POLICY

  1. Transition activities may begin up to nine (9) months, but no later than six (6) months, prior to the child's third birthday.
  2. For all children who are not due for an annual IFSP review meeting within 120 days of their third birthday, a meeting of the IFSP team must be convened no more than 120 days prior to the child's third birthday to discuss and document progress toward IFSP functional outcomes and EI Levels of Development/Child Outcomes.
  3. For children who may be eligible for preschool services, upon consent of the child's parent's a conference shall be convened no more than nine (9) months but at least 90 days before the child's third birthday. This conference shall be attended by at least the family, the Service Coordinator and the Local Education Agency (LEA)/School District to discuss services for the child, including service options for the period from the child's third birthday through the remainder of the school year.
  4. For children who will not be eligible for preschool services, upon consent of the child's parent's reasonable efforts shall be made to convene a conference with the family, the Service Coordinator and providers of other services.
  5. A transition plan shall be developed based on the conferences, which shall provide for discussion with and training of the family, as well as for the transition of the child.
  6. The Child and Family Connections (CFC) section of the Early Intervention (EI) to Early Childhood (EC) Tracking form must be completed. If a child's parents have agreed to complete the transition process to determine eligibility for preschool services, the following must occur.
    1. The Service Coordinator completes the Early Intervention (EI) to Early Childhood (EC) Tracking form and makes a copy for the CFC Program Manager for tracking purposes. NOTE: See form instructions at the end of this Section.
    2. The Service Coordinator sends the tracking form to the LEA/School District with the referral packet or gives the form to the LEA/School District representative at the transition meeting.
    3. The LEA/School District completes the form and returns it to the CFC within 20 calendar days after the child's third birthday. The information received from the LEA/School District documents the initiation of EC services.
    4. This information is entered into Cornerstone immediately upon receipt.
    5. If the form is not received from the LEA/School District within one month past the child's third birthday, a telephone call will be made by the CFC to the LEA/School District representative to determine the status of the form.

PROCEDURE

  1. Within nine (9) months, but no later than six (6) months prior to the child's third birthday begin to communicate with the child's family about transition.
    1. Obtain written parental consent on the Consent for Release of Information form to make transition referrals and to share information from the child's CFC permanent record with the LEA/School District and/or other community program(s) that the child may transition to. NOTE: The end date on the consent form to make referrals and to share information for transition purposes should be a child's third birthday. If a child's case is closed prior to a child's third birthday, the consent form to make referrals and to share information for transition purposes is still valid until the end date identified on the form.
    2. With written parental consent, inform the child's LEA/School District that the child will shortly reach the age of eligibility for preschool services under Part B of the Individual With Disabilities Education Act. Send the family a copy of The Educational Rights of Students with Disabilities.
    3. Complete or assist the family in completing district-specific referral procedures.
    4. Document all transition activities in Cornerstone Service Coordinator case notes.
    5. If a child exits the system prior to age three, notify the LEA/School District prior to closing the child's case if a transition referral has already been made. If the notification is not made prior to closing the case, the Service Coordinator can still notify the LEA/School District up to the end date identified on the Consent for Release of Information form. After the end date identified on the form, either the Service Coordinator or the LEA/School District representative will have to obtain a new written consent from the family to allow the release of information from the CFC to the LEA/School District.
    6. If the parent(s) decline a referral to the LEA/School District, complete Section I of the EI to EC Tracking form (boxed in area of form) and submit the form to the LEA/School District. Do not provide any other information on the form except what is required in the boxed in area of Section I. NOTE: A Consent for Release of Information form is not required in order to notify the LEA/School District that a transition referral was declined.
  2. Convene a meeting of the child's IFSP team no more than 120 days prior to the child's third birthday to discuss and document progress toward IFSP functional outcomes and EI levels of development/child outcomes. NOTE: If the IFSP team is able to participate in the transition conference described in Procedure 3.0 below, and progress measurement can be obtained at that point, it is not necessary to convene a separate IFSP team meeting. Either way, this step must be completed prior to a child's third birthday, regardless of whether or not a child transitions into preschool or other services.
  3. At least 90 days but not more than nine (9) months prior to the child's third birthday convene a transition conference. 
    1. If the child may be eligible for preschool services the Service Coordinator shall complete the following activities:
      1. With written parental consent, convene a conference consisting of at least the family, the Service Coordinator and the LEA/School District to discuss services for the child. NOTE: The LEA/School District has an obligation under the law to participate in transition planning conferences;
      2. During the conference, review the child's service options for the period from the child's third birthday through the remainder of the school year concerning preschool services;
      3. If the EI to EC Tracking form (pdf) has not already been completed and sent to the LEA/School District with the referral packet, complete the CFC portion of the tracking form, make a copy of the form to give to the CFC Program Manager for tracking purposes and give the completed form to LEA/School District;
      4. Upon receipt of the EI to EC Tracking form (pdf) from the LEA/School District, enter the information on the Tracking form into the Early Childhood Tracking screen in the Cornerstone system and file a copy in the child's CFC permanent record. NOTE: See Procedure to complete the EI to EC tracking form at the end of this Section; and
      5. If the form is not received from the LEA/School District within one month past the child's third birthday, a telephone call will be made by the CFC to the LEA/School District representative to determine the status of the form.
    2. If the child will not be eligible for preschool services the Service Coordinator shall complete the following activities:
      1. With written parental consent, make reasonable efforts to convene a conference consisting of the family, the Service Coordinator and providers of other appropriate services to discuss possible service options after the child leaves the Early Intervention program.
      2. Complete the CFC portion of the EI to EC Tracking form and enter the information into Cornerstone. File a copy in the child's CFC permanent record.
    3. Document all transition activities in Cornerstone Service Coordinator case notes.
  4. On the child's third birthday, or as soon after as possible, complete the following activities:
    1. Edit the child's Cornerstone program status on the Program Information screen to indicate case closure reason NOTE: In order to ensure accurate federal reporting data, it is very important to manually close all cases in Cornerstone in a timely manner and to document accurate termination reasons. Cases that are not manually terminated in Cornerstone will automatically terminate approximately 30 days after the child's third birthday and could negatively impact the CFC's performance contracting statistical data.
    2. Print a hard copy of the Cornerstone Service Coordinator case notes and file in the child's CFC permanent record;
    3. Terminate Service Coordinator assignment on the Cornerstone Case Manager Assignment History screen;
    4. Close the hard copy and electronic case records. NOTE: Closing the electronic case record automatically adjusts all authorization end dates to one day before the case closure date (unless authorizations have been adjusted to end earlier). Be considerate of service providers and final service dates when closing electronic case records

Early Intervention to Early Childhood Transition Tracking Form Procedures

Section I

  • Completed by the CFC Service Coordinator by 90 days prior to the child's 3rd birthday.
  • List identifying information.
  • Check off services received in the EI system.
  • Service Coordinator signs Section 1.
  • Service Coordinator makes a copy and gives the copy to the CFC Program Manager.
  • At referral to LEA/School District or at the transition meeting, CFC gives Tracking Form to LEA/School District representative.
  • The boxed area must be completed regardless of parent's decision to accept early childhood services.

Section II

  • Completed by LEA/School District.
  • Upon the child's start into Early Childhood Special Education, other program, or parental refusal, school personnel completes the form and returns it to the CFC Program Manager within 20 calendar days after a child's 3rd birthday, and faxes a copy to ISBE using fax number (217) 782-0372 or mail to: ISBE, Department of Special Education, 100 N. First St., Springfield, IL 62777.
  • If eligibility was not determined within the 20 calendar days, but is determined at a later date, the LEA/School District must complete and send a new or revised form to the CFC Program Manager for child find and tracking purposes.
  • LEAs/School Districts must ensure that they are not responsible for a delay in special education eligibility being determined.

LEA/School District enters the date that the form was received. If CFC does not initiate the form, the LEA/School District should do so and indicate with the check box that they have initiated the form.

Screening Date: Screening is not required and cannot delay the process.

Consent for Evaluation: Enter date that consent for Evaluation was obtained.

Assessments Completed: Enter the date that assessments were completed.

IEP Completed Date: Enter the date that the IEP was completed & the date that services began. If services were delayed, enter reason for delay and state why at the bottom of the form.

Service Recommended: If eligible for Special Education and Related Service (left side of table) check the appropriate program where child will receive services and list the related services. If the child is not eligible for special education, (right side of table) check the program the child will participate in, or check "No Program Desired".

  • Parent declined special education services: Check this box if child is eligible, but parent declined special services. State why? What service? And date declined.
  • "No show" by Family: Check this box if the family did not show up to participate in the meeting. Identify all attempts to reschedule the meeting at the bottom of the form.
  • Unable to contact Family: Check this box if the family was unable to be contacted. Identify all attempts to contact the family at the bottom of this form.

CFC Activities/DHS Activities

CFC Program Manager will track the receipt of the form. If the form is not received from the LEA/School District within one month past the child's third birthday, a telephone call will be made by the CFC to the LEA/School District representative to determine the status.

DHS designated entity will keep statistical information regarding each child's 3-5 year placement and provide information as requested. DHS and ISBE use this data to report to the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).