SO, as your email proclaimed earlier in September, the ISBE has decided now that EVERY student will now have an Employment, Education/Training goal AND an INDEPENDENT LIVING GOAL. I know that this has been a shift in our thinking. WHY has the state decided to do this? Well, the idea is to spur conversation among the IEP team about what skills the student will need to be independent in their adult life. What skills does the student still need to know?
Independent Living Skills can address the following skills:
Financial/Income
Health/Safety
Transportation/Mobility
Social Relationships
Recreation/Leisure
Self Advocacy
Future Planning
Transportation/Mobility
Social Relationships
Recreation/Leisure
Self Advocacy
Future Planning
Right now, the best I can tell, we are required to write a goal in step one of our transition plans. HOWEVER, we are not required to add goals to the IEP in the annual goal section. While we can only choose one drop down goal to pull through onto step three of transition, you can CHECK MULTIPLE boxes on the annual goals and then make a note in the note section of the IEP which goal fits with their independent living goal.
I will be adding additional surveys to the side bar to help aid in the narrowing in of independent living goals that will beneficial to the student. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. I would be more than happy to help in any way! :-)
