INTRODUCTION TO TRANSITION PLANNING For Students with Disabilities Asking the First Question Transition planning for students who receive Special Education begins with the question, "What do you do after leaving high school?" Each student's answer will be unique. It is the responsibility of school personnel to begin the planning for a student's transition to adult life no later than the first IEP that is in effect when the student turns 16 years of age.

What is Transition Planning?  Coaching every student, along with his or her family, to think about goals for life after high school and to develop a long-range plan to get there.  Designing the high school experience to ensure that the student gains the skills and competencies needed to achieve his or her desired goals.  Identifying and linking students and families to any needed post school services and supports.

Why is Transition Planning Necessary?  One out of five Americans with disabilities fails to complete high school compared to fewer than one in ten for the non- disabled population.  Fewer than one-third of Americans with disabilities between the age of 18 and 64 are working full or part-time.  Twenty-nine percent of persons with disabilities are living on household incomes of less than $15,000 per year compared to ten percent of the non-disabled population.  Primary purpose of IDEA is to “ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free, appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for employment and independent living.

Students are Equal Partners  To the maximum extent possible, the student must be actively involved and be an equal partner in the transition planning process. Because of the wide range of abilities of students, different strategies must be used to find ways to include and involve them.  The student's parents should also be included in transition planning.

Steps in Transition Planning

Develop Transition Activities and Specify Services Starting with the first IEP that is in effect when the student turns 16 years of age and updated annually, an Individualized Transition Plan ( ITP ) is developed as part of the IEP. For these students, the answers to the question, "What will I do after leaving school?" will address the broad goal areas of employment, training/education, independent living, financial/economic, recreational/social life, and residential. The responses will lay the groundwork for developing instructional objectives, community experiences and postsecondary activities. The answers will suggest which agencies should become involved in assisting the student with transitioning to adult life

What are Transition Planning Requirements?  Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the student is 16 years of age, and updated  annually, the IEP must include a statement of the student’s transition service needs and transition services.  There are six main categories of transition services that must be considered by the IEP team: