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The Long Island Regional Transition Coordination Site's (LITCS) mission is to provide technical assistance to school districts, colleges and adult service providers in the area of transition planning for students with disabilities. It is one of seven regional sites that will provide this assistance in response to meeting the new requirement of the Individual with Disability Act (IDEA). Technical assistance includes improving the delivery of school-based instruction, community-based work experiences, creating appropriate IEP goals and improving interagency collaboration as it relates to Transition.
Federal and State law and regulation require transition planning and services. It is a process that prepares students with disabilities to live, learn, and earn in the community as adults. Effective transition planning requires the collaboration of students, parents, educators and service providers. Transition planning must be reflected in the IEP at age 15 and is reviewed annually.
Transition planning includes a coordinated set of activities for secondary students with disabilities, designed to achieve specific outcomes. The activities are designed to prepare students to move from school to post-secondary life and are based on the individual student's needs, taking into account the student's preferences, potential, abilities and interests. The coordination is carried out by the school district, with the participation of the student, his or her family and appropriate community service agencies, including VESID and OMRDD.
These activities include instruction, community experiences, related services, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational assessments. The goal of transition planning is to develop skills necessary for post-secondary education, adult education and training, adult services, independent living and community participation. A referral to VESID or OMRRD prior to graduation prevents an interruption in services, facilitating a seamless transition to adult services.
If you have any questions regarding the Transition process please contact us at:
Valerie Valenti, Ph.D.: vvalenti@esboces.org
or
Lynn Russo: lrusso@esboces.org
Persons Centered Transition Planning
The Person Centered Transition Planning (PCTP) program facilitates a model approach to individualized transition planning. The goal is to provide non-traditional and varied opportunities for students with disabilities to live, learn, and work in their community. Person Centered Transition Planning is a series of approaches that will help the student to identify an area of interests and strengths. With a circle of support consisting of the student's friends, family and service providers the student will have open and ongoing dialogue about transition and their desired post school-outcomes.
Person Centered Transition Planning is a straightforward term that describes a process that allows a student to create a plan that will successfully transition them to their chosen adult outcome. In many ways, PCTP is simply good values-driven planning. Good planning starts with the realization that every person is an individual with strengths, needs and preferences. Good planning involves those who know the person best. It engages a broad array of resources and is creative at heart.
PCTP does not focus on what the person has to change to become ready to carry out his or her goals. The process is based on the premise that there is no simple criterion or characteristic that predicts who can and cannot earn, learn and live successfully within a community. Real life exploration, experience and reflections are the tools for learning about oneself and shaping one's future.
PCTP asks:
- What does the person want?
- What are the person's dreams and aspirations?
- What is the person good at doing?
- What kinds of things does the person like/dislike?
- How does the person define quality?
- What does the person need to achieve desired outcomes?
- Where does the person want to live?
- Where does the person want to work?
- What types of family and social connections does the person desire?
- What types of experiences has the person had to assist them in answering these questions?
The Regional Transition Coordination Site is part of the Long Island Regional Strategic Planning Network (LIRSPN).
The network has been created by its component member to strengthen the capacity of Long Island technical assistance
providers to improve outcomes for all students in the schools and districts identified by the New York State Education
Department and targeted by the LIRSSC Executive committee.
LIRSPN
Network Partners
- Bilingual/ESL Technical Assistance Center (Nassau)
- Bilingual/ESL Technical Assistance Center (Suffolk)
- BOCES-Eastern Suffolk
- BOCES-Nassau
- BOCES-Western Suffolk
- New York State Education Department-Office of School Improvement (NYSED-OSI)
- New York State Education Department-VESID Special Education Quality Assurance (NYSED-SEQA)
- Special Education Training and Resource Center (Nassau)
- Special Education Training and Resource Center (Suffolk)
- The Long Island Regional Adult Education Network (LI-RAEN)
- The Long Island Regional School Support Center (LIRSSC)
- The Long Island School Leadership Center (LISLC)
- The Long Island Student Support Services Center (LISSSC)
- The Long Island Transition Coordination Site (LITCS)
Bilingual/ESL Technical Assistance Centers (BETAC):
provides technical assistance and services to assist districts in preparing Limited English Proficient/English Language Learners (LEP/ELL) students to attain the
The New York State Learning Standards.
BOCES:
Provides cost-effective shared services, including career training for high-school
students and adults, special education, alternative schools, technology education,
and teacher training, to expand educational opportunity and help districts operate
more efficiently.
The Long Island Regional School Support Center (LIRSSC):
provides technical assistance to support reform efforts in the region's highest
needs, lowest-performing schools.
The Long Island School Leadership Center (LISLC):
Is a venture of the Joint Management Team of the 3 Long Island BOCES to develop strong school leaders through professional training, the acquisition
of interpersonal skills, and the enhancement of positive personal qualities.
The Long Island Student Support Services Center (LI SSSC)
Responsibilities include insuring that students have a safe and supportive
learning environment and to increase student achievement and successful
outcomes for students in all area of development including intellectual, physical,
social and emotional.
The Long Island Regional Adult Education Network (LI-RAEN):
provides technical assistance and professional development to adult literacy,
occupational and continuing education programs funded by the New York
State Education Department (NYSED).
The Long Island Transition Coordination Site (LITCS):
provides technical assistance to school districts, colleges, adult service
providers agencies and other organizations with responsibilities for the
preparation of individuals with disabilities to successfully enter the workforce
and to assume the responsibilities of adulthood.
New York State Education Department-Office of School Improvement and Community Services-Regional (NYSED SICS-R):
Often referred to as OSI (for Office of School Improvement), this office
(Assistant Commissioner, Dr. James Butterworth) within the State Education
Department, Elementary, Middle, Secondary and Continuing Education, includes
The Regional School Services, Planning and Professional Development, Student
Support Services, Native American Education and Public School Choice
Program Units. Regional Liaisons provide technical assistance to NCLB and
State identified districts.
New York State Education Department-Vocational and Educational Services for
Individuals with Disabilities, Special Education Quality Assurance Office (NYSED
VESID-SEQA):
Often referred to as SEQA, the Long Island regional office (Stephan Berman,
Regional Supervisor) oversees preschool and school age special education
services through a quality assurance review process that emphasizes attainment of
positive results of student with disabilities. Regional Associates coordinate the
review process and also provide technical assistance to parents, school district
personnel, and private providers.
Special Education Training and Resource Centers (SETRC)
provide programs for teachers, administrators, support personnel, parents and
other individuals to support NYSED and VESID by ensuring the development of
local capacity, through quality staff development, to prepare students with
disabilities for lifelong success.
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