(20 ILCS 2405/13a) (from Ch. 23, par. 3444a)

Sec. 13a. (a) The Department shall be responsible for coordinating the establishment of local Transition Planning Committees. Members of the committees shall consist of representatives from special education; vocational and regular education; post-secondary education; parents of youth with disabilities; persons with disabilities; local business or industry; the Department of Human Services; public and private adult service providers; case coordination; and other consumer, school, and adult services as appropriate. The Committee shall elect a chair and shall meet at least quarterly. Each Transition Planning Committee shall:

(1) identify current transition services, programs, and funding sources provided within the community for secondary and post-secondary aged youth with disabilities and their families as well as the development of strategies to address unmet needs;

(2) facilitate the development of transition interagency teams to address present and future transition needs of individual students on their individual education plans;

(3) develop a mission statement that emphasizes the goals of integration and participation in all aspects of community life for persons with disabilities;

(4) provide for the exchange of information such as appropriate data, effectiveness studies, special projects, exemplary programs, and creative funding of programs;

(5) develop consumer in-service and awareness training programs in the local community; and

(6) assist in staff training for individual transition planning and student transition needs assessment.

(b) Each Transition Planning Committee shall select a chair from among its members who shall serve for a term of one year. Each committee shall meet at least quarterly, or at such other times at the call of the chair.

(c) (Blank).

(d) The name and affiliation of each local Transition Planning Committee member required under subsection (c) of this Section shall be filed with the administrative office of each school district served by the local Transition Planning Committee, be made available to the public upon request, and be sent to each member of the General Assembly whose district encompasses the area served by the Transition Planning Committee.

(Source: P.A. 102-264, eff. 8-6-21.)