Several kinds of assessment are relevant to helping Charlita define and achieve her transitional goals. First, formal and informal assessments from her classes and special education teachers are critical to understanding her academic strengths and weaknesses. What will she still need support with when she's out of high school (for example, it sounds like she's improved in her reading, but may need more help with math)?
Second, vocational assessments (again, both formal and informal) will help determine what jobs Charlita would be best suited for. It's critical to take her interests into account here. It's also important -- and legally mandatory -- to consult with her family, but Charlita is old enough that unless her abilities are impacted to the point that she needs significant support in multiple areas, she should be able to take a lead role on her planning team.
That said, you can also note to her family that the goal of special education is for Charlita to be as independent and participate in life activities as much as possible, and that includes work/financial independence. There are a lot of jobs out there that could incorporate the office skills she's learning now with the community outreach she enjoys doing. The planning team could draft a plan to identify these jobs, the strengths to highlight on applications and areas of weakness she may need support in, and a timeline for achieving employment.
No comments:
Post a Comment