Children planning to attend a District or charter school may be eligible to transition preschool special education services prior to starting Kindergarten. The transition process will begin one year before your child is eligible for Kindergarten (or 1st grade if the child does not attend Kindergarten).
The goal of the Early Intervention transition process is to determine the levels of special education services your child will need for Kindergarten by the beginning of the school year. As the District evaluation process can be lengthy, eligible children can have an established IEP that will provide support first while seeking a reevaluation with the District or charter school.
For eligible preschool children ages 3 to 5 years old living in Philadelphia and areas of Delaware County, Elwyn SEEDS provides Preschool Early Intervention testing and coordinates support services. When children with Early Intervention services are of school age, Elwyn SEEDS coordinates the Transition to Kindergarten process, which begins a year prior to starting Kindergarten.
As the services available at different schools vary, your student could be placed at a different school to receive the appropriate supports in his or her IEP. Learn about the types of supports available in public schools here.
Private schools have their own independent process to establish the level of supports offered to students needing special education services. For more information, contact the school directly.
The Early Intervention Transition Process
1. Complete the Intent to Register Form. This form will be shared with families who have children eligible for Kindergarten or 1st grade. By indicating your plan to register your child at a District or charter school, Elwyn SEEDS sends your child’s preschool evaluation and IEP to your District or charter school and proceed with the transition process.
2. Receive Notice of Transition Process Options. After reviewing your child’s documents, the District or charter school will notify the parents in writing with the options available. These options are (a) adopt the preschool early intervention IEP for school, (b) adopt the preschool early intervention IEP with revisions, or (c) conduct a reevaluation to establish a new IEP.
3. Attend the Transition Meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss your child’s options in person with the Early Intervention staff and District/charter staff.
4. Register at your Neighborhood School. Your child must be registered and enrolled in a District or charter school. Read about the timeline to register for Kindergarten here and the necessary documents here.
5. Complete the Permission to Re-Evaluate Form (PTRE). While eligible children must have an IEP in place by the beginning of the school year, the District will also require a re-evaluation. After receiving this signed form, the District can begin the reevaluation process. Learn about this process here.
More Information
· Elwyn SEEDS, 215-222-8054
· Office of Specialized Services, 215-400-4170
· The Office of Dispute Resolution, ConsultLine, 800-879-2301
· Education Law Center, 215-238-6970
More information
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