Steve Bigaj: Discuss the importance of transition driving the IEP process.
Ed O'Leary: Some thoughts on that,
that doesn't mean that this is the answer all to this
by any means. Part of that I think has to do with
having case managers, teachers understand that transition
is a critical part of the IEP. As a matter of fact,
the concept of transition, which is thinking about and planning for the future
is one that is not an addition
to what already goes on in an IEP. It's not an
add-on, and actually the concept of thinking about and planning for the future
actually should drive the IEP meeting. What goes on in this IEP, so that all
discussions and decisions
are actually discussions and decisions that lead toward the student achieving
what it is they want to do post-school.
So it's maybe a change in our focus somewhat
in saying that IEPs are no longer about
putting together a plan to meet basic requirements on page one, page two, page
three
that the IEPs is truly a long-range plan that leads to
helping that student achieve what it is that they want to do.
To me then that says that what we're doing in school in all the
discussions and decisions that are being made and the courses that the kid's
taking
is actually in preparation for adult life, and that could be a change in how
we view
IEPs, and how we sit down and put together IEPs,
and how conduct IEP meetings.
Steve Bigaj: Or how we view special education Ed O'Leary: or how we view special education.
Steve Bigaj: and our role as a special educator in a high school. Ed O'Leary: Right. If you want to make it
more efficient, I think, then one of the questions is
that, how is how do I make it more efficient? Well the question--
the point is that you're going to do this regardless
because it is a requirement. Now the question is, how do you do it?
And if you think about it from the standpoint I have
talked about through all the training that I've done we're talking about an IEP
that starts with
the discussion on transition, starts with the discussion on measurable post secondary
goals,
talks about where the kid is currently functioning, puts together that
education plan, the long-range plan
and how all those pieces come together and
each part supports the other part so that you have
a comprehensive long-range plan that takes a look at where the kid's going to
go.
Now one way of approaching this is
instead of looking at this particular kind of planning for this IEP
as a 12 month only document, which it really--
I mean it is one year, but you need to be able to think beyond 12 months, you need to be
able
plan beyond 12 months, and actually what you're looking at here is a plan
that's long-range, multiple years
not just 12 months. SO that means to me that a you put together this IEP
the first time that you sit down
you begin this kind of long-range, big picture planning
time to do that
with kids and families and others, but if you understand the concept of long-range
planning
you also understand that every year that you come back you don't have to start
fresh.
You don't throw away the plan you did the year before.
That the philosophy is what you do is you take the plan, you review it,
you revise it, you update it and so
while it may take more time
initially to develop this kind of plan, in the long run
when you review, and you revise, and you update
it takes less time because that's what you're doing when you come back the
second year, third year,
and the subsequent years is that you're reviewing,
you're revising, you're updating, and you're not starting from scratch and starting
all over again,
but that means, too, that
for these case managers and IEP team members is that
again you have to think long-range and you have to think about how is this is
coordinated effort
between schools, families, agencies
students, others and that it does go
beyond 12 months, it goes beyond 24 months,
it goes actually into adult life. Steve Bigaj: So it's not just
the special ed case manager's job--
that there's a collaborative effort and shared responsibility?
Ed O'Leary: See, I think, you know, that the key word here, Steve is case management.
and that is how do I case manage this?
And that doesn't mean as a case manager you're responsible for absolutely
everything in it.
It's a matter of how do I look at this plan and how do I case manage it
by getting the right players involved at the right point in time
around these various discussions and decisions?
I don't have to do it all, I don't have to be responsible for it all. I can't it's
impossible
How do I case manage it?
The thing about that, too, is that special education personnel have not been trained
on how to do case management. What we've done is
trained teachers how to teach and how to develop these
plans, these IEPs that are just one year only and how to write annual goals,
not new case management, but this is-- the key to it is good case management.