Enhancing Transition for Students with Disabilities Across New York State: State Performance Plan #13 and the New York State Transition Quality Indicators

Abstract

This policy brief describes the relationship between state reporting requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 and New York State's process for continuous quality improvement, utilizing TransQUAL Online. The federal government established State Performance Plan Indicator #13 (SPP 13) so that states would report the percentage of students with Individualized Education Programs whose goals and transition services reasonably enable the student to meet measurable post-secondary goals. In New York State, Transition Quality Indicators (TQI) were established to help school districts collaboratively assess their current transition-related practices. TransQUAL Online is a password-protected organizational assessment tool that integrates the TQI with planning and reflection tools and resources, supporting a continuous improvement approach. The author identifies a process by which a school district planning team can infuse SPP 13 data into the TransQUAL collaborative process, bringing this mandated review into a broader context. Tables are included that directly link Transition Quality Indicators to elements of the SPP 13 measurement tool.