GROWING A LOCAL OR REGIONAL INTERAGENCY TRANSITION COUNCIL (ITC)

As your local or regional ITC matures, you will see what works in your area, for your students, and what does not. Each time you revisit your mission statement, both at the end and the beginning of each school year, schedule some dedicated time during your meeting for brainstorming new ideas. Also, after each sponsored event and at key points while working with students on their transition goals and process, identify successes and where changes or improvements are needed.

For example, in Fayette County, an idea for school-based teams grew out of their ITC. The County Office provided two days of training for each school on the GaDOE Transition Manual, service providers, and accommodations for colleges, etc. Each team at the school is called the START (School Transition Action Resource Team). The team is made up of an administrator, regular education (usually Tech/Career teacher), special educator, and LEA for the school. Each team helps to provide information needed to help implement a transition plan. If the team comes up against a problem at that point the START refers the student and family to the ITC.

CONFIDENTIALITY is required of all ITC members, as you know.

• To enhance ITC members’ awareness of this key commitment, It is recommended that your “Mission Statement” or a related document with a statement re: “Confidentiality” included, be reviewed during the first and last meeting of each year.
• New ITC members will sign the statement as part of an Honor Code commitment for participants.
• Continuing members will initial their original signatures to reflect their ongoing commitment.
• If a member resigns from the ITC, the ITC chair or co-chair may thank the member for serving and remind her or him that a commitment to confidentiality is enduring.

RESOURCES:
Fayette County – Bridging the Gap to Success: School Transition Action Resource Teams (Power Point)