• Within three years of a previous classification, a multi-disciplinary reevaluation must be completed to determine if a student continues to be Eligible for Special Education and Related Services or Eligible for Speech-Language Services.”
• If conditions warrant or if the student’s parent or teacher requests the reevaluation, the reevaluation shall be completed within 60 days.
• When a change in eligibility is being considered.
• When enrolling a ‘Walk-In’ from out-of-state. (see Walk-Ins under Placement)  
   

Preparation of a Reevaluation Determination Meeting

• Fill out Notice of Meeting form
• Send Notice of Meeting with PRISE to the parent at least 15 days before the meeting. Give copies of the Notice of Meeting to:
  • school principal in order to provide coverage (schedule for the teacher’s prep period if at all possible)
  • teacher(s) plus an IEP planner
  • all related service providers  
     

Participatants in the Reevaluation Determination Meeting

• The IEP team consisting of the following:
  • parent
  • student (when appropriate)
  • case manager
  • special education teacher *
  • general education teacher *
• In addition the IEP team can include as appropriate:
  • at least one CST member who can interpret instructional implications of the evaluation results ( may be the case manager)
  • a representative of the school district qualified to provide or supervise the provision of specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities. ( may be the case manage or other appropriate school personnel)
  • at the discretion of the parent or school district, other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the student, including related services personnel
  • if the purpose of the meeting is to consider transition services, the student with disabilities and a representative of any other agency that is likely to be responsible for providing or paying for transition services
  • if the student does not have a special education/provider and/or general education teacher, then a person who is knowledgeable about the district’s program will participate.  
     

At the reevaluation determination meeting, the IEP Team shall review existing data and decide if additional tests and procedures should be administered to determine:

• whether the student continues to have a disability;
• the present levels of academic achievement and functional performance and educational and related development needs of the student;
• whether the student continues to need special education and related services; and
• whether any additions or modifications to the special education and related services are needed to enable the student with a disability to meet annual goals set in the IEP and to participate, as appropriate, in the general education curriculum. 
   

Possible decisions of the IEP team at the Reevaluation Determination Meeting 

• NO ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENTS ARE NEEDED.
  • Fill out the Reevaluation Determination Meeting form
  • Print and have all participants sign attendance
  • Both the Eligibility and IEP Development meetings can be held if the parent was informed via the Notice of Meeting  and attends the meeting.
  • If the parent was not notified of all three meetings or does not attend the meeting, then the case manager needs to send the signed Reevaluation Determination- No Additional Assessment form to the parent documenting the decision, along with the Notice of Meeting regarding the upcoming Eligibility Meeting and IEP Meeting.
     
     
• ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENTS ARE NEEDED.
  • Fill out the Reevaluation Determination Meeting form
  • Print and have all participants sign attendance
  • Fill out Parent Consent form
  • Consent shall be obtained prior to conducting any assessment as part of a reevaluation, except that such consent is not required if the district board of education can demonstrate that it had taken reasonable measures to obtain such consent and the parent failed to respond.
  • If the parent does not attend the meeting, and it is determined that an assessment is needed, the case manager will send the parent the completed Re-evaluation Determination – Additional Assessments Required form, documenting participants and decisions and requesting signed parental consent.
  • The assessment may begin when the case manager receives signed parent consent or when 15 days have elapsed since the parent received legal notice.
  • If during the assessment process, the team or related services provider(s) in consultation with one another, determine that additional assessment(s) are necessary to complete the reevaluation of the student, the case manager should send the parent Notice of Additional Assessments form documenting the assessments needed and seeking consent.. If consent has not been obtained after fifteen days the assessment can commence.

 
Preschool Reevaluations
Reevaluations are due by June 30 of a student’s last year in a program for preschoolers with disabilities. A reevaluation shall be conducted and, if the student continues to be a student with a disability, the student shall be classified under a new disabling condition. For preschool aging-out students, it is strongly recommended that additional assessments be conducted if existing testing is over 4-6 months old in order to determine the nature of the disability.
 

If the IEP team determines that a student is no longer eligible for special education but is eligible for speech-language services?

• hold the eligibility and find the student eligible for ESLS
• the SLS becomes the case manager and will prepare the IEP and conduct the IEP meeting
• SLS will build a case record from existing information.
• original case record will be held by the CST
   

If the IEP team determines that a student is no longer eligible for special education or speech-language services

• hold the eligibility meeting and find the student not eligible for Special Education and Related Services or ESLS
• parent has 15 days to consider the reevaluation and the decision to declassify. If the parent/guardian/or adult student disagrees with the reevaluation and determination of of ineligibility, they may request mediation, due process hearing and/or an independent evaluation. 
   

TRANSITION PLANNING

Transition refers to the activities meant to prepare students with disabilities for adult life.
Transition Services: Transitional Services are a set of coordinated activities for a student, designed within an outcome-oriented process that promotes movement from school to post-school activities including post-secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation. N.J.A.C. 6A: 14-1.3.
 
Transition planning begins at the age of 14, or younger, if appropriate, and continues through the age of 21, for students that are eligible to receive special education and/or related services. Transition should be discussed during a student’s Annual Review IEP conference or during the Reevaluation Planning/IEP conference meeting, at which time the case-manager is to discuss student’s academic, cognitive, social/emotional, career/life skills strengths and weaknesses, student’s interest/preference as well as post secondary outcomes.

Transition will be introduced as early as the seventh grade during the student ‘s Reevaluation Planning /IEP conference meeting utilizing OSE’s Notice of Student Beginning Transition Questionnaire form. The purpose of the meeting is solely for transition. Case-manager will begin to explore student’s interest and/or preference for secondary programs/and career majors.
For Eighth Grade students, the case-manager will continue to review and explore student’s interest/preferences for secondary programming as they may have changed utilizing OSE’s Student Beginning Transition Questionnaire form, during the Annual Review/IEP Conference meeting.

For grades nine through twelve, case-manager shall continue to review student’s interest/preference, post secondary outcomes and address such goals during the annual review or reevaluation planning IEP meetings.
 
Beginning in the seventh grade and continuing in the eighth grade case-manager will introduce transition and plan for student’s articulation to high school. Articulation is the movement from elementary to a secondary setting.

For the seventh grade student’s the case manager will:

·         Ensure that OSE’s Student Beginning Transition Questionnaire, the classroom teachers administer vocational interest inventories no later than September 30 .

·         Case managers also have the option of utilizing the Student Beginning Transition Questionnaire form when meeting with their student’s individually or within a group to gather information on their interests as well as post secondary outcomes.

Note: Case manager can refer to the Department’s Transition Manual for additional Survey and Questionnaire forms for both seventh and eighth grade students

·         Collect vocational interest inventories and maintain information in student’s case record. The same will apply if the case manager has administered the Student Interest Inventory form.

·         Schedule student’s Reevaluation Planning /IEP meetings, for the purpose of the transition planning.

·         Attempt to arrange the IEP meeting during the special/general education teacher’s preparation period ( if possible, or earliest available date, to ensure compliance with code time limits).

·         Send a Notice of Upcoming Meeting along with Notice of Transition Meeting form to the parent delineating the purpose of the meeting. The Transition Notice meeting form includes a parent questionnaire, which is a tool for gathering information and input from the parent on their child’s secondary/post secondary plans. Sufficient notice must be provided within fifteen days to give parent(s)/guardian(s) enough time and to ensure their attendance.

·         Copies of the Notice of Upcoming Meeting letter will also be sent to the classroom teacher, building administrator, and guidance counselor.

·         Give a copy of the IEP Planner (Elementary or Secondary) and the Career Education and Life Skills CPI’s(4th , 8th , or 12th grade) based on the student’s grade and/or functional levels to the teacher(s) to complete and return at least one week prior to the schedule IEP meeting. The Career Education and Life skills CPI’s is an optional tool that can be given to the teacher(s) to gather information on student’s awareness to career options and independent living skills, which all students are expected to achieve. Additionally, the CPI’s could assist CST members in developing transitional goals that must be included in the student’s IEP.

·         Conduct the IEP meeting. At the IEP meeting, the case manager will discuss the student’s strengths and weakness regarding his/her academic, career education/life skills, student’s interest and/or preferences, and review parental concerns. After reviewing the available information, the IEP team must determine whether or not any additional information is needed to determine appropriate post-secondary outcomes and to develop a student’s program. Such additional information may be gathered through the use of surveys, checklists, tests or interviews. Information gathered through classroom activities, surveys, or checklists that are administered to an entire class or grade, which examines the interests and/or preferences of students regarding the identification of post-secondary outcomes, do not require consent. If additional assessments are not required and notice of IEP development was provided to the parent, the case manager may then discuss student’s program. In addition to this, the case manager along with teacher and guidance counselor will explore, based upon student’s identified strengths, high school program options that will support his/her transitional plan.

·         Give a copy of the High School Application Survey form to the student to complete at the IEP meeting. Student will have the option of selecting from at least three Magnet Academies, a Magnet High School and/or the County Vocational School.
CST members along with teacher(s) will review students selecting the County Vocational school. If appropriate, the students name will be entered into a pool of potential candidates. Those students selected from this pool by lottery drawing, will be offered preliminary vocational orientation in the Essex County Vocational High School (ECVS) Summer Program, which is offered at the end of their seventh grade school year.

For Eighth Grade students, the case manager will:

·         In the Fall, inform eighth grade students of the presentation given by the School-to-Career Supervisor(s), on the Magnet Career Academies, tips on filling out the High School Application Survey form, and their due dates. Also information will be given regarding the High School Fair and when it will take place.

·         Following the presentation by the School-to-Career Supervisor, the High School Magnet Career Academy Applications will be made available to all students graduating in June, through their guidance counselor.

·         Attend these session(s) in their schools so they are informed of the process.

·         Arrange for the Office of Special Education Transition Team to meet with students to present information on self-advocacy and self-awareness when exploring future career choices.

·         Review the survey form completed in seventh grade along with the student, submit completed form along with an attached copy of the most recent IEP to the guidance counselor and subsequently retrieve the appropriate High School application.

·         Assist student and parent with the high school application process (if needed).

·         Remind student that all applications for Admission to the Magnet High Schools are to be completed and submitted no later than December 1.

·         Schedule student’s Annual Review/IEP meetings, as dictated by the actual IEP duration dates, to give parent(s)/guardian sufficient notice.

·         Send a Notice of Upcoming Meeting along with the Notice of Transition Meeting form to the parent(s)/guardian delineating the purpose of the meeting. Copies of the Notice of Upcoming Meeting letter will also be sent to the classroom teacher, building administrator, student, and guidance counselor.

·         Give a copy of the IEP Planner (Elementary or Secondary) and the Career Education and Life Skills CPI’s(4th , 8th, or 12th  grade) based on the student’s grade and/or functional levels to the teacher(s) to complete and return at least one week prior to the scheduled IEP meeting.

·         Conduct IEP meeting. The eighth grade Annual Review is not only a discussion of the student’s academic/social/emotional strengths and weaknesses but emphasis is placed on the high school program that student and parent selected, ninth grade course work and the transition secondary goals that the student will work on for the following year.

·         Note: If the Reevaluation Planning/IEP meeting for the purposes of transition didn’t occur in the student’s seventh grade year, the case manager will plan and schedule for such meetings in the early fall semester of the student’s eighth grade year.
Secure a list of school acceptances from the guidance counselor, meet with students to finalize their choice of schools, and send the High School Acceptance form to the parent to seek and obtain consent by no later than May 2.
Review the parent/student choice, complete the Ninth Grade School Placement form and submit it to the respective Regional supervisor, guidance counselor(s), and the school based SASI clerk by May 7.

·         Complete the Ninth Grade Course Selection form for each student and forward it to their respective Regional Supervisor by June 1. When completing this form case managers should keep in mind the NJ Code delineated programs and the program that is reflected in the student’s IEP.

·         Once the Regional Supervisor has received the Ninth grade selection forms, the Placement Officer in the Office of Special Education will notify parents/guardians of the high school placement.

·         All finalization of high school plans will be made at the student’s school via the SASI system.
 
 
For secondary students, the case-manager will:
 

·         Follow up with their respective Special Education Department Chair personnel within their schools to ensure that the ninth through twelfth grade questionnaires were conducted and completed by October 31st. Copies will be filed in the student’s Transition Portfolio and stored in the Department Chair office.

·         Case managers also have the option of utilizing the Student Interest Inventory when meeting with their students individually or within a group to gather information on their interest as well as post secondary outcomes.

·         Note: Case managers can refer to the Department’s Transition Manual for additional Survey and Questionnaire forms for secondary students.

·         Access the high school questionnaires via the Department Chair’s Office to review and utilize for the development of the student’s IEP.

·         On an ongoing basis, plan and schedule for student’s Annual Review/Reevaluation Planning IEP conference meeting as reflected in the actual IEP duration or last eligibility dates.

·         Send a Notice of Upcoming Meeting and the Notice of Transition Meeting form to the parent(s)/guardian/adult student delineating the purpose of the meeting. The Transition Notice of meeting form includes a parent questionnaire, which is a tool for gathering information and input from the parent on their child’s secondary/post secondary plans. Copies of the Notice of Upcoming Meeting letter will also be sent to the classroom teacher(s), building administrator(s), student as well as the guidance counselor.

·         If the student is turning fifteen years old within the school year, no later than three years before a classified student reaches 18, the case manager should also send Parental Notice that rights are transferred to student as well as Student Notice that rights are going to be transferred to them.

·         If student is in his/her senior year, case managers should also send a Notice of Expected Graduation form to the parent(s)/guardian/adult student.  

·         Give a copy of the IEP Secondary Planner and the Career Education and Life Skills CPI’s to the teacher(s) to complete and return at least one week prior to the schedule IEP meeting.

·         Conduct IEP meeting. The IEP meeting should emphasis transition and/post secondary planning.

·         If the case manager is conducting an Annual Review IEP Conference meeting, there shall be a review of the student and parent questionnaires, a discussion of realistic secondary/post secondary goals setting and the development of a program that will support student during and after his/her high school career.

·         If the case manager is conducting a Reevaluation planning/IEP meeting, IEP team will discuss students current academic status as well as long-range educational/ transition plans, review all data that was gathered (i.e. student questionnaire, parental questionnaire, student work samples, cumulative records, etc.) and determine whether or not additional assessments are required. If the determination is not to evaluate, the IEP team may proceed with the development of the IEP ( if proper notice was supplied ).

·         If the decision is to evaluate, the IEP team will determine areas in which the student requires an evaluation. After the assessments are conducted, the IEP team will reconvene an IEP meeting and develop an IEP reflecting the results of the assessments as well as the transitional plans and/or statements that will be incorporated into the appropriate sections of the IEP.

·         Arrange a meeting with Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVR) or Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), for students who are in their senior year of high school to provide information regarding vocational, workforce, independent living and adult training as well as a myriad of other services. Such agencies can act as a resource and can support the individuals and families, planning for their child exiting secondary settings and transitioning into adult life.
Provide students with a summary of their academic achievement and functional performance when a student approaches graduation or reaches the age of 21 and is no longer eligible for special education and/or related services. The summary must include recommendations on how to assist the student in meeting his/her post- secondary goals. The case manager shall meet with the student, review the information that is being presented, and both should sign off on the Graduation Summary Statement form. A copy of the form will be given to the student and one will remain in the student’s case record.

Note: Case-managers may consider preparing and presenting the Graduation Summary Statements during the final IEP meeting. Such summaries are required for students who graduate or turn 21 on or by July 1, of the current school year.
 
NOTE: If the parent/guardian/adult student/ informs the case manage that he/she has invited an attorney to be present at an upcoming CST meeting Cross County Clinical Serviceslegal department must be immediately notified. If a parent/guardian/adult student brings an attorney to the meeting without prior notification, the meeting must be delayed while the case manager contacts the legal department. CST cannot conduct a meeting where there is legal representation only for the parent/guardian/adult
student. 
 

IEPs of students transitioning from one school to another – To ensure that students have a current IEP, based on staff who know the student, when they age out of one school, or are entering a high school, sending teams must ensure that those IEPs should be good for a minimum of 2 months, September and October.

Preschool Transition - A child study team member of the district will participate in the preschool transition planning conference arranged by the designated service coordinator from the early intervention system and will:

·         Review the Part C Individualized Family Service Plan for the child;

·         Provide the parent(s) written district registration requirements;

·         Provide the parents written information with respect to available district programs for preschool students, including general education placement options; and