What is secondary transition, and why is it important for students with disabilities?
Page 2: Transition Planning
Students with disabilities who qualify for special education services have an individualized education program (IEP) outlining the supports and services that will be provided to meet their unique needs. This written plan is developed by an IEP team, which includes a variety of education professionals, the student’s parents,* and (when appropriate) the student. When beginning to plan for secondary transition, the IEP team will develop an additional component of the IEP called an Individualized Transition Plan (ITP) consisting of:
individualized education program (IEP)
A written plan outlining the education of a student with a disability who is eligible for special education services. This document is developed by an IEP team and is reviewed on an annual basis; it includes the student’s current level of development, their learning goals, and the services and supports they require to attend school and receive educational benefit. It is an Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guiding principle.
individualized education program (IEP) team
A multidisciplinary team that develops a student’s individualized education program (IEP) and evaluates their progress toward meeting the goals outlined in the IEP. At a minimum, it includes educators, administrators, related service providers, parents, and the student with a disability (when appropriate), among others.
Individualized Transition Plan (ITP)
A written plan included in a student’s individualized education program (IEP) that outlines the student’s postsecondary goals regarding education and training, employment, and community engagement and independent living as well as the process for coordination and delivery of services to address those goals. Per the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), this plan is required beginning at age 16. Sometimes referred to as transition plan.
- Postsecondary goals—long-term measurable goals that the student will achieve after high school
- Transition services—specific activities and course of study provided to assist the student in learning the necessary knowledge and skills to ultimately reach their postsecondary goals
- Annual goals—academic and functional goals that support the implementation of transition services and allow the student to make progress toward meeting their postsecondary goals
course of study
A multiyear plan consisting of both core courses required for graduation and noncore courses or educational experiences that directly support a student’s postsecondary goals.
For Your Information
At a federal level, IDEA mandates that transition planning must be documented in a student’s IEP by the time they turn 16. However, about half of all states require transition planning to begin earlier, often by age 13 or 14. IEP teams typically start considering transition near the end of middle school as a student begins planning their high school course of study.
Postsecondary Goals: The student’s postsecondary goals should address the three primary areas—education and training, employment, and (if necessary) community engagement and independent living. Along with student assessment information, IEP teams can use the answers to the questions in this table to develop postsecondary goals that outline what the student expects to achieve after high school.
| Primary Area | Guiding Questions |
|---|---|
| Education and Training |
x
inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) College or university programs that enroll students with intellectual disabilities and promote their academic and social inclusion on campus to the maximum extent possible; students typically take college classes, engage in independent living activities, participate in social activities, and learn employment skills. |
| Employment |
x
supported employment An employment setting in which a person with a disability receives the support necessary to learn and maintain their job, often with the assistance of a job coach. x
competitive integrated employment An employment setting in which a person with a disability is compensated at or above minimum wage, interacts with other employees without disabilities, and is presented the same opportunities for wages, benefits, and advancement as other employees without disabilities in similar positions. |
| Community Engagement and Independent Living |
|
Transition Services: Once the IEP team develops postsecondary goals, they should identify transition services that address the student’s postsecondary goals. In addition to the student’s course of study, transition services include a coordinated set of activities, such as:
Did You Know?
Although the student’s special education teacher typically takes the lead, a variety of school-based professionals should also be involved in transition planning. These educators may include academic content-area teachers, career and technical education teachers, arts teachers, coaches, or others who have knowledge of the student’s goals and relevant resources. In particular, general education teachers are key to planning and service delivery, and school counselors are often critical for determining courses of study and identifying postsecondary options.
- Specially designed instruction
- Related services
- Community experiences
- Assistance with developing postsecondary objectives
- Support with acquiring daily living skills
specially designed instruction (SDI)
Individualized education for children and youth with exceptional learning needs, provided at no cost to the student’s parents, that meet the unique academic and functional needs of the student. Sometimes referred to as special education or special education services.
related services
Services provided by professionals from a range of disciplines to meet the learning needs of students with disabilities (e.g., physical therapy, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and transportation services).
Annual Goals: After developing postsecondary goals and identifying transition services, the IEP team develops corresponding annual IEP goals. These goals should address the prerequisite knowledge and skills that the student must master during high school to reach their postsecondary goals in the future.
In this interview, Holden explains how his annual goals are preparing him for a career in the medical field once he leaves high school (time: 2:00).
Transcript: Holden Boully
My transition goals changed over time. When I was in first grade, it was speech. And then it got up to writing and comprehension. And once I got into high school, we would go through this questionnaire—and we, of course, have in the back of our mind what we wanted to do—but while we were doing this questionnaire, it would be asking about, “Do you like plants? Do you like animals?” Stuff like that. And then it would give you your top four or five categories that you should look to pursue. And my number one was medical. I had a big love of medical. So my transition plan is now helping me to learn about medical and further my knowledge on it. Our high school has a four year medical plan. We go out to the hospitals, pharmacies, all of that—basically everything medical related that a CNA would encounter in their actual job—we go and get that firsthand experience. And once you get through it, you can take your CNA. And so this coming school year, I will be taking my CNA class and hopefully passing that to become a CNA and going straight into the workforce. And I will be then going to college to continue up the nursing totem pole, you could say. So my transition goals on my current IEP right now is to get better reading skills, better writing skills, and to learn about medical and then life after high school.
Returning to the Challenge
As Carly enters high school, she and her IEP team begin the process of transition planning. Although Carly still has four years of high school remaining, the team knows how important it is to begin preparing for her postsecondary life. In the initial stages of transition planning, Carly shares her goals for the future:
- Education: Carly hopes to attend community college to prepare for a career in healthcare.
- Employment: She wants to work in a hospital or other setting where she can help sick people.
- Community engagement and independent living: Carly expects to live on her own or with a roommate after high school. She enjoys sports and would like to participate in a wheelchair basketball league in her community.
| Postsecondary goal | Transition services | Annual goal |
|---|---|---|
| Upon graduating from high school, Carly will enroll at a community college to pursue a degree or certification in the healthcare field. | Specially designed instruction to address academic skills (e.g., reading, writing, digital literacy) | By the end of the school year, using customized or universally available assistive technology (AT) tools and repeated practice with a template, Carly will be able to complete three distinct college applications with 95% accuracy by digitally entering demographic information, educational experience, and extracurricular experience without assistance. |
| Within one year of graduating from community college, Carly will obtain employment in a healthcare setting, such as a hospital or nursing home. | Specially designed instruction to address academic skills (e.g., reading, writing) | By the end of the school year, Carly will identify and research five entry-level healthcare jobs, creating a list of at least five typical responsibilities for each job using a graphic organizer. |
| Within one year of graduating from high school, Carly will develop and implement a daily living plan that includes managing her own personal care, household duties, transportation, and mobility needs. |
Specially designed instruction and occupational therapy to address functional goals Community experiences to practice navigation skills |
By the end of the school year, using an app on her phone, Carly will independently navigate the public transit system to travel to four different predetermined destinations at least three times each. |
Returning to the Challenge
Omar is nearing the end of high school and is eagerly anticipating his transition to college. His transition planning has been comprehensive and collaborative, with his IEP team working to update his goals and services each year to reflect his current interests, preferences, strengths, and needs. As a rising senior, Omar’s aspirations include:
- Education: Omar envisions attending a four-year university and majoring in applied mathematics.
- Employment: Though unsure about the exact job, he aims to pursue a career in a mathematics field that leverages his skills and problem-solving abilities.
- Community engagement and independent living: While in college, Omar plans to live on campus. He hopes to join a fraternity and participate fully in campus life. After he graduates, he plans to live independently.
The IEP team agrees that Omar does not require specific goals in the area of independent living, as he has already mastered the necessary skills in this domain.
| Postsecondary goal | Transition services | Annual goal |
|---|---|---|
| Within five years of graduating from high school, Omar will earn a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics. | Specially designed instruction to support time management skills | By the end of the year, Omar will improve his time management skills by using a physical or digital planner to break down long-term assignments into manageable short-term tasks, completing 90% of assignments on time. |
| Within the first two years of college, Omar will secure an internship in a math- or science-related field. | Career counseling services to help identify post-school objectives and opportunities | By the end of the year, given access to career counseling resources, Omar will create a professional resume tailored to math or science internships, scoring at least 85% on a rubric assessing format, mechanics, and content. |
*Parents are defined in a number of ways and may include biological parents, stepparents, and adoptive parents. This includes anyone serving in place of a biological parent, such as other family members (e.g., grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins), guardians, foster parents, or court-appointed surrogate parents.
