GUIDELINES FOR REFERRAL/ADMISSION TO THE
TRANSITIONAL LEARNING CENTER
The McPherson County Special Education Cooperative, Reno County Special Education
Cooperative (RCEC), and Hutchinson Public Schools collaborate to provide a day school
for students with serious emotional disturbance who are unable to function successfully
in regular schools and in lesser restrictive environments. RCEC employs the staff and
administers the program. Following is information about the referral process and
admission.
Referral
It is the policy of McCSEC that when IEP teams are considering Transitional Learning
Center as an option for a student, the Case Coordinator contacts the McCSEC liaison to
TLC and representative on the Transitional Learning Center Admissions Committee. The
Admissions Committee liaison will guide the IEP team through the process of
considering Transitional Learning Center.
The IEP team must ensure that a recent Functional Behavioral Analysis (FBA) has been
completed and a Behavior Intervention Plan is in line with data collected during the FBA
process. There is a fine line between being too quick or delayed when considering
Transitional Learning Center as an option for students. In order for the child to have the
most appropriate services, IEP teams and Case Coordinators are encouraged to contact
one of the McCSEC Behavior Specialists and the McCSEC liaison to TLC early in the
consideration process. IEP teams are encouraged to use the guidelines below in their
considerations.
Admission
It is the policy of McCSEC to use Transitional Learning Center as a service/placement
option on the continuum of special education services for the following:
 students identified with Emotional Disturbance or other severe behavioral issues,
 students transitioning from another day school, or
 students previously enrolled in Transitional Learning Center.
The following general guidelines, developed by the Admission Committee, are
considered upon referral.
1. The student has been identified as a student with a disability and has severe
behavioral issues that interfere with his or her ability to be educated in a less
restrictive environment.
2. The student is at least in 3rd Grade and his/her chronological age is no more than
21 years.
3. The student has been receiving special education services at least 2/3 of the
school day, the school’s resources have been utilized and remedies, at this level,
have been exhausted. In addition, it has been determined that the student requires
greater structure in which to learn.
4. The child’s IEP team has determined that the day school is the most appropriate
and least restrictive placement for the student. Data supportive of this decision
may include, but are not limited to the following:
a. A Functional Behavior Analysis (FBA) has been completed and all
resulting recommendations exhausted in the regular school setting.
b. A Positive Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) is currently in place.
c. A recent reevaluation has been completed.
5. The school district within which the student resides is able to substantiate that the
student cannot be educated in a regular school.
6. If the student has a history of violence, special consideration will be made in
order to ascertain the magnitude of this problem with regard to the
appropriateness of a placement at Transitional Learning Center.
7. The home district shall be responsible for developing the IEP that indicates the
least restrictive environment is Transitional Learning Center.
Transitional Learning Center will annually develop a school calendar. Students attending
Transitional Learning Center will follow this calendar.
The Transitional Learning Center Reintegration Committee and staff will work with the
school staff who is likely to be resuming primary service responsibility for the child in a
less restrictive environment. The McCSEC liaison to Transitional Learning Center will
work with the Case Coordinator and IEP team to help make reintegration a smooth
transition for the student and staff.