PRINTER'S NO. 19
No. 19 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY AFFLERBACH, JONES, SCANLON, REIBMAN, LINCOLN,
REGOLI, STAPLETON, STOUT AND SHUMAKER, JANUARY 20, 1989
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JANUARY 20, 1989
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," providing for individual transition
6 plans for handicapped students; and making an appropriation.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10 as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11 section to read:
12 Section 1383. Individual Transition Plans.--(a) An
13 individual transition plan shall be developed for each student
14 who is mentally, physically or multiply handicapped, as defined
15 in the regulations and standards of the State Board of
16 Education. The plan shall be developed within ninety (90) school
17 days of the student's fourteenth birthday.
18 (b) The individual transition plan shall be developed by an
19 interdisciplinary team.
1 (1) The interdisciplinary team shall consist of at least one
2 but no more than two representatives of each of the following:
3 (i) The school district in which the student resides.
4 (ii) The intermediate unit in which the student resides.
5 (iii) The area vocational-technical school, if the child
6 resides in its attendance area.
7 (iv) Parents.
8 (v) Students.
9 (2) Based on the individual needs of the students, the
10 following agencies should be represented on the
11 interdisciplinary team:
12 (i) The Department of Health.
13 (ii) The Office of Mental Retardation.
14 (iii) The Office of Mental Health.
15 (iv) The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.
16 (v) An approved private school, when the student is enrolled
17 in the institution.
18 (c) If any of the agencies or organizations listed in
19 subsection (b) are reorganized or discontinued, their successor
20 organizations shall appoint representatives with the same
21 responsibilities and duties.
22 (d) The individual transition plan shall include but not be
23 limited to the following:
24 (1) Assessment of the student and family preference for
25 service and support after graduation.
26 (2) Preparation for participation in the adult community.
27 (3) Opportunity for community-based training and job
28 training in real work settings and vocational and functional
29 living skills as preparation for employment, continued training
30 and independent living within the community. Functional living
19890S0019B0019 - 2 -
1 skills shall include self-care skills, such as money management,
2 banking, cooking, cleanliness and personal hygiene, human
3 sexuality, communication and social skills and the use of public
4 transportation.
5 (4) Information for the student and parents or guardians on
6 services and programs for disabled adults, how to apply for the
7 programs and contact or resource persons in the programs.
8 (5) Management plan, including goals and activities,
9 responsibilities, timeliness and measures of achievement.
10 (6) An increase in interaction with nonhandicapped
11 individuals.
12 (e) The plan shall be reviewed by the interdisciplinary team
13 at least every two (2) years until the student reaches eighteen
14 (18) years of age. Thereafter the plan shall be reviewed
15 annually until the student graduates or reaches twenty-one (21)
16 years of age. Parents shall receive copies of information
17 pertaining to the individual transition plan prior to the
18 scheduled meeting.
19 (f) Parents or guardians shall be informed of, and requested
20 to attend, all meetings as part of the interdisciplinary team in
21 order to participate in the development of the individual
22 transition plan. The parent or guardian and the student shall be
23 provided with a written individual transition plan stating the
24 services to be provided as required under subsections (b) and
25 (d).
26 (g) The individual transition plan shall be developed in
27 conjunction with the individual education program adopted
28 pursuant to the regulations and standards of the State Board of
29 Education.
30 (h) The State Board of Education is authorized to promulgate
19890S0019B0019 - 3 -
1 regulations and standards pursuant to the provisions of this
2 section. The Secretary of Education shall be responsible for
3 implementing the regulations, standards and provisions of this
4 section.
5 (i) The heads of the following agencies shall participate in
6 the development of an interagency agreement on individual
7 transition plans: the Department of Education, the Department of
8 Health, the Department of Labor and Industry, the Department of
9 Public Welfare and the Department of Transportation. The
10 agreement shall include all of the following:
11 (1) Each agency's role in developing an individual
12 transition plan.
13 (2) The manner of determining the membership of the
14 interdisciplinary team for each handicapped student.
15 (3) The manner of participation by parents and guardians.
16 (4) The manner of participation by students.
17 (5) The method of coordination of development and
18 implementation of an individual transition plan at the local
19 level.
20 (6) Provisions for the preparation of an annual report to
21 the Governor and the General Assembly reviewing and analyzing
22 the status and success of transition from school to work and
23 community life during the year.
24 (7) Other provisions deemed appropriate by the agencies.
25 Section 2. The sum of $500,000 is hereby appropriated to the
26 Department of Education for the fiscal year July 1, 1988, to
27 June 30, 1989, for grants to the interdisciplinary teams for the
28 administration costs of preparing the Individual Transition
29 Plans. The Department of Education shall promulgate regulations
30 defining which costs are reimbursable. This appropriation shall
19890S0019B0019 - 4 -
1 be reviewed annually by the General Assembly for adequacy.
2 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 90 days.
L12L24VDL/19890S0019B0019 - 5 -