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The TransQUAL Discussion Forum was created to foster interaction between people interested in improving transition and career development services and outcomes for all youth, including youth with disabilities. Post your questions, comments, concerns, and announcements. We will make sure that there will be swift and helpful responses. By clicking "subscribe to this topic" (below) you will receive emails whenever anyone posts to the TransQUAL Forum.
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Will There be a Final MTP Conference?

Questions about IEP diplomas and graduations requirements for NYC school students in vocational programs

I am interested in knowing what qualifies a student for an IEP diploma? Are your schools issuing them to students who have left high school to attend vocational programs such as CTI and ETI? I have students who have completed these programs and have done their internships and are now gainfully employed yet the school refuses to issue them IEP diplomas. Do you have any suggestions?

Second concern is that these same students reflect negatively for our school as they have not been discharged to a school and have not graduated with a local diploma? All students surely are not academically inclined. Our schools should not be negatively impacted by students who have successfully completed programs in their field of interest and are productive members of society. Isn't that our ultimate goal???? Any suggestions of how to effect a change here would be gratefully appreciated. Of course there might be a greater impetus to help kids transition to vocational programs if the school was positively affected. Thanks in advance for suggestions and help
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IEP Diplomas in NYC

It is my understanding that in NYC the only requirements for the issuance of an IEP diploma is that the student has reached the age of 18, was in school for at least 12 years and achieved all his/her IEP goals.
If those requirements are met, the students is entitled to receive the IEP diploma upon request at the end of the school year with a letter stipulating that he/she is entitled to return to school up until her/she attains the age of 21.
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IEP Diploma

The IEP diploma is under conversation at a state level for the reasons noted below. You might find this of interest as are the questions posed for discussion found at;
http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/policy/iepdiplomadiscuss.htm

At their July 2008 meeting, the Board of Regents discussed the individualized education program (IEP) diploma for students with disabilities and recommended that the State Education Department seek public comment on the continuation or modification of policy relating to this diploma to address concerns raised by parent and student advocacy organizations, members of the Commissioner’s Advisory Panel for Special Education Services and others that:

Data show a greater than expected percent of students with disabilities exiting school with IEP diplomas.
A decision by the Committee on Special Education (CSE) that the student is expected to achieve an IEP diploma often results in lower expectations for that student.
Too often, the decision about the type of diploma the student is expected to achieve is made earlier than necessary in the student’s educational career. Once this decision is made, such students may not be enrolled in courses that would lead to high school credits necessary for graduation with a regular high school diploma.
Students and parents are often not aware that an IEP diploma is not considered a regular high school diploma.
Without a high school diploma, a student’s access to postsecondary training, education and employment options is limited.
The IEP diploma identifies the individual as a student with a disability, raising concerns about the identification of an individual with a disability in the student’s transcript.
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Please Ignore: Testing--Forum Post in Production Environment

Some people have been experience forum-related issues when responding to this post. This is a test to try to re-produce the bug while posting anonymously.
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About IEP diplomas

I feel that there are larger issues related to this post. If a student can be successful in a vocational program and subsequest employment, why were they unable to attain a standards based diploma 9which is intended to prepare them for employment)? Are the issues student centerd or school/instruction centerd? If schools/classes were more accomodating of student's learning styles and need for accomodation and supports, and were more practical/hands on (but no less ascademic), might studets succeed in attaining a diploma? I assert yes, and until schools/instruction evolve both students with disabilities and many typical students in general ed, will fail to persist, succeed, receive a diploma, and thrive as adults.
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Transition assessments and skill intervention programs

Work experience program for Regents-diploma bound students with services

Level 2 Assessment

What job can students get with IEP Diplomas

parents involvement

Parent Involvement for Secondary Education in NYC

Transition Assessment - Request for Assistance from PA colleagues

What accomplishment are you most proud of within the 1st year of the program?

Vocational Assessment

College Resource Guide for Students with Disabilities

Seeking CTE Curriculum Resources

Vocational Assessments

Upcoming Conferences that MTP Teams Might Like & Need

infusing academic standards into functional curriculum

South Park

Work Plan

Work plan

VESID Artic. Agreement forms

Chelsea MTP partnership with Hire Disability Solutions

Syracuse Work Experiences

Parent Involvement

Parental Involvement

How are people integrating CDOS standards into the academic curricula?

Level 2 Assessment

Release of school records to adult agencies

Guardianship and Post Secondary Education

Employment Personality Testing

Work Study HS Programs

Employment Personality Testing

Drop Out Indicator #2 work group

Model Transition Program ( MTP )

Agency partnerships

What districts?

Question regarding Coordinated Set of Activities

Student Involvement in the IEP Process

NCLB testing requirements

College Connections

Question for TA providers...

School and Agency Partnerships

Are people seeing better transitions of SWD into post secondary life given the emphasis on IEP development and the state performance plan Indicator #13?

A whole new TransQUAL...your ideas?

Your questions, discussion topics

Encouraging diverse team membership

Closing and Re-Opening Records

State Performance Plan #13

Requesting your feedback

Investigating Student Assessment Tools