t be on a timeline in April and May. I’m too busy following other signs….

Follow the Signs…. How can we evaluate preschoolers? They’re not ready for testing!

Why Do We Need To Go Down This Road?

ADE Transition Guidelines  A carefully planned transition process should benefit children with special needs and their families and facilitate the education of children in the least restrictive environment.  The transition process is designed to: 1. Ensure an orderly transition for any child who has been in the preschool special education program, with both sending and receiving programs agreeing to begin the process in January prior to the child enrolling in kindergarten. 2. Ensure that team minimally includes the parent, the early childhood representative, and a local education representative, who will meet to define the local transition process.

ADE Framework for Transition Process Activities which take place during transition:  Transfer of Records and Child Data Information  Establishing Timelines for Transition Activities  Awareness of Programs  Parental Involvement  Decision-Making Process

Lessons to Remember!  Children placed in EC Programs have already been identified with a disability  The Transition process serves to articulate children from one setting (preschool) to another setting (kindergarten)  The transition team has the responsibility to do one of the following: (1) decide whether additional testing is necessary, or (2) decide whether a child enters kindergarten with an IEP in place and does not require further testing

Signs at the Local Level “All of us are products of our childhood.” Michael Jackson

Where Do We Go from Here?

Signs: Do What’s Right! Nice smooth road Bumpy road vs

Differences Between Preschool & Kindergarten Preschool Children:  Are creatures of the here and now (live in the moment)  Are just developing motor skills, perseverance, & social skills related to cooperation & play  Display a growing interest in words, sounds, songs, and rhymes Kindergarten Children:  Expand beyond their immediate experiences  Show increased ability in motor skills, attention span, and cooperative planning and playing  Display interest in symbols including written language and written numbers

Differences Between Preschool & Kindergarten Preschool Teaching  Encourage individual (and sometimes joint) task completion  Focus on oral language development  Focus on movement and coordination Kindergarten Teaching Encourage more joint planning and cooperation among children Focus shifts to stimulating written language and literacy skills Focus on content

A Great Man Once Said…

Good Signs Are Everywhere!!

PSST ! PSST: Preschool Support Teams  assist in the transition of students with disabilities from an early childhood program to their local school district kindergarten program  assist families with the supports and resources they need for their child's transition into kindergarten

Our Team! Administrator TeachersCounselors Related Service Providers Parents

Other Important Team Members School nurse/medical providers Early childhood coordinator Mental health providers Interpreters Consultants: hearing, vision, behavior Special education supervisor

Are There Signs For These Team Supports? Classroom  paraprofessional, equipment, supplies School-Wide  transportation, lunch, bathroom, recess Peer  social acceptance, older peer support Staff development  do teachers need to be trained? Home-school partnership  what type of supports & resources do parents need?

Signs for Team Interventions When the child has learning needs When the child has medical needs When the child has behavioral needs When the child has therapeutic needs

Team Process… Kids are our business..... let’s take care of them!

Preschool Disability Categories Noncategorical Speech Language Impairment Orthopedic Impairment Hearing Impaired Deaf Blindness Autism Multiple Disabilities Visual Impairment Traumatic Brain Injury Other Health Impairment

DDS Preschool Categories Developmental Delay Cerebral Palsy Epilepsy Autism Multiple Disabilities

Preschool Settings Public School Classroom Head Start ABC Programs Day Care Itinerant Home

Early Childhood Domains Motor Social emotional Cognition Communication Self help/ adaptive

Public School Disability Categories Autism Other Health Impairment Specific Learning Disability Traumatic Brain Injury Visual Impairment Deaf Blindness Speech Language Disabilities Orthopedic Impairment Multiple Disabilities Intellectual Disability Hearing Impairment Emotional Disturbance

Our Timeline

Delineation of Responsibilities: January/February  Early Childhood Program (ECP)  Provides LEA with list of students who will transition into kindergarten in the fall. This process is for students who may need special education services.  Public School Program (LEA)  LEA Supervisor or Principal provides information to parents regarding transition process and local district programs.

Information to Parents  LEA Notification Options  Letters to parents  Informational group meetings  School visit  Inform parents....  that educational records will be transferred to the public school  public school staff may observe their child in ECP setting

Delineation of Responsibilities: March/April  ECP  Update assessments if needed  Submit assessment information to LEA  Coordinate dates for transition conferences with LEA  LEA  Make arrangements with ECP staff to observe PreK students  Review assessment information provided by ECP staff  Coordinate dates for conferences w/ECP

What We Don’t Want….

Considerations for Successful Preschool Transitions Letter to parents: a brief letter of welcome from either the LEA supervisor or building administrator explaining the transition process Observation & review of records: school personnel make arrangements with preschool staff members to observe and review records of incoming students

Transition conferences: all preschool transition conferences should be scheduled early enough to complete the process by the end of the school year Due process forms: both school personnel and preschool staff members need to have appropriate due process forms available at the transition conference Considerations…

Judy Clay Arch Ford Co-op 101 Bulldog Dr. Plumerville, AR (501) Deborah Swink Clinton School District 683 Poplar St. Clinton, AR (501) Want More Information from Us?