Tuesday, 10/17/23

12:00-3:00 p.m.

Introduction to LifeCourse for Families – Session A

Person-Centered Planning (PCP) is a set of approaches to life planning based on what a person considers most important. This professional learning session will introduce the various person-centered planning programs utilized by many districts across the State of Connecticut. The focus of the session will be providing families with an introduction to the Charting the LifeCourse.

Charting the LifeCourse is a universally designed person-centered planning framework, created for people and families of all abilities and all ages to explore life possibilities; share ideas, hopes, and fears; set higher expectations; navigate the future; advocate for vision; and problem-solve and plan.

Family members in this learning session will become familiar with the LifeCourse tools and learn how to use them to support their youth with Transition Planning.

This is a half-day, virtual session.

Virtual

Tuesday, 10/24/23

6:00-8:00 p.m.

Introducción al Proceso de Planificación Centrada en la Persona (LifeCourse) - Session A

Recibirán información sobre los diferentes tipos de herramientas de planificación centrada en la persona (estudiantes).

Aprenderán sobre cómo pueden utilizarse para informar la planificación de la transición secundaria.

Aprenderán sobre del marco de transición “Charting the LifeCourse”.

Esta sesión se ofrecerá virtualmente de 120 minutos.

Virtual

Tuesday, 12/12/23

8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Building a Secondary Transition Assessment Toolkit

"Assessment data serve as the common thread in the transition process and form the basis for defining goals and services to be included in the IEP" (DCDT Position Statement, Sitlington, et al. 1996)

To write relevant goals that support successful student outcomes, we need to develop a comprehensive assessment process. During this professional learning session, district teams will define and begin to create a comprehensive secondary transition assessment process by developing a secondary transition assessment toolkit.

This session requires registration by teams of 3-5 district representatives. It is recommended the team include transition coordinators/specialists, special education teachers (grades 6-12), and other staff responsible for writing transition goals.

This is a full-day, in-person session.

In-person:

SERC, Waterbury

Tuesday, 12/19/23

12:30-3:00 p.m.

Secondary Transition Planning at the Middle School Level – Session A

In Connecticut, transition planning for all students must begin at age 14. “Beginning not later than the first individualized education program (IEP) to be in effect when the student turns 14, or younger if determined appropriate by the planning and placement team (PPT), and updated annually, thereafter…” [CGS § 10-76d(a)(9)]

This regulation requires middle school special education teachers to begin the transition planning process with their students. That process needs to include transition assessments, postsecondary goals, annual goals and objectives, and the provision of specific transition services needed for each transition-age student. During this session, participants will: become familiar with IDEA and state regulations concerning Secondary Transition Services, understand the various components of the Secondary Transition Planning Process, and receive a variety of strategies and resources to support transition planning at the middle school level.

This is a half-day, virtual session.

Virtual

Thursday, 2/1/24

9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Snow Date

Wednesday, 2/14/24

Introduction to LifeCourse for Families – Session B

Person-Centered Planning (PCP) is a set of approaches to life planning based on what a person considers most important. This professional learning session will introduce the various person-centered planning programs utilized by many districts across the State of Connecticut. The focus of the session will be providing families with an introduction to the Charting the LifeCourse.

Charting the LifeCourse is a universally designed person-centered planning framework, created for people and families of all abilities and all ages to explore life possibilities; share ideas, hopes, and fears; set higher expectations; navigate the future; advocate for vision; and problem-solve and plan.

Family members in this learning session will become familiar with the LifeCourse tools and learn how to use them to support their youth with Transition Planning.

This is a half-day, in-person session.

In-person:

LEARN, Old Lyme

Thursday, 2/1/24

1:00-3:00 p.m.

Snow Date

Wednesday, 2/14/24

Introducción al Proceso de Planificación Centrada en la Persona (LifeCourse) - Session B

Recibirán información sobre los diferentes tipos de herramientas de planificación centrada en la persona (estudiantes).

Aprenderán sobre cómo pueden utilizarse para informar la planificación de la transición secundaria.

Aprenderán sobre del marco de transición “Charting the LifeCourse”.

Esta sesión se ofrecerá en persona de 120 minutos.

In-person:

LEARN, Old Lyme

Thursday, 2/22/24

8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Snow Date

Tuesday, 2/27/24

Moving Above and Beyond Compliance with Transition IEPs

The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), the State Education Resource Center (SERC), and the CT Transition Task Force (TTF) have developed an Individualized Education Program (IEP) Rubric that measures the quality of secondary transition services and planning provided for students with disabilities by looking at Best Practices on a continuum of transition services. The purpose of the IEP Rubric for Secondary Transition is to provide educators and families an instructional tool that provides teams with the opportunity to move transition planning above and beyond compliance. The focus is not on meeting the required components of Indicator #13 (Secondary Transition); rather, the focus is on best practices to ensure high-quality programming and improved student outcomes.

Participants in this session will reflect on their district IEPs by identifying compliance, emerging, progressing, and promising practice components; and reviewing activities and resources to promote genuine access to, participation in, and progress in the general education curriculum and community-based settings, while actively supporting the unique needs of a student.

This professional learning experience is a full-day, in-person activity. Participants are asked to bring a hard copy of a transition student’s current IEP. Please ensure that this IEP has been redacted of any student personal information.

In-person:

SERC, Waterbury

• Explore the potential of using MAPS and PATH, a person-centered planning tool, to aid in the development of postsecondary and transition goals and objectives for their student.
• Review the concepts of person‐centered planning, examine the components of MAPS and PATH, and understand the role they can play in developing individualized education programs (IEPs).
• Become familiar with the process involved with facilitating a MAPS and PATH session.

This is a full day, in-person session. This session requires registration by teams of 2-4 district representatives. To keep training to one day, we ask that you bring your lunch. There will be a 30-minute lunch break.

Tuesday, 3/26/24

9:00-11:30 a.m.

Snow Date

Tuesday, 4/2/24

Secondary Transition Planning at the Middle School Level – Session B

In Connecticut, transition planning for all students must begin at age 14. “Beginning not later than the first individualized education program (IEP) to be in effect when the student turns 14, or younger if determined appropriate by the planning and placement team (PPT), and updated annually, thereafter…” [CGS § 10-76d(a)(9)]

This regulation requires middle school special education teachers to begin the transition planning process with their students. That process needs to include transition assessments, postsecondary goals, annual goals and objectives, and the provision of specific transition services needed for each transition-age student. During this session, participants will: become familiar with IDEA and state regulations concerning Secondary Transition Services, understand the various components of the Secondary Transition Planning Process, and receive a variety of strategies and resources to support transition planning at the middle school level.

This is a half-day, in-person session.

In-person:

SERC, Waterbury

Thursday, 4/25/24

8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Writing Secondary Transition Goals & Objectives that Support Student Outcomes

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, an IEP must include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments related to training or education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills. [IDEA § 300.320(b) Definition of IEP]. In Connecticut, for each Postsecondary Outcome Goal Statement written, there must be a minimum of one separate, corresponding annual transition goal with short-term objectives written to support it.

During this full-day, in-person session, participants will receive a plethora of resources for writing goals, review and determine if the annual transition goals written provide measurable student progress, and network with other participants to add additional goal-writing tools to their toolbox.

Participants will need to bring at least one current redacted transition IEP to the session. In addition, participants are encouraged to bring any resources they currently use to write transition goals to share with the group.

In-person:

LEARN, Old Lyme