WELCOME TO TRANSITION
Your child will be three years old before you know it. If your child will be turning three in the next year, you will become involved in a transition for your child from early intervention into new educational programs as well as new activities in your community. Your service coordinator and early intervention provider will work with you as partners to offer you information and guidance through this transition. Should your transition involve continuation into special education programs, a member of your local school district will work with you. We join you in achieving a smooth transition that leads to new and exciting developmental opportunities for your child.
In order to facilitate a smooth transition, we have designed this transition booklet to provide you with information that may be helpful through the transition process. We believe this booklet will be a useful reference for you to help answer questions that may arise as you journey forward.
We begin our transition journey with a time line of expected events for children, age two to three, and their families involved in our early intervention system. We have included samples of letters that are required at important points on this time line.
As you decide what you would like for your child following your involvement in early intervention, you may explore an option that he or she attends a community preschool program. We have included questions to ask when evaluating preschool programs, as well as tips in preparing your child for transition into a preschool program. We have also included a section that details concerns that families often have about transportation.
If you choose to pursue a preschool program with special education services, available through your school district, we have included information on identification, referral, evaluation and placement, as well as placement options you may want to consider. To help you actively participate in your child's evaluation; we offer ideas for developing a picture or profile of your child from your perspective as his/her family. We have a section on the Individual Education Program as a framework for your child's learning within these school programs.
We wish you well as you make decisions for your child's preschool years. We hope this booklet is helpful to you and your family. Call on us if we can help you at any point along the way.
Click on the links below to continue
Preschool What If Q&A's and Preschool Transition
To utilize for trainings please contact Span for permission
NICHCY - National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities --
Transitioning to Preschool Information
NJ Special Education
Guide for Advocates
NJ Special Education Code
NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION:
CHAPTER 14, SPECIAL EDUCATION NEW JERSEY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, TITLE 6A EDUCATION
Understanding Transition from Early Intervention
to Preschool (pdf version) (Online Version)
Transportation Checklist