special education student transition plan template

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Detailed Report

• Exemplar IEP Transition Plans

New Hampshire exemplars

The Parent Information Center (PIC)  and the  New Hampshire Department of Education worked together to develop two exemplar IEP transition plans, Ryan and Sarah. Both IEPs are included in the Life After High School Transition Toolkit  (PDF, 80 pages, 2018) from PIC.

Heidi Wyman, NH-based transition consultant, developed a Transition Planning Worksheet (PDF, 3 pages, 2020) that looks like the NHSEIS IEP to use in transition conversations with students and families.

Ryan  will graduate at age 21 with a certificate of attendance. His employment goal is to become a state trooper. His annual goals include steps to test the viability of that goal.

Ryan’s NH IEP transition plan

Examples of  measureable annual goals and a chart to help build them.

Sarah  will graduate with a regular high school diploma and plans to attend a 4-year college to major in a field related to writing.

Sarah’s NH IEP transition plan

Jamarreo  will graduate with a regular high school diploma and plans to attend a community college to obtain a welding certificate.

Jamarreo’s transition plan

National exemplars

The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) developed case study collection with a cross-section of gender, ages, and disability categories. Note that you may have to set up a free account to view the case studies.

Several of the case studies contain examples and non-examples of measurable postsecondary goals and annual goals.

Allison has a specific learning disability in reading comprehension and written expression, and organizational challenges. She would like to attend a four-year college and major in child development.

Allison’s case study

Lilly has severe multiple mental and physical disabilities who likes to be around people. She receives specially designed instruction with an alternate curriculum in a separate school setting.

Lilly’s case study

Lissette is a 20 year old student with Down Syndrome and plans to complete a certificate program in food service.

Lissette’s case study

Alex is a 17 year old student with autism spectrum disorder who would like to continue working in the business department of an office supply store, and may need employment supports.

Alex’s case study

Chris is a 19 year old senior with emotional disturbance and a moderate hearing loss. He has interests in welding and auto body.

Chris’s case study

Aaliyah is a 17 year old sophomore with a mild to moderate hearing loss detected in third grade.

Aaliyah’s case study

Jamal is a 16 year old sophomore with cerebral palsy and an orthopedic impairment. He would like to become a lawyer.

Jamal’s case study

Connor is an 18 year old senior with a profound hearing loss. He would like to attend a 4-year college and become a graphic designer.  

Connor’s case study

Sean  is a 15 year old sophomore with a specific learning disability in mathematics and language processing. He’s interested in diesel mechanics.

Sean’s case study

Middle School

NTACT also offers two exemplars for middle school students.

Tyler is 13 years old and in 7th grade, with a specific learning disability in reading comprehension and written expression.

Tyler’s case study

Carla is almost 14 years old and in 8th grade, with a moderate intellectual disability.

Carla’s case study

Updated 10-27-22

Transition IEP General Help

• Introduction
• About Indicator 13
• Video Shorts on Transition IEPs
• Operationalizing Student Voice in the IEP (PDF)

Transition IEP Requirements

• NH Indicator 13 Checklist (PDF)
• Postsecondary Goals
• Transition Assessments
• Transition Services
• Course of Study
• Annual Goals
• Student Invitation
• Invitation to Participating Agency

Additional Resources

• Requirements placement in IEP (PDF)
• Blank IEP form from NHSEIS (PDF)
• NH DOE Indicator 13 Compliance Guidance (PDF, 15 pages, Aug 2023) 
• NH DOE Indicator 13 webpage

Because differences are our greatest strength

What is IEP transition planning?

By Andrew M.I. Lee, JD

At a glance

Transition planning helps students with IEPs prepare for life after high school.

IEP transition planning must start by the time a student turns 16.

Planning is about more than just college — it covers jobs and daily life skills too.

Transition planning is a process to help students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) decide what they want to do after high school. It also helps them figure out how to get there. The purpose is to help teens prepare to be independent young adults.

IEP transition planning is more than just a hopeful exercise or brainstorming session. During planning, teens work on specific goals. They get services and do activities to help achieve these goals.

At the heart of the transition process is the transition plan. This is a required part of a student’s IEP by the time they turn 16. To develop it, the IEP team works with a student to identify strengths   and interests. These, in turn, guide planning.

The IEP transition plan has two important pieces: postsecondary goals and transition services (plus activities). See examples of IEP transition plans for career- and college-bound students:

Example IEP transition plan: Career PDF - 35.4 KB

Example IEP transition plan: College PDF - 34.9 KB

Students are encouraged to take a leading role in IEP transition. In fact, the IEP team must invite a student to meetings where transition planning is discussed. If the student can’t attend, the team must make sure the student’s interests and desires are considered. 

Watch an expert give an overview of a successful transition plan.

Dive deeper

Postsecondary goals.

The goals in the IEP transition plan state what a student wants to do or achieve after high school. Goals can be in four areas:

Vocational training (e.g., learning a trade )

Postsecondary education  (e.g., college or other schooling)

Jobs and employment

Independent living , if needed

Just like annual IEP goals, transition goals must be written with a result in mind. They must also be measurable. In other words, you must be able to know if the goals have been accomplished. Transition goals must focus on what happens after high school. 

Keep in mind that transition goals may change several times as a student’s interests develop. It’s not unusual for teens to explore different careers and paths. Transition goals are reviewed and updated every year, along with the rest of the IEP.

Goals may be more general for kids in middle school and when they’re starting high school. They get more specific as students enter later grades.

For example, a transition goal for an eighth grader might be: After high school, I will work full time in a career working with cars. An example of a goal for a 10th grader might be: After graduating from high school, I will enroll at ABC College (an automotive technician school) and take classes to prepare me for a career as a mechanic.

Good transition goals can be a challenge to write. Learn what an effective goal looks like . 

Transition services

Once transition goals are set, the IEP team will decide what services a student needs to meet goals. The range of possible services is broad:

Instruction (including special education)

Related services

Community experiences, like volunteer work

Career and college counseling

Help with daily living skills, if needed

These services must be reviewed and updated each year to support a student’s transition goals. Just like goals, services may change over time to reflect a student’s interests. The IEP team might list accommodations, too.

The team can also use IEP goals to support the transition plan. For example, a student who wants to attend auto mechanic school may first need to learn specific math skills. So the team may need to set IEP goals and provide school services related to math.

Some transition services can take place at school. But often, transition services occur at home or in the community, like at local youth employment programs and vocational rehab centers. During transition planning, the IEP team may invite people from the community, like counselors and job specialists, to help.

Learn about how to help teens and young adults with the job hunting process .

Activities that support IEP transition planning

Along with goals and services, nearly all IEP transition plans have activities for the student to do. The idea is to prepare teens for adulthood.

Transition goals related to independent living may involve having teens take on more responsibility. For example, teens might:

Open a bank account and learn to manage money.

Shop for groceries and plan and prepare meals.

Be responsible for maintaining a car and buying auto insurance.

Use public transportation.

Schedule their own appointments with a health care provider and choose health insurance.

Set up and use a calendar for school, work, personal appointments, and leisure time.

Similarly, a student may explore college, career, and job options. Here are examples of student activities:

Research and visit local colleges and training schools they’re interested in attending.

Meet with other students   who have gone on to college or career.

Tour a workplace or shadow a mentor or role model at work. 

Network with friends and relatives about their careers.

Go on informational interviews.

Explore local internships and apprenticeships.

Learn about how to find an apprenticeship .

How IEP transition planning ends

As a student gets older, the IEP team gets ready for the change to adulthood. At least a year before a teen turns the age of majority — 18 in most states — the team must start preparing for the transfer of IEP rights.

When students graduate from or leave high school, they also get what’s called a summary of performance. This document lists academic and functional skills. It also offers recommendations for achieving postsecondary goals. 

Once the IEP ends, so does transition planning. But if transition planning is done well, the young person should be prepared to take the next steps in adulthood. 

Parents and caregivers: Read about parental rights when your child with an IEP turns 18 .

Tips for students

If you’re a student with an IEP, you can look forward to the school inviting you to be part of transition planning. It can help you plan for your future.

One thing you can do is start to think about what you’d like to do after high school. Get ideas:

See a list of example careers for people who learn and think differently.

It’s OK if you don’t know exactly what you want to do. Or if you feel anxious about the future. These feelings are common. You can ask the IEP team to include services or activities to help you find your strengths and interests. This might mean trying out different things.

Tips for families and educators

As you help a student plan for IEP transition, you’ll run into two big questions.

First, when is a good time to start? Although services must start by age 16, planning often starts earlier. Some IEP teams begin working with students as early as middle school to help them explore their interests and possible careers. It often depends on the child’s needs and maturity.

Second, what role should the student have in IEP transition meetings? In general, students should attend and take a leading role. After all, they’re the ones preparing for adult life. At the same time, not every child has the skills or maturity to play a leading role in IEP meetings.

Read more about the pros and cons of kids attending IEP meetings .

For more help with IEP transition planning, visit the  National Technical Assistance Center on Transition . The center is funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

Explore related topics

Transition planning for students with IEPs

by: Kristin Stanberry | Updated: June 13, 2023

Print article

The transition from high school to young adulthood is a critical stage for all teenagers; for students with learning disabilities (LD), this stage requires extra planning and goal setting. Factors to consider include post-secondary education, the development of career and vocational skills, as well as the ability to live independently. The first step in planning for a successful transition is developing the student’s transition plan. A transition plan is required for students enrolled in special education who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP). In this article, we will define and describe transition planningand how it can be utilized to maximize your teenager’s future success.

What is a Transition Plan?

A transition plan is the section of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) that outlines transition goals and services for the student. The transition plan is based on a high school student’s individual needs, strengths, skills, and interests. Transition planning is used to identify and develop goals which need to be accomplished during the current school year to assist the student in meeting his post-high school goals.

When Should Transition Planning Begin?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 04) requires that in the first IEP that will be in effect when the student turns 16 years of age, his annual IEP must include a discussion about transition service needs (some states may mandate that the process start even earlier). A statement of those needs, based upon his transition assessment and future goals, must then be written into his IEP. IDEA 04 mandates that the annual IEP meeting focus on more specific planning and goal setting for the necessary transition services. Factors to be included are: academic preparation, community experience, development of vocational and independent living objectives, and, if applicable, a functional vocational evaluation. The agreed upon plans must then be documented in the student’s IEP. The law also requires that a statement of the student’s transition goals and services be included in the transition plan. Schools must report to parents on the student’s progress toward meeting his transition goals.

The IEP team may begin discussing transition services with the student before he turns 16, if they see fit. If the IEP team hasn’t begun to focus on transition planning by the time your child turns 16, it is important for you, as the parent, to initiate that process.

Why is Transition Planning Important?

It isn’t enough to simply be aware that teenagers need guidance to transition successfully from high school to the next phase of young adulthood; concrete action steps must be taken to guide and prepare teens for college and/or a career, and for independent living. Without this guidance, students with learning disabilities often fail or flounder in high school and beyond. Consider these sobering statistics:

• Over 30% of children with learning disabilities drop out of high school. (Source: 28th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act , 2006)
• Only 13% of students with learning disabilities (compared to 53% of students in the general population) have attended a 4-year post-secondary school program within two years of leaving high school. (Source: National Longitudinal Transition Study , 1994)

Transition services, provided by knowledgeable educators and community resources, can be tailored to a student’s goals and strengths and provide him with options and plans for his future. Transition services offer students with learning disabilities hope for the future.

What Transition Services Are Available for a High School Student with Learning Disabilities (LD) and an IEP?

At the high school level, transition services for students who have LD and an IEP are available through their special education programs and general education programs. Special education staff provides assistance with counseling, identifying vocational interests, educational and vocational planning, goal setting, pre-vocational skills training, academic support, and linkages to specific programs and services.

Other transition-related services that are available to all high school students include guidance counseling, career center services, work experience education, academy programs, and career education vocational courses. Check with your child’s special education teacher and/or your school district’s office of student personnel services to see which specific programs are offered.

Who Should Participate in IEP Meetings where Transition Planning is Discussed?

All transition planning meetings should include the student, family members, teachers, and other school staff. According to IDEA, anyone else involved in the student’s transition plan must also be invited. This might include representatives from school-to-work transition programs, local social service agencies, counseling programs, medical care providers, and advocates.

Parents are key players in the transition planning process. You know your child better than anyone else and can share plans and ideas you and your child have discussed concerning his future. You can help by contributing information about your child’s life and experiences outside of school. It’s important to include your teenager in these discussions and encourage him to advocate for his own needs and wishes.

What is the Role of a High School Student in Transition Planning?

A student needs to begin thinking about what he wants to do as an adult before his first transition planning meeting takes place. This is his chance to take an active role in planning his education and make school relevant to his future. This is the time for the student to propose dreams and set goals for reaching them. It is an avenue to prove what he can accomplish, to identify things he enjoys and feels competent doing, and to set himself on a path of his choosing. At the same time, he should be realistic about how he’ll need to accommodate for his learning difficulties while pursuing his education and vocation. In general, the transition plan can emphasize a student’s abilities rather than his areas of difficulty.

Some steps a high school student can take to prepare for the transiton planning process include:

• Using his school’s career center to identify his interests and find out what education and training are required.
• Completing interest inventories to identify his interests, skills, abilities, and aptitudes as they relate to employment.
• Doing volunteer work or entry-level jobs in his field(s) of interest.
• Observing and interviewing adults who perform the type of work that interests him.
• Visiting training institutes and colleges to learn about entrance requirements; this will help your teenager choose the necessary classes in high school. For example, students interested in forestry need to take science; engineers need advanced math courses; actors need drama courses, and graphic artists need art as well as computer design classes.

Transition Planning Activities at Home and in the Community

Many transition planning activities and objectives are carried out at school. However, unlike traditional IEP objectives, many objectives stated in the transition plan take place outside of school – at home and in the community. These activities may include:

Giving your teen chores and responsibilities will encourage his independence and responsibility. As you do this, think ahead to the skills he’ll need as an independent adult. For example:

• He should open his own checking or savings account(s) and learn how to manage his money.
• When he’s learning to drive and studying to pass his driver’s license test, he should also learn about automobile insurance and routine vehicle maintenance.
• It’s never too early to teach your child self-advocacy skills ; these skills will continue to help him move toward independent adulthood.

In the Community:

Look within your own community for opportunities to expose your teenager to future possibilities. Consider:

• Taking your teenager to work.
• Networking with friends and relatives about their jobs. Consider having your child take a workplace tour and conduct informational interviews.
• Researching and visiting local colleges and training schools your teenager is interested in attending.

What Community Resources are Available to Help Students in the Transition Process?

Most communities have a variety of resources to assist students with the transition process. For job listings, youth may contact their local youth employment program, summer jobs for youth program, and WorkAbility and/or Transition Partnership programs (TPP) at their school. Local vocational centers offer training in hundreds of occupations. These centers include Regional Occupational Program (ROP), Job Corps, state Conservation Corps (CCC), adult education programs, and community colleges.

Final Documentation: Your Child’s Summary of Performance

IDEA 04 requires schools to provide a “Summary of Performance” to a student who will no longer be eligible for special education services because he is graduating from high school with a regular diploma or because he exceeds the age for services in his state. The Summary of Performance must include information on the student’s academic achievement and functional performance; it must also recommend ways to help the student meet his postsecondary goals. The information provided in the summary should be adequate to satisfy the disability documentation required under federal laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 – which apply to both postsecondary education and adult employment.

Be sure you, as the parent, obtain and keep a copy of your child’s Summary of Performance. This will ensure the document is not lost should your teenager misplace or discard his copy.

Preparing for Future Success

Noted psychologist and author Bob Brooks points out, “It is not unusual to find that some individuals with learning problems first begin to experience success after they leave school, at which time they engage in activities that are more in keeping with their interest and strengths.” Developing and utilizing a transition plan in high school can help your teenager with LD pave the way to a more successful and fulfilling future.

Understood.org is a comprehensive resource for parents of kids with learning and attention issues. Explore their conversation starters to help kids self-advocate .

Updated January 2010

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Transition plans.

• Part of an IEP, often in chart form, outlining an annual goal and specific responsibilities of team members and timelines. • Common transitions that can be addressed on a transition plan include: entry to school, move to a new school, move to a new grade/teacher, transition from grade 8 to grade 9 (elementary to secondary transition), transition to post-secondary (after high school: workplace, apprenticeship, college, university, community, etc.) • Other transitions could include: starting/stopping activities, leaving the classroom, going to recess/gym, going on fieldtrips, having guest speakers in, preparing for fire drill/emergency evacuations.

Transition plans are a required component of Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Students on IEPs who are 14 years of age and older require a transition plan as part of their IEP to plan for post-secondary activities, except for students who are solely identified with giftedness. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and other students who need support with changes, will also have a transition plan to prepare for daily transitions, between activities or locations, as their specific needs indicate. Transition plans can be utilized for students to help them cope with change.

Sample Transition Plans For Students With Disabilities

• Categories : Special education law ID ea, ieps, 504s, cses & planning
• Tags : Special ed information for teachers & parents

Components Of a Transition Plan

Transition plan forms are developed and completed as part of the IEP. They should be completed no later than when a student turns sixteen or earlier. The IEP team should revise and update the transition form every year. Sample transition plans for students with disabilities should include the student’s interests, preferences, abilities and transition services needs.

All transition plan forms should also include a student’s educational goals, including post-secondary and technical training. It should always have a student’s employment goals including any supported employment services. A transition form should always have assessment needs including any functional vocational evaluation, the form should have any type of community participation the student will be involved in. The form should also include a students independent living skills and linkages to adult services.

Designing a Plan

The IEP team is encouraged to plan backward, meaning they should start planning from where they hope the student needs to be at graduation to the present. They need to think about several things when planning such as the student’s career choices, continuing education or training, employment, living arrangements, income and financial decisions, support needs, transportation needs, medical needs, personal care needs, personal relationships, leisure skills, individual counseling, legal needs and recreational activities.

The first step in transition planning is deciding on a students long term goals. A student should be asked what it is they want to do once they leave school. The second step is helping the student develop their current year goals, and this can be achieved by asking the student what it is they need to do this year to get to their post-school goal. The third step is to help the student identify transition services that they may need.

The student should be asked if they need help to meet goals for this year and if so from whom and what kind of help do they need. The fourth step is to figure out what other type of services the student might need like, will the student need other help to get to their post school goal such as functional vocational evaluation, daily living skills training, applying for SSI or other services.

Sample Structure

Sample transition plans for students with disabilities should always include a needs assessment, accommodations, modification, teaching methods, lesson content and structure and assessment. However, when writing a transition lesson plan, the four step plan has to be followed.

This plan for disabled students is; deciding on the student’s long term goals, helping the student develop their current year goals, helping the student identify the transition services they may need and what other services the student might need. Here is an example of a transition lesson structure.

Step 1) The teacher should divide the classroom into pairs.

Step 2) The teacher should then distribute one index card to each pair. One sample transition should be included in each card. The teacher should make sure they include transitions from each aspect of life whether it be personal, family, community and career. Sample transitions include:

• Selecting a college (personal transition)
• Reacting to peer pressure(personal transition)
• Deciding whether or not to build a cabin at at the lake
• Deciding where to live (family transition)
• Selecting a doctor, dentist, church or recreation activity (community transition)
• Deciding where you will bank and deciding about your summer job (career transition).

Step 3) The teacher should give each group about 20 minutes to work through the four-step planning process and determine how they will go about managing the transition assigned to them.

Before the student pairs begin their 20 minute task, provide them with a worksheet that will detail the groups sample transition, their current level of performance and skills they will need to obtain to achieve their transition goals.

Bring closure to this co-operative group skill session by asking each pair to state, aloud to the entire group, the transition they were assigned and to state what their current levels of performance are, what skills they are intending to obtain in order to reach their transition goals and what barriers they think they might come across and what type of facilitation they need to overcome the barriers.

Transition planning is something that occurs through most of the life of a special education student but in high school the students have to have a plan that is formal in order to have successful transition from youth to adulthood and that is why it is quite important that teachers write successful transition plans with their students and revise them frequently to ensure that the students will be as successful as possible in their adult life.

https://www.instructorweb.com/lesson/transitions.asp

Transition Planning for Students

• Introduction to transition planning

Why is secondary transition important?

What should be included in the transition process, how can students and their families participate in the transition process, what happens when students reach the “age of majority” in their state, what is a summary of performance, where can i get more information, introduction to transition planning.

Back to top

Transition planning is a part of the special education process. It is designed to help students with disabilities in high school get ready for life after high school. Schools are required to include a transition plan in students’ individualized education programs , or IEPs, when students turn 16 years old. Some states require the transition process to begin sooner. Transition planning is focused on what the student likes to do and what the student is good at, so it is very important that the student be a part of the transition process.

People with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) go to college, work, and live independently at much lower rates than people without disabilities. All students and their families need to plan ahead for life after high school, but it is even more important for students with I/DD who may need additional supports to transition successfully. Without a good transition plan, students with I/DD:

• Who could earn a high school diploma may not.
• Who want to go to college may not.
• Who want to get a job might find it harder.
• Who need to receive adult services may not get connected to those services.
• May find themselves sitting at home with nothing to do and with little or no money to take care of themselves and do the things they want to do.

Students with I/DD are not always encouraged to plan for post-secondary education, competitive employment, and independent living. Instead, they are often placed on paths to sheltered workshops and segregated living arrangements. With so many options for post-secondary education , as well as community-based and employment supports for people with disabilities, students, families, and schools must ensure that expectations are set high for what individuals with I/DD can accomplish.

A good transition process starts before a student enters high school and includes:

• Transition assessments
• A meaningful transition plan
• Help identifying appropriate high school classes
• Connections to appropriate adult service agencies

Transition assessments should identify a student’s strengths, needs, and interests. There should be formal assessments, such as intellectual, academic, and adaptive tests, as well as informal assessments, such as questionnaires and observations. Transition plans should be based on information learned from the transition assessments. Therefore, the assessments need to be done before the transition plan is written.

Transition plans cannot be written based on what a teacher or the student’s parent thinks the student should do after high school. The transition plan must be based on the student’s interests. Therefore, the law requires that schools invite students to any IEP meeting where the transition plan will be discussed. If the student doesn’t want to participate, the school must find other ways to ensure the student’s preferences are reflected in the transition plan. When a student’s transition plan is created with little or no input from the student, the goals are less likely to reflect the student’s true interests and, therefore, less likely to lead to meaningful post-secondary outcomes for the student. The transition process gives students a chance to plan for their future, practice making decisions, and learn self-advocacy. Students, families, and schools must ensure students are involved in and benefit from transition planning.

Transition plans must include transition goals and transition services in three areas:

• Post-secondary education – what training, certification, or college instruction does the student need for the jobs he or she wants?
• Employment – what kinds of jobs would the student like to have after high school?
• Independent living skills – what skills does the student struggle with that are needed to be able to live on his or her own?

Sample post-secondary education goals might include:

• Enrolling in college entrance exams and requesting accommodations
• Researching and visiting colleges or training programs appropriate for the student’s skills and interests
• Completing college and/or training program applications and applying for scholarships
• Contacting college disability support offices and/or training program administrators and requesting accommodations related to the student’s disability

Sample employment goals might include:

• Researching jobs in the student’s areas of interest
• Visiting work sites
• Interviewing and/or job-shadowing individuals employed in the student’s areas of interest
• Seeking internships and volunteer opportunities
• Seeking paid employment, including supported employment

Sample independent living goals might address:

• Basic self-care
• Money management
• Cooking skills
• Time management, organization, and study skills
• Appropriate communication and understanding in social situations
• Self-advocacy skills, including understanding your disability and how it affects you and learning how to ask for help
• Problem-solving skills
• Taking care of health, dental, and vision needs
• Protecting your privacy
• Staying safe in the community
• Transportation, including driver’s education and/or using public transportation
• Phasing out systems of support that aren’t available outside the education system

Transition services are the supports that the school will provide to help the student reach his or her transition goals. Transition services can include direct instruction, related services, and community-based experiences, including paid and unpaid work experiences. For example, if a student’s goal is to learn money management skills, the transition plan should identify which school staff will help the student learn those skills and how. If a student’s goal is to find a paid work experience, the transition plan should identify who at the school will help the student identify opportunities and provide any supports the student needs on the job site. Schools should report on the progress the student is making on reaching his or transition goals, as often as they report on the student’s progress on academic and other goals in the IEP.

The student’s IEP must identify whether he or she is working toward a high school diploma or some other exiting document. Most students should try to earn a high school diploma because it is required for many colleges, training programs, and jobs. States often require certain high school classes to earn a high school diploma, and states may have rules about whether segregated special education classes and programs qualify for high school credit. School staff must make sure that students with disabilities and their families understand how all of these pieces work together. In particular, the IEP team must ensure that students and families understand the impact of choosing not to seek a high school diploma. Based on the student’s transition goals, whether the student is working toward a diploma, and what supports are needed, the IEP team and other school staff must help students identify what high school classes to take. Since some classes are required before others can be taken, it’s a good idea to think first about what the student needs to accomplish by the time he or she leaves school and work backwards to ensure the student takes the classes he or she needs each year to meet the goals in the transition plan.

Finally, IEP teams need to be familiar with the agencies in their state that provide services to adults with disabilities. Schools need to understand the kinds of services each agency provides and the process for obtaining services. Then, schools can help connect students and their families to these services before the students leave high school to ensure as smooth of a transition as possible.

An important step is to ensure that students are participating in their IEP meetings well before high school, so that they will feel comfortable attending the IEP meetings when their transition plan is discussed. IEP meetings often take a long time and involve a lot of adults. They can be intimidating, especially when schools and families may have a disagreement. Students are not as likely to actively participate in their meetings if they are being included for the first time in high school, so invite students to their IEP meetings as early as possible. Let students set the tone of meetings by preparing them for their meetings and allowing them to lead the meeting as much as possible. Keep meetings friendly, even when there are disagreements. Use basic language that students can understand when talking about each part of the IEP and especially when discussing the transition plan.

Students and families should also make sure that the student actually chooses his or her own transition goals. The goals should not be based on what the school or family thinks would be best for the student, what the school provides to all students, or what would be easiest to provide. Students can be supported to create a draft transition plan before the meeting and then present it to the team. They can describe what their long-term goals are and what they need to do in the next year to work toward those goals.

Finally, students should be taught self-advocacy skills so that they are comfortable asking questions and know when to ask for help. When students become adults, family members will not always be in a position to know whether the students are receiving their services. It is important to empower students to understand their disability, understand the services they are supposed to receive and why, and know when to tell their family members that their needs are not being met. Schools and families can help students understand their personal strengths and areas of need, and they can help students understand their goals and why they have them. If students are empowered to advocate for themselves, they will. The transition process offers a unique period where parents can take a back seat to observe how their child makes decisions and advocates on his or her own, while still being involved and able to answer questions, provide support, and directly advocate for their child, if necessary.

In many states, students are considered adults when they turn 18. Students with disabilities have a right to services until they graduate from high school with a regular diploma or turn 21 years old. So what happens if a child turns 18 before he or she graduates or ages out of special education services? The student still has a right to special education services, but the rights that parents had, called procedural safeguards , when the student was a child, now transfer directly to the adult student. That means the adult student must be informed about and invited to every IEP meeting; the adult student must consent to evaluations the school wants to do; the adult student must consent to changes in the IEP; the adult student can give others permission to look at school records or come to IEP meetings; and the adult student can file a complaint if there is a disagreement about goals and services in the IEP.

As discussed above, students should be prepared for this change by being involved in their IEP meetings as much as possible, as early as possible. An elementary school student can at least introduce the people at the meeting and talk about what they like about school and what they are having a hard time doing. Older students can help write their IEP goals, give input on what services and placement work best for them, and be helped to lead their entire IEP meetings.

Some students may have disabilities that make it hard for them to understand the IEP process and their rights in that process. These students should be provided information in a way that they can understand, given an opportunity to seek help from others, and provided whatever supports they may need to make decisions on their own. Most adult students are able to make their own decisions with these informal supports. Other students may use more formal supports for educational decisions, such as providing a power of attorney to a parent or other supportive adult to make educational decisions for them. For more information about support for people with I/DD to make decisions, visit The Arc’s Center for Future Planning and view The Arc’s Position Statement on Self-Determination .

Sometimes schools tell parents that they should obtain guardianship of their child so that they can continue to make decisions for him or her. The appointment of a guardian is a serious matter. It limits a person’s autonomy, or ability to decide for him or herself how to live, and transfers that right to make decisions about one’s own life to another person. Many people with I/DD feel that guardianship is stigmatizing and inconsistent with their abilities to exercise adult roles and responsibilities. For more information, view The Arc’s Position Statement on Guardianship . Students and families who believe that someone else needs to make educational decisions for the student should speak with a local advocate to find out what the options are in their state.

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The law requires schools to provide a summary of performance, or SOP, for students with disabilities when they complete school, either by graduation with a high school diploma or when they turn 21 and are no longer eligible for special education services. The SOP is basically the final progress report on the student’s IEP goals. It should include a summary of the student’s academic and functional skills. It should also include recommendations on the supports and services the student will need to accomplish the goals in his or her transition plan, including getting further education, getting a job, and living on his or her own. The SOP can be especially useful to students who are going on to postsecondary education or employment and who will need to advocate for themselves in obtaining accommodations.

• National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: http://transitionta.org/
• Transition to Adulthood, Center for Parent Information and Resources. http://www.parentcenterhub.org/repository/transitionadult/
• The IDEA and Secondary Transition, PACER’s National Parent Center on Transition and Employment. http://www.pacer.org/transition/learning-center/laws/idea.asp
• I’m Determined Project. http://www.imdetermined.org/
• Shogren, Karrie & Anthony Plotner. 2011. Transition Planning for Students with Intellectual Disability, Autism, or Other Disabilities: Data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study – 2.  Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities  50(1): 16-30.

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Transition Documents and Downloads

Administrators and educators.

• Career and Technical Education Staff - Tech Ed - What you need to know about students with disabilities ( PDF  Document)
• Educational Benefit Review ( PDF  Document)
• ReEvaluation IEP Process ( PDF  Document)
• ReEvaluation Process for Students with Disabilities Narrative ( PDF  Document)
• Special Education Timeline ( PDF  Document)
• Transition Assessment Manual ( PDF  Document)
• What Administrators Need to Know ( PDF  Document)
• What Educators Need to Know ( PDF  Document)

Americans with Disabilities Act

• What You Need to Know about the Americans with Disabilities Act as Amended ( PDF  Document)

Assistive Technology

• Assistive Technology in the IEP A Guide for IEP Teams ( PDF  Document)
• Independent Living Technologies Products for Independence UCP Handout ( PDF  Document)
• Autism Trans Handbook 2012 6 17 2014 ( PDF  Document)

Early Intervention Services

• Bureau of Early Intervention Family Resources ( PDF  Document)
• Early Intervention Supports and Services Facts for Families ( PDF  Document)
• Understanding Early Intervention Data Systems Family Guide ( PDF  Document)

Entitilement to Eligibility

• Entitlement to Eligibility 2012 6 17 2014 ( PDF  Document)

Guardianship and Power of Attorney

• Chapter-10-Guardianship-in-Pennsylvania ( PDF  Document)
• LET Health Care POA 07.07.2014 ( PDF  Document)
• LET Living Will Form 07.07.2014 ( PDF  Document)
• LET POWER OF ATTORNEYIII 07.07.2014 ( PDF  Document)

Healthcare and Transition

• ENGLISH Transition Health Care Checklist ( 10 MB PDF  Document)
• Family Health Information Recording System ( 3 MB PDF  Document)
• Health Care Checklist from TRCIL 3 11 2014 ( PDF  Document)
• Portable Medical Summary Template ( PDF  Document)
• PYLN Healthcare Toolkit ( 2 MB PDF  Document)
• SPANISH Transition Health Care Checklist ( 9 MB PDF  Document)
• Transition Plan Template ( PDF  Document)

Least Restrictive Environment

• Least Restrictive Environment 2012 6 17 2014 ( PDF  Document)

Office of Vocational Rehabilitation

• Early Reach Overview and Timeline July 2014 ( PDF  Document)
• FARM Service Provisional Manual for PA Farmers 12-12-13 (Word Document)
• Office of Vocational Rehabilitation OVR ( PDF  Document)
• School to Work Transition Program Policies and Guidelines 12 12 2013 (Word Document)
• Bucks County PATH Planning Youth Family Engagement ( PDF  Document)
• Education ABCs Acronyms for Special Education Handout ( PDF  Document)
• Enhancing Parent Involvement Brochure ( PDF  Document)
• Exploring Careers 2012 6 17 2014 ( PDF  Document)
• FAST tips for meetings ( PDF  Document)
• FE Children With Disabilities HARVARD 6 24 2014 (1) (1) ( PDF  Document)
• Guide to Housing Options ( PDF  Document)
• How Parents Can Support Self Determination ( PDF  Document)
• Is Your Teen Ready for a Job IU 28 (Word Document)
• Looking for Work Tips for Parents from IU 28 ( PDF  Document)
• PA Child Labor Act ( PDF  Document)
• PA Parent Guide to Special Education for School Age Children ( 2 MB PDF  Document)
• Parents Rights Understanding the Procedural Safeguards Notice ( 2 MB PDF  Document)
• Secondary Transition What Families Need to Know ( PDF  Document)
• THE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS TOOLKIT HARVARD ( 3 MB PDF  Document)
• Transition_Resources ( PDF  Document)
• Understanding the Language of Special Education A Glossary for Parents and Educators ( PDF  Document)
• What Families Need to Know ( PDF  Document)

Students with Intellectual Disabilities

• College for Students with Intellectual Disabilities ( PDF  Document)

Summary of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance

• Summary of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance - Parents_SAAFP_0512 Do you know about the SAAFP ( PDF  Document)
• Summary of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance goes with SAAFP handout - SAAFP Wksht Bklt 1-13-wb ( PDF  Document)

Transition Surveys

• AIU Parent Transition Survey ( PDF  Document)
• Parent Transition Interview ( PDF  Document)
• Parent Transition Survey from IU 16 ( PDF  Document)
• Parent Transition Survey IU 4 (Word Document)
• Parent Transition Worksheet ( PDF  Document)
• Transition Survey ( PDF  Document)

Secondary Transition

• Age Appropriate Transition Assessment Toolkit 2013 from 3 6 2014 ( PDF  Document)
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Questions and Answers About Epilepsy In The Workplace and ADA ( PDF  Document)
• Inclusive Practices for Students Ages 14 to 21 Considerations and Concepts informational handout ( PDF  Document)
• Job Accommodation Network for People with Epilepsy ( PDF  Document)
• National Center on Secondary Education and Transition Essential Tools Teams ( PDF  Document)
• PA Adapted Adolescent Autonomy Checklist ( PDF  Document)
• PersonCenteredDOC ( PDF  Document)
• Secondar Transition Resource Index ( PDF  Document)
• Secondary Transition FAQ ( PDF  Document)
• Secondary Transition Getting it Right in the IEPs IDEA 2004 Chapter 14 2008 ( PDF  Document)
• Secondary Transition Road Map ( PDF  Document)
• Secondary Transition Summary of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance ( PDF  Document)
• TAXONOMY FOR TRANSITION PROGRAMMING ( PDF  Document)
• Transition 2013 ( 3 MB PDF  Document)
• Transition Conf Handouts ( PDF  Document)
• 150 ways to build social capital ( PDF  Document)
• 2013 Recreation and Leisure PA Guide ( 1 MB PDF  Document)
• 5 PYLN Checklist For Preparing for Successful Post School Outcomes 6 17 2014 (Word Document)
• Communicating Our Expectations for MY College Experience ( PDF  Document)
• Friends Manual ( 3 MB PDF  Document)
• Preparing HS Students for Transition 2008 6 24 2014 ( PDF  Document)
• Self-Advocacy 101 Activity ( PDF  Document)
• Self-Advocacy Reflection ( PDF  Document)
• Student Learner Profile A Guide for Completion ( PDF  Document)
• Transition Conf_Activity ( PDF  Document)
• What is the PYLN Resource ( PDF  Document)

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Individualized Transition Plan (ITP)

The ITP is a section of the IEP that outlines transition goals and services for the student with disability. The IDEA requires that all students must have an ITP by the age of 16. The ITP is the template for mapping out short-term to long-term adult outcomes from which annual goals and objectives defined. There are two important components in the ITP. One is a plan including educational goals for a child with disabilities to achieve independent adult live after leaving school. It should include in the areas of independent living , employment (including supported employment), post-secondary education, self-determination skills . Law will require ITP planning should include experience in the community. Schools provide various unique programs for students between 16-22 years of age who are in transition from high school to adulthood. The other component of the ITP is establishing an inter-agency linkage. School should play a role of case manager creating a collaborating team between school and other government and public service organizations . Parents also can contact and invite professionals from the future service organizations . This inter-agency linkage is a key component ensuring a seamless smooth transition from school to adulthood for people with disabilities. What must be included in the ITP?

• Address the student’s preferences, interests, strengths, and needs
• Participation of parents
• List of participants for specific goals
• A coordinated set of activities demonstrating use of various strategies, community and adult living experiences
• Annual goals
• Responsibilities of parents and students

Why is transition planning important ? Transition to adulthood is challenging for students with disabilities. Without guidance, students often fail or isolate themselves from the community. Transition planning provides student, family and the educators to be ready for the real world. The goals are tailored to the student’s strengths and provide the options for his/her future. ITP team members

• Parents and family members
• Special education teachers
• School administrator
• Occupation teacher
• General education teacher
• Counseling teacher
• Professionals from the adult service organizations
• Job developer
• Employer and community leaders
• Transition specialist
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