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 -