Making the Shift From School To Life in the Community
As your child gets closer to graduation or the age of 20, they
are starting to move away from services provided under Maine State
Education Regulations (MSER) and Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA) and toward services and/or legal protection
that will be provided through Section 504 or under the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA). Not all children will qualify for
or need additional services. But if you think your child will
require ongoing support, you will need to understand the difference
between entitlement to services and eligibility for services.
This represents a significant shift.
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One of
the most important concepts that students and families must
understand is that once a student’s public education
ends, all entitlements end. |
Access to services from this point forward will be based on
eligibility requirements and, in some cases, the amount of funding
available to provide the service. A smooth transition will more
likely occur when representatives from appropriate adult agencies
and service providers are familiar with your child's strengths
and needs and are involved in the development and implementation
of the plan before your child graduates or exits the school system.
If your child is transitioning to a postsecondary educational
setting, they will need to decide whether they wish to disclose
the presence of their disability or not. This may be done at any
point during their postsecondary education, but it becomes necessary
when your child makes a request for accommodations. Upon disclosure,
your child will need to register with the ADA Coordinator (titles
may vary) on campus. Documentation that verifies the disability
will be needed. It must be current (within three years) and reviewed
to determine whether or not the disability meets the criteria
of the ADA and Section 504.
It is recommended that students register with the ADA coordinator
even if they may not need services. It is easier to register and
not be in need of services, than to backtrack when services are
needed.
“The administrative
unit shall inform, in writing, both the parent and,
when appropriate, the student that completion of the
student’s Individualized Education Program and
consequent graduation and receipt of a regular high
school diploma constitutes a termination of eligibility
for special education services.
A student’s eligibility for FAPE ceases upon graduation
from high school with a regular high school diploma.
Graduation is considered to be a change in placement,
and would require that prior written notice, in accordance
with Section 12.3, be given to the parents and the student.
The notice would inform the parents and the student
of the termination of eligibility for special education
services and of their right to challenge the student’s
pending graduation if they believe that the student
has not met the requirements for graduation with a regular
high school diploma. Students who exit school without
a regular high school diploma continue to be eligible
for special education services until they reach an age
at which their eligibility terminates or they receive
a regular diploma.” (MSER, Chapter 101, Section
5.11, p. 25) |
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