Bill Text: IL HB0979 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Makes changes to a Section concerning transition goals, supports, and services. Removes certain provisions concerning transition goals and supports. Provides instead that beginning no later than the first individualized education plan (IEP) in effect when the student turns age 14 1/2 (or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team) and updated annually thereafter, the IEP must include (i) measurable postsecondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments and other information available regarding the student that are related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills and (ii) the transition services needed to assist the student in reaching those goals, including courses of study. Makes changes concerning the transition planning process, including additional participants, the IEP identifying each person responsible for transition services, the involvement of a public or private entity outside of the school district in transition services, the limit on a public school's responsibility for delivering educational services, and submitting a summary to the local Transition Planning Committee. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-4)

Status: (Passed) 2009-08-10 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 96-0187 [HB0979 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-HB0979-Enrolled.html

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AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
14-8.03 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/14-8.03) (from Ch. 122, par. 14-8.03)
Sec. 14-8.03. Transition goals, supports, and services.
(a) For purposes of this Section, "transition services"
means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a
disability that (i) is designed to be within a results-oriented
process that is focused on improving the academic and
functional achievement of the child with a disability to
facilitate the child's movement from school to post-school
activities, including post-secondary education, vocational
education, integrated employment (including supported
employment), continuing and adult education, adult services,
independent living, or community participation; (ii) is based
on the individual child's needs, taking into account the
child's strengths, preferences, and interests; and (iii)
includes instruction, related services, community experiences,
the development of employment and other post-school adult
living objectives, and, if appropriate, acquisition of daily
living skills, benefits planning, work incentives education,

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and the provision of a functional vocational evaluation.
Transition services for a child with a disability may be
special education, if provided as specially designed
instruction, or a related service if required to assist a child
with a disability to benefit from special education.
(a-5) Beginning no later than the first individualized
education plan (IEP) in effect when the student turns age 14
1/2 (or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team) and
updated annually thereafter, the IEP must include (i)
measurable post-secondary goals based upon age-appropriate
transition assessments and other information available
regarding the student that are related to training, education,
employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills
and (ii) the transition services needed to assist the student
in reaching those goals, including courses of study. A school
district shall consider, and develop when needed, the
transition goals and supports for eligible students with
disabilities not later than the school year in which the
student reaches age 14 1/2 at the individualized education plan
meeting and provide services as identified on the student's
individualized education plan. Transition goals shall be based
on appropriate evaluation procedures and information, take
into consideration the preferences of the student and his or
her parents or guardian, be outcome-oriented, and include
employment, post-secondary education, and community living
alternatives. Consideration of these goals shall result in the

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clarification of a school district's responsibility to deliver
specific educational services such as vocational training and
community living skills instruction.
(b) Transition planning must be conducted as part of the
IEP process and must be governed by the procedures applicable
to the development, review, and revision of the IEP, including
notices to the parents and student, parent and student
participation, and annual review. To appropriately assess and
develop IEP transition goals and transition services for a
child with a disability plan for the student's transition
needs, additional participants individualized education plan
team members may be necessary and may be invited asked by the
school district, parent, or student to participate assist in
the transition planning process. Additional participants
individualized education plan team members may include without
limitation a representative from the Department of Human
Services or another State agency, a case coordinator, or
persons representing other public or community agencies or
services, such as adult service providers or public community
colleges. The IEP individualized education plan shall identify
specify each person responsible for coordinating and
delivering transition services. If the IEP team determines that
the student requires transition services from a public or
private entity outside of the school district, the IEP team
shall identify potential outside resources, assign one or more
IEP team members to contact the appropriate outside entities,

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make the necessary referrals, provide any information and
documents necessary to complete the referral, follow up with
the entity to ensure that the student has been successfully
linked to the entity, and monitor the student's progress to
determine if the student's IEP transition goals and benchmarks
are being met. The student's IEP shall indicate one or more
specific time periods during the school year when the IEP team
shall review the services provided by the outside entity and
the student's progress in such activities. The public school's
responsibility for delivering educational services does not
extend beyond the time the student leaves school or when the
student's eligibility ends due to age under this Article
student reaches age 21 inclusive, which for purposes of this
Article means the day before the student's 22nd birthday.
(c) A school district shall submit annually a summary of
each eligible student's IEP transition goals and transition
services needed supports resulting from the IEP Team
individualized education plan team meeting to the appropriate
local Transition Planning Committee. If students with
disabilities who are ineligible for special education services
request transition services, local public school districts
shall assist those students by identifying post-secondary
school goals, delivering appropriate education services, and
coordinating with other agencies and services for assistance.
(Source: P.A. 95-793, eff. 1-1-09.)
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon

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