Bill Text: IL SB1550 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Chaptered


Bill Title: Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code with respect to transition services. Provides that the first individualized education plan for when a student turns age 14 1/2 must include measurable post-secondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments and other information available regarding the student that are related to independent living skills (instead of independent living skills where appropriate). Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-3)

Status: (Passed) 2013-08-22 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 98-0517 [SB1550 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2013-SB1550-Chaptered.html



Public Act 098-0517
SB1550 EnrolledLRB098 08363 NHT 38468 b
AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
14-8.03 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/14-8.03) (from Ch. 122, par. 14-8.03)
Sec. 14-8.03. Transition services.
(a) For purposes of this Section, "transition services"
means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a
disability that (i) is designed to be within a results-oriented
process that is focused on improving the academic and
functional achievement of the child with a disability to
facilitate the child's movement from school to post-school
activities, including post-secondary education, vocational
education, integrated employment (including supported
employment), continuing and adult education, adult services,
independent living, or community participation; (ii) is based
on the individual child's needs, taking into account the
child's strengths, preferences, and interests; and (iii)
includes instruction, related services, community experiences,
the development of employment and other post-school adult
living objectives, and, if appropriate, acquisition of daily
living skills, benefits planning, work incentives education,
and the provision of a functional vocational evaluation.
Transition services for a child with a disability may be
special education, if provided as specially designed
instruction, or a related service if required to assist a child
with a disability to benefit from special education.
(a-5) Beginning no later than the first individualized
education plan (IEP) in effect when the student turns age 14
1/2 (or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team) and
updated annually thereafter, the IEP must include (i)
measurable post-secondary goals based upon age-appropriate
transition assessments and other information available
regarding the student that are related to training, education,
employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills
and (ii) the transition services needed to assist the student
in reaching those goals, including courses of study.
(b) Transition planning must be conducted as part of the
IEP process and must be governed by the procedures applicable
to the development, review, and revision of the IEP, including
notices to the parents and student, parent and student
participation, and annual review. To appropriately assess and
develop IEP transition goals and transition services for a
child with a disability, additional participants may be
necessary and may be invited by the school district, parent, or
student to participate in the transition planning process.
Additional participants may include without limitation a
representative from the Department of Human Services or another
State agency, a case coordinator, or persons representing other
public or community agencies or services, such as adult service
providers or public community colleges. The IEP shall identify
each person responsible for coordinating and delivering
transition services. If the IEP team determines that the
student requires transition services from a public or private
entity outside of the school district, the IEP team shall
identify potential outside resources, assign one or more IEP
team members to contact the appropriate outside entities, make
the necessary referrals, provide any information and documents
necessary to complete the referral, follow up with the entity
to ensure that the student has been successfully linked to the
entity, and monitor the student's progress to determine if the
student's IEP transition goals and benchmarks are being met.
The student's IEP shall indicate one or more specific time
periods during the school year when the IEP team shall review
the services provided by the outside entity and the student's
progress in such activities. The public school's
responsibility for delivering educational services does not
extend beyond the time the student leaves school or when the
student's eligibility ends due to age under this Article.
(c) A school district shall submit annually a summary of
each eligible student's IEP transition goals and transition
services resulting from the IEP Team meeting to the appropriate
local Transition Planning Committee. If students with
disabilities who are ineligible for special education services
request transition services, local public school districts
shall assist those students by identifying post-secondary
school goals, delivering appropriate education services, and
coordinating with other agencies and services for assistance.
(Source: P.A. 95-793, eff. 1-1-09; 96-187, eff. 8-10-09.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.
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