Massachusetts recently enacted a new regulation creating something called a Transition Specialist Endorsement.  This is basically a way for a special education teacher or vocational rehabilitation counselor to obtain official state recognition of additional training and experience specific to Transition Planning. The citation of the new regulation is 603 CMR 7.14(4).  The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has also published a set of guidelines to help better understand what is required to obtain the Transition Specialist Endorsement.

This Endorsement was created because of the ongoing difficulty that students with special needs have been encountering trying to transition from secondary to postsecondary life. To highlight some of these challenges, the DESE guidelines note the following:

Too many students with disabilities are unprepared to live and work independently when they exit high school. Currently, according to the US Department of Labor, only 25% of 20-24 year olds with disabilities are employed, compared with 60% of their non-disabled peers. Nearly half of all disabled adults who are employed have an income of less than $15,000 per year. In 2012, data shows only 68.6% of Massachusetts students with disabilities graduated on time with their peers, compared to 84.7% for non-disabled students and the dropout rate for students with disabilities was almost twice as high as the rate for non-disabled students. The President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education acknowledged that, “One reason for these outcomes is that educators are inadequately prepared to provide the transition services required under IDEA.”

 

Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Guidelines for the Transition Specialist Endorsement 2 (2013).

In order to obtain the endorsement, an individual must have at least two years of experience as a special education teacher or as a vocational rehabilitation counselor. They must also complete courses specific to transition services that have been approved by the DESE. The person must also complete 150 hours of field-based experience providing transition services for transition aged students with disabilities. They must also show subject matter knowledge in four different areas (refer to the regulation for details). There are exceptions to these requirements for individuals who can show that they already have met the subject matter knowledge and skills requirements.

The Law Office of James M. Baron represents students and parents in special education and other school-related legal matters throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire.  Please visit http://www.lawbaron.com, or call 781-209-1166 for more information.