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Parent urges statewide transition 'playbook' and regional programs for students with disabilities
Summary
At the Jan. 28 meeting of the Connecticut State Advisory Council for Special Education, parent Aubrey Gonzalez urged consistent transition planning, earlier and repeated transition meetings, a centralized parent resource 'playbook', and regionalized transition programs to improve post‑secondary outcomes for students with disabilities.
A parent who moved to Connecticut eight years ago told the State Advisory Council for Special Education on Jan. 28 that transition planning for students with disabilities is often inconsistent across districts and leaves families without a coherent roadmap.
"Only one district I toured had a practice of future mapping for students transitioning from junior high into high school," said Aubrey Gonzalez, who identified herself as the parent of an adult child with autism and ADHD. Gonzalez described receiving services "piecemeal" and urged the council to promote earlier and regular transition planning. "I really do think that every IEP meeting should not feel like reinventing the wheel. It should feel like we are progressing down a timeline," she said.
Gonzalez urged the council and State Department of Education to develop a single, central repository of information for families — a parent ‘‘playbook’’ — that would include resources such as the autism waiver, Level Up programming, job‑coaching supports and community services. She also recommended that transition programming be regionalized so districts could pool staff and provide meaningful social‑skills programming for larger cohorts of students.
Her comments reflected concern that students finishing high school sometimes receive a diploma but then lack job direction, support services or follow‑up: "To let them ... go with no oversight is negligent," Gonzalez said, adding that post‑graduation follow‑up on former IEP students is needed.
Council members thanked Gonzalez and noted the concerns tied closely to the council’s annual priorities. Missy Wrigley, SAC chair, told Gonzalez the council would take the remarks "into consideration" and pointed members to the Connecticut State Department of Education website and the council’s annual report for more detail.
The council’s public comment period is advisory; the panel listens and may incorporate public input into its recommendations to the State Department of Education and the Connecticut General Assembly. The council did not take formal action on Gonzalez’s suggestions at the Jan. 28 meeting; members later discussed related priorities in the annual report and planned outreach to legislators ahead of a Feb. 25 Legislative Office Building briefing.
