1. Preparing All Students for Success After High School:
Understanding Transition in Massachusetts

2. Transition Overview of Transition Transition Timeline
Services & Supports Available
Q & A

3. Key Transition Areas
Likely Team Members

4. Transition Planning Form (TPF)
* Dynamic document - designed to be updated
* Guides and documents the team’s Transition plan
* Informs IEP development
* Provides an action plan to be implemented by student, family, community, school, adult agencies, etc.
Student's Vision & Post Secondary Goals
Student’s disability related needs
Can your child:
Identify academic, social/emotional needs?
Identify and use preferred accommodations?
Describe necessary health and medical needs?

5. The More Experiences They Have, The more they:
understand themselves, including likes/dislikes
develop a robust and more detailed vision
grow in confidence
acquire new skills
become known in your community

6. How can families become engaged in helping their students envision postsecondary options?
Explore your community
Experiences can be free: play cook for the night, empty the dishwasher, etc.
Create opportunities for your kids
(More to come ….)

7. Begin the Vision Conversation: Portfolio Development
A 3-ring binder and magazine pictures or lists
Have student gather information, images, sounds, of meaningful things in his/her life:
Movies, music - Vacations
Sports/Sport figures - Birthdays, special occasions
Places you live or visit - Hobbies
* Also include: ...

8. Additional Portfolio Ideas
Experiences the student has (e.g. paid work, volunteering, leadership, community, etc.)
Resumes - Service Projects
Awards - Extracurricular participation
Certificates - Letters of Recommendation
* Etc…

9. Web 2.0 apps Google Sites/Digital Portfolio Tutorial Series:

10. Transition & Vocational Assessments
Illuminate the student’s needs, strengths, preferences, interests
Discern the student’s vision
Measure progress

11. An Individualized, Question-Driven Process
The type of assessments to conduct for each student is determined by
the number and type of questions about the student
for which answers are needed

12. What Questions Need to be Considered?
Who is the Student?
What are the student’s needs and strengths
Who does the student want to be, or
What does the student want to do?
What is the fit between the student and education, employment, and living requirements?

13. Families: A Key Role in Assessment
The more students know the more they can do.
Families know their children when they’re with them
Educators know about their students when they’re with them
Families, educators, etc. need to fill in each other’s blanks

14. Not every student will follow the same path after high school
Not every student will follow the same path after high school. For all students, it is our responsibility to prepare them for success, whatever pathway they choose.
The more students are engaged in planning their futures, the more promising those futures are likely to be.