Turning 3

When a child turns three, services and support from Early Childhood Intervention end. Before age three, ECI and the local school district begin what is called a transition plan. This plan shows the steps that will happen to prepare the child to move from ECI to the school district.

There are several steps in this process: When the child is around 27 months, ECI will have a transition steps and services meeting with the family. At this meeting ECI gets the family's permission to share information about the child with the local school district. They also talk about the steps that will happen as the child approaches age 3.

When the child is around 30-33 months, ECI will schedule a transition conference with the family and the local school district. The school district will explain the supports and services they have for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

View Transition: ECI to Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities (PPCD) 

What happens after the meeting with the school?

The school district will schedule a play-based assessment for your child. The play-based assessment is an easy-to-follow way to look at four important developmental areas—sensorimotor, emotional and social, communication, and cognitive—through observation of the child's play with family members, peers, and professionals.

After the play-based assessment is finished, the school district staff will write a report called a Full and Individual Evaluation (FIE). This report will talk about your child’s history, skills, strengths, and needs.An Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) meeting will be held. This will replace the IFSP and Outcomes that ECI used. During the ARD meeting, the committee will talk about what they saw at the play-based assessment, your child’s IEP goals, and the educational placement that will best meet the needs of your child. The ARD committee will meet at least one time every year to review goals and the needs of your child.

Learn more about

• Play-Based Assessment
• Full Individual and Initial Evaluation (FIE)
• Admission Review and Dismissal Meeting   (English)  (Spanish)