| Preschool children ages 3--4 referred to the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) and found to have delays in social, emotional, cognitive, language and motor skill development are eligible to receive special education programs and related services. Many of them are placed in center-based therapeutic self-contained preschool programs. When they 'turn 5', they are automatically referred to the Committee on Special Education (CSE) for evaluation for appropriate kindergarten placement. Every year in New York City, thousands of young children move from center-based to kindergarten programs. However, transitions at any age are challenging. While transition planning is required dimension of the Individual Educational Plan for these children, the processes for developing and implementing those plans are ambiguous. The purposes of this study were to (1) describe the current processes of determining the programmatic and service delivery needs of preschool children with disabilities as they transition from center-based programs to public school programs and (2) identify the recommendations of critical stakeholders about necessary features of transition planning.; Two conceptual frameworks guided the design of this study. One focused on team decision models. The other specified the decision options available to teams. Data were collected through focus group discussions. Nine (9) CSE team members were presented a typical center-based preschool 'case' and were asked a series of questions relating to the child's educational program and services. Their responses created a foundation for three focus group discussions with 36 preschool center-based staff. The categories that arose in the discussions with the CSE team members and the focus group discussions with center-based staff served as the foundation of a focus group discussion with a panel of 9 parents. The findings of this study reflect the experiences of center-based staff and parents with the transition process.; Meaningful collaboration is hampered by a sense of disengagement between CSEs, preschool stakeholders, and parents in part by logistical difficulties, and limited opportunities for shared decision making and planning, which create negative perceptions about the processes and the CSEs. A transition plan requires early planning, with equal opportunities for engagement, evaluations, decision making, and participation. |
