What happens when a child in Family Centered Early Supports and Services (ESS) turns 3? In NH, infants and toddlers with disabilities or at risk for a developmental disability and their families, receive services through Family-Centered Early Supports and Services (ESS). When children turn 3, they and their families are no longer eligible for ESS but may be eligible for other community services or preschool special education through their local school district. It is important to know that not all children who receive services through ESS will qualify for preschool special education. All children, regardless of whether they qualify for preschool special education, will be linked to community resources that can assist families supporting their children’s development. The transition from ESS to preschool special education and/or other community program is called the early childhood transition process. What is a transition plan? When children are 24 months of age(or earlier if they are no longer eligible for ESS) a written transition plan is created. This transition plan is attached to the Individualized Family Support Plan (IFSP). It should include the steps that will occur over the next year, along with timelines and who is responsible for them. These steps should include discussions about the various options available such as preschool special education, head start or private and community based preschool and childcare programs. Private therapies and recreational activities can also be explored. The transition plan may also include family visits to programs or agencies, assistance in completing forms and conducting evaluations. What are the steps in the early childhood transition process? The early childhood transition process begins at 24 months of age or earlier if determined by the IFSP team or if a child is found no longer eligible for ESS. The process typically begins with the development of a written transition plan. This written transition plan must be included in the IFSP. The plan includes timelines and steps to be taken to help children and families exit the program and move into other support services such as preschool special education, community based preschool, or other community services and programs. Based on this written transition plan, ESS assists families in exploring all options, including scheduling or attending site visits and completing forms, and/or conducting evaluations. Up to 9 months before, but at least 90 days before a child turns 3, the ESS service coordinator will schedule and facilitate a transition conference with the family and their local school district personnel. The transition conference is the family’s meeting. The purpose of this conference is to talk with the school about potential program options for the child, explore making a referral to the school district and create a plan for the transition process with the school. The transition plan in the child’s IFSP will also be updated at this meeting. Most times, the biggest question families have is where their child going to "go" when they turn 3. It is important to know that supports and services in preschool special education, as well as the setting where your child will be educated (called placement), are determined on an individual basis. Before services and placement can be determined, eligibility for preschool special education must be determined. The school district will explain to how they will determine eligibility and what the process looks like during the transition conference. If a family wishes to explore preschool special education, the service coordinator will ask for written parental permission when the child is about 30-32 months to send the local school district notice that the child may be eligible for preschool special education. This notice is known as a referral. After the school receives the referral, they must schedule a meeting with the parents and other members of the Individual Education Program (IEP) team, within 15 calendar days. This meeting is to discuss all available information about the child and to see if the IEP team needs more information to determine if the child is eligible for special education. If the team decides that they need more information about the child to determine eligibility for special education, written parental permission is required. The results of the assessment not only determine eligibility but also help determine the needs and services the child requires to receive a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). The team has 45 calendar days to complete the testing. Based on the information provided by ESS and the family, along with any evaluations the school may have done, the IEP team determines if the child is eligible for special education and determines a disability classification, also known as a code. To be eligible the child’s disability must negatively impact their educational performance and require specialized instruction. For preschool children we need to consider how their disability impacts them in typical preschool activities such as play, circle time, etc as well as social development and pre-academic skills. Within 30 days after a child is found eligible for special education, the IEP team meets to develop the IEP. Sometimes this happens at the same meeting when eligibility is determined. You have 14 calendar days to sign the IEP and may choose to agree, agree with exceptions or disagree. The IEP is reviewed/revised annually, and must be in place at the start of each school year. After the parent(s) and the school district have signed the IEP, the IEP team determines the child’s educational placement to implement the IEP. Placement is decided on an individual basis and options may include a variety of settings. Placement, however, must be in the child’s Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) where all the services and supports listed in the IEP can be delivered. What happens if a child does not qualify for preschool special education? As part of transition planning, ESS will discuss all community program options and help families identify those that may be available to support the child and family. ESS can assist families in accessing other services and programs such as early head start, family support services through your local Area Agency, YMCA, and private preschool and child care programs. How is preschool special education different from Early Supports and Services? There are several important differences between preschool special education and Early Supports and Services. One of the most important differences is the eligibility for preschool special education. To be eligible for special education, a child’s disability must negatively impact their educational performance and require specialized instruction. There are 13 categories of disabilities. They include:
top of page What are parents' rights in special education? Parent(s) are a required member of the IEP team and have a right to participate in any and all meetings about their child’s education. They also always have the right to ask questions and raise concerns if they feel their child’s needs are not being met. Below is a list of some of a family’s other rights in special education. For more details, click here to download a copy of the Parent Information Center’s Steps in the NH Special Education Process
top of page What are the steps in the special education process? (link to the steps or a brief overview of the special education process) What if I have more questions? There are many resources to support families before, during and after the transition process. Your local Area Agency oversees the ESS programs and can provide services to you after your child turns 3, if they qualify. The Parent Information Center (PIC) and the Supporting Successful Early Childhood Transitions (SSECT) project can answer questions or provide you with resources as well. Programs such as NH Family Voices can assist you with information and resources around special health care needs. What types of services are available from the school district? Services are determined by the needs of individual children. If the IEP team determines a child needs a specific service or methodology and they currently do not provide it, they must find a way to either provide the service or find somewhere that does. In general, some of the services school districts offer includes physical therapy, specialized instruction. In some cases, the IEP team may determine that a child does not require specialized instruction and only requires related services. This means that the child does not qualify for the school’s preschool special education program, but provide services such as speech and language, physical therapy, or occupational therapy, at the school district’s expense, to the child. Typically these services occur at the school at a certain number of times per week. If a child qualifies for preschool special education will they automatically go to the school district's preschool? Not necessarily. Placement, or where children receive the services listed in the IEP, can only be discussed once educational needs have been determined. In some cases, the IEP team may determine that the child does not require specialized instruction and only requires related services. This means that your child does not qualify for the school’s preschool special education program, but they want to offer services such as speech and language, physical therapy, or occupational therapy, at the school district’s expense, to your child. You would typically bring your child to the school a pre-determined number of times a week for individual therapy. In other cases, the IEP team may determine that the school’s program does not offer all the services that are listed in the IEP. The team must then find a way to provide these services at the school district program or find a program that can. If the IEP team determines a private or community preschool to be the placement for your child, they are responsible for providing the services listed in the IEP as well as the cost of the program and services. What if parents have concerns about the school district's preschool program? Where a child is going to receive services is called placement. Before the IEP Team can decide where a child goes, they need to know the what – the services and supports that a child is going to need. The IEP team determines placement based on the least restrictive environment where all the services and supports listed in the IEP can be delivered. Many school districts have their own program however, placement can also occur outside of the school district’s preschool in a community program. Sometimes it can be difficult to know how a child is going to do in a new program. One way to address this is to “try out” the district’s program and request that the IEP team reconvene after a set amount time to review the child’s progress and determine if the program is the appropriate placement. A parent can also request that their child receive services in a private or community based program. If the IEP team feels that the district’s program is the most appropriate placement, a parent may unilaterally place the child in a private or community based program. This means that the parent is choosing to place their child in a program without the IEP team’s approval. The parent will then be responsible for the cost of the program. The parent may request that their child receive related services from the school district, at the school district’s expense and convenience. The parent will likely have to bring the child to the school for services. The parent may also request alternate dispute resolution methods such as a facilitated IEP meeting, mediation, neutral conference, or due process to resolve the placement issues. For more information on these options, please contact the Parent Information Center or click here to view information on their website. What happens if a child turns 3 during the summer? Timelines in special education are year round. Regardless of when a child turns 3, if they qualify for special education, there needs to be a signed IEP in place by a child’s 3rd birthday. What may happen, is that services many not start until the school year begins. The start date for services is determined by the IEP team when developing the child’s IEP. Services over the summer are called Extended School Year services (ESY). Generally, a child would be eligible for ESY services if they would suffer regression in their skills without services. It can be difficult to make that determination for a child transitioning into preschool special education from ESS, so teams should be encouraged to think about any new or emerging skills that may suffer without continued service. How can SSECT help? SSECT can answer questions on the phone or via email about the transition process. The project can also offer workshops and other support to families, ESS personnel and preschool special education staff including print material and connection to other resources to support their needs. For more information, contact Michelle Lewis, project coordinator at mlewis@parentinformationcenter.org or 800-947-7005. |
SSECT
P.O. Box 2405 Concord, NH 03302-2405
(603) 224-7005 V/TDD
(800) 947-7005 (N.H. only)
(603) 224-4365 (FAX)
Funded by the NH Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education,
and NH Department of Health & Human Services, Bureau of Developmental Services