Cal. Education Code - EDC 2. — ARTICLE 2. Transition Services [56460. - 56463.] | Education Code - EDC — California

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56460. Section 56460.

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) That while the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 (Public Law 94-142) and the California Master Plan for Special Education have resulted in improved educational services for individuals with exceptional needs; this has not translated into paid employment opportunities or maximum integration into our heterogeneous communities for individuals with exceptional needs. (b) That there is no formalized process that bridges the gap between the security and structure of school and the complexity of service options and resources available for individuals with exceptional needs in the adult community. (c) That there is insufficient coordination between educators, adult service providers, potential employers, and families and students in order to effectively plan and implement a successful transition for students to the adult world of paid employment and social independence. (d) That because of insufficient vocational training throughout the middle and secondary school years, and effective interagency coordination and involvement of potential employers in a planning process, the majority of options available for individuals with exceptional needs in the adult community are programs that support dependence rather than independence. (e) The goal of transition services is planned movement from secondary education to adult life that provides opportunities which maximize economic and social independence in the least restrictive environment for individuals with exceptional needs. Planning for transition from school to postsecondary environments should begin in the school system well before the student leaves the system.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56461. Section 56461.

The superintendent shall establish the capacity to provide transition services for a broad range of individuals with exceptional needs such as employment and academic training, strategic planning, interagency coordination, and parent training.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56462. Section 56462.

The transition services shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (a) In-service training programs, resource materials, and handbooks that identify the following: (1) The definition of “transition,” including the major components of an effective school-based transition program. (2) Relevant laws and regulations. (3) The roles of other agencies in the transition process including, but not limited to, the scope of their services, eligibility criteria, and funding. (4) The components of effective transition planning. (5) The role of families in the individualized transition process. (6) Resources and model programs currently available in this state. (b) Development of the role and responsibilities of special education in the transition process, including the following: (1) The provision of work skills training, including those skills that are necessary in order to exhibit competence on the job. (2) The provision of multiple employment options and facilitating job or career choice by providing a variety of vocational experiences. (3) The collection and analysis of data on what happens to pupils once they leave the school system and enter the adult world. (4) The coordination of the transition planning process, including development of necessary interagency agreements and procedures at both state and local levels. (5) The provision of instructional learning strategies that will assist pupils who find learning difficult in acquiring skills that will enable them to obtain diplomas, promote a positive attitude toward secondary and postsecondary education and training, and make a successful transition to postsecondary life. (c) The development and implementation of systematic and longitudinal vocational education curriculum including the following: (1) Instructional strategies that will prepare pupils with severe disabilities to make a successful transition to supported employment and the community. (2) The introduction of vocational and career education curriculum in the elementary grades for those pupils who can benefit from it. (d) Materials, resource manuals, and in-service training programs to support the active participation of families in the planning and implementation of transition-related goals and activities. (e) The development of resources and in-service training that will support the implementation of individualized transition planning for all pupils with exceptional needs. (f) The development of a network of model demonstration sites that illustrate a wide variety of transition models and implementation strategies. (g) Coordination with other specialized programs that serve students who face barriers to successful transition. (h) A research, evaluation, and dissemination program that will support the major programmatic aspects of transition services. Through a variety of competitive grants, bids, contracts, and other awards specific content areas will be developed in cooperation with a variety of field-based agencies, including local education agencies, special education local plan areas, county offices, institutions of higher education, and in-service training agencies.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56463. Section 56463.

Transition services shall be funded pursuant to the Budget Act.