PECT PECT Transition Planning and Post-Secondary Outcomes 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which transition service activity is most appropriate for a 14-year-old student with an intellectual disability who expresses interest in working with animals?
- Enrolling the student in advanced placement science courses
- Arranging a job-shadowing experience at a local veterinary clinic or animal shelter (Correct answer)
- Waiting until age 16 to begin any work-related transition activities
- Scheduling the student for a vocational aptitude test only
Correct answer: Arranging a job-shadowing experience at a local veterinary clinic or animal shelter
Job shadowing provides real-world exposure to a career area of interest and is an age-appropriate transition activity that can begin before formal transition IEP requirements at age 16.
Question 2: Self-determination skills are critical for transition planning because they:
- Allow students to opt out of special education services
- Enable students to advocate for themselves, make informed choices, and direct their own lives after school (Correct answer)
- Ensure students meet state graduation requirements
- Replace the need for transition services from outside agencies
Correct answer: Enable students to advocate for themselves, make informed choices, and direct their own lives after school
Self-determination skills—including goal setting, decision-making, and self-advocacy—empower students to take control of their post-secondary lives and navigate adult services independently.
Question 3: A student's IEP transition section must include a 'course of study.' What does this refer to?
- The student's current academic grades in core subjects
- A multi-year plan of coursework aligned with the student's postsecondary goals (Correct answer)
- The list of remedial courses the student must complete
- A description of the student's current reading level
Correct answer: A multi-year plan of coursework aligned with the student's postsecondary goals
A course of study is a multi-year plan that outlines the classes and educational experiences a student will pursue to work toward their postsecondary goals.
Question 4: Under IDEA, a student with a disability must be invited to their own IEP meeting when:
- They are 18 years old only
- Transition services are being discussed, beginning at age 16 or younger (Correct answer)
- Their parents are unable to attend
- They are in high school regardless of whether transition is discussed
Correct answer: Transition services are being discussed, beginning at age 16 or younger
IDEA requires that the student be invited to IEP meetings when the purpose includes consideration of transition services, which begins at age 16 or earlier.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of a community-based instruction (CBI) activity that supports transition goals?
- Reading a textbook chapter about budgeting
- Practicing grocery shopping skills at a local supermarket (Correct answer)
- Completing a worksheet on job applications
- Watching a video about workplace safety
Correct answer: Practicing grocery shopping skills at a local supermarket
Community-based instruction involves practicing real-life skills in authentic community environments, such as actually shopping at a grocery store to develop budgeting and functional math skills.
Question 6: What does 'summary of performance' (SOP) refer to in special education transition planning?
- A quarterly academic progress report sent to parents
- A document prepared when a student exits special education that summarizes academic achievement and functional performance (Correct answer)
- A behavior intervention plan summary
- A summary of IEP goals written at the start of each school year
Correct answer: A document prepared when a student exits special education that summarizes academic achievement and functional performance
The Summary of Performance is a document required by IDEA when a student exits special education, summarizing their academic achievement, functional performance, and recommendations for post-secondary supports.
PECT PECT Transition Planning and Post-Secondary Outcomes 2
Which transition service activity is most appropriate for a 14-year-old student with an intellectual disability who expresses interest in working with animals?