Public Act 096-0187
 		





HB0979 Enrolled
LRB096 04295 NHT 14341 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 goals, supports, and 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. A school 
district shall consider, and develop when needed, the

transition goals and supports for eligible students with

disabilities not later than the school
year in which the 
student reaches age 14 1/2 at the individualized education
plan 
meeting and provide services as identified on the
student's 
individualized
education plan.  Transition goals shall
be based 
on appropriate
evaluation procedures and information, take 
into consideration the
preferences of the student and his or 
her parents or guardian, be
outcome-oriented, and include 
employment,
post-secondary
education, and community living 
alternatives. Consideration of these goals
shall result in the 
clarification of a school district's responsibility to
deliver 
specific educational services such as vocational training and 
community
living skills instruction.

    (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 plan for the student's transition 
needs,
additional participants individualized education plan 
team  members may be
necessary
and may be invited asked by the 
school district, parent, or student to participate assist in 
the transition planning process.
Additional participants 
individualized education plan team members
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 individualized education plan shall identify 
specify
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 
student reaches age 21 inclusive, which for purposes of this 
Article means the day before the student's 22nd birthday.

    (c) A school district shall submit annually a summary of 
each eligible
student's IEP transition goals and transition 
services needed supports resulting from the IEP Team

individualized education plan
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.)

 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
becoming law.