Worrying about our children is what we do as parents, but helping our kids plan, prepare, and be ready for their future is supposed to be a team effort, with parents, their kids’ schools, and other agencies working together to help students who have disabilities. That team effort should be reflected in your child’s transition plan.
Transition plans are exactly what they sound like. They help students prepare for their transition from high school to whatever comes next in their lives. Their development should start no later than when your child turns 16 and the services included within them can go well beyond your child’s 18th birthday.
In the case of Virginia, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) stated that “local educational agencies (LEAs) should begin no later than the first individualized education program (IEP) to be in effect when the student is 14 because high school diploma options and courses of study discussions beginning earlier than the 8th grade will enable the student to access high school courses needed for graduation.” An example would be a student who takes Algebra 1 in 7th grade and Geometry in 8th grade. Although taken in middle school, both are high school courses that count toward high school graduation.
However, your child might need transition planning at an even earlier age, such as planning for a transition from elementary school to middle school, when students go from switching classes maybe once or twice a day to having a different teacher for each class and navigating lockers, peers, and situations and responsibilities that come with being in middle school.
The requirements for the plans are set forth in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as amended by Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Per Sec. 300.320(b) of IDEA:
Beginning not later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 16, or younger if determined appropriate by the IEP Team, and updated annually, thereafter, the IEP must include—(1) Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills; and (2) The transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals.
“Transition services” are defined as followed per Sec. 300.43 of IDEA:
(a) Transition services means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that—(1) Is designed to be within a results-oriented process, that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child’s movement from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation; (2) Is based on the individual child’s needs, taking into account the child’s strengths, preferences, and interests; and includes—(i) Instruction; (ii) Related services;(iii) Community experiences;(iv) The development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives; and(v) If appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and provision of a functional vocational evaluation.
(b) Transition services for children with disabilities may be special education, if provided as specially designed instruction, or a related service, if required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.
Rehabilitation Act
Students with disabilities, to include those who have IEPs, have rights under the Rehabilitation Act, too.
The following are a few excerpts from the Rehabilitation Act that apply:
PURPOSE.—The purposes of this Act are—
(1) to empower individuals with disabilities to maximize employment, economic self-sufficiency, independence, and inclusion and integration into society, through—(A) statewide workforce development systems defined in section 3 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act that include, as integral components, comprehensive and coordinated state-of-the-art programs of vocational rehabilitation; (B) independent living centers and services; (C) research; (D) training; (E) demonstration projects; and (F) the guarantee of equal opportunity;
(2) to maximize opportunities for individuals with disabilities, including individuals with significant disabilities, for
competitive integrated employment;
(3) to ensure that the Federal Government plays a leadership role in promoting the employment of individuals with disabilities, especially individuals with significant disabilities, and in assisting States and providers of services in fulfilling the aspirations of such individuals with disabilities for meaningful and gainful employment and independent living;
(4) to increase employment opportunities and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities, including through encouraging meaningful input by employers and vocational rehabilitation service providers on successful and prospective employment and placement strategies; and(5) to ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that youth with disabilities and students with disabilities who are transitioning from receipt of special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) and receipt of services under section 504 of this Act have opportunities for postsecondary success.
(D) COORDINATION WITH EDUCATION OFFICIALS.—The State plan shall contain plans, policies, and procedures for
coordination between the designated State agency and education officials responsible for the public education of
students with disabilities, that are designed to facilitate the transition of the students with disabilities from the receipt of educational services in school to the receipt of vocational rehabilitation services, including pre-employment transition services, under this title, including information on a formal interagency agreement with the State educational agency that, at a minimum, provides for—(i) consultation and technical assistance, which may be provided using alternative means for meeting participation (such as video conferences and conference calls), to assist educational agencies in planning for the transition of students with disabilities from school to post-school activities, including vocational rehabilitation services; (ii) transition planning by personnel of the designated State agency and educational agency personnel for students with disabilities that facilitates the development and implementation of their individualized education programs under section 614(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; (iii) the roles and responsibilities, including financial responsibilities, of each agency, including provisions for determining State lead agencies and qualified personnel responsible for transition services; and (iv) procedures for outreach to and identification of students with disabilities who need the transition services.(E) COORDINATION WITH EMPLOYERS.—The State plan shall describe how the designated State unit will work
with employers to identify competitive integrated employment opportunities and career exploration opportunities,
in order to facilitate the provision of—(i) vocational rehabilitation services; and (ii) transition services for youth with disabilities and students with disabilities, such as pre-employment transition services
Age Difference between “Student with a Disability” and “Youth with a Disability”
In August of 2020, the United States Department of Education (USDOE) released an updated version of its document A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities, which includes an important section that provides the distinction between a student and a youth with a disability and how age comes into play.
The Rehabilitation Act, as amended by Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA),
created distinct definitions for the terms “student with a disability” and “youth with a disability.” In
general, a “student with a disability” is an individual with a disability who is enrolled in an education
program; meets certain age requirements; and is eligible for and receiving special education or related
services under IDEA or is an individual with a disability for purposes of Section 504. Educational
programs include: secondary education programs; non-traditional or alternative secondary education
programs, including home schooling; postsecondary education programs; and other recognized
educational programs, such as those offered through the juvenile justice system. Age requirements for a
student with a disability include minimum and maximum age requirements. A student cannot be
younger than the earliest age to receive transition services under IDEA, unless a State elects to provide
pre-employment transition services at an earlier age. A student cannot be older than 21, unless State
law for the State provides for a higher maximum age for the receipt of services under IDEA, then the
student cannot be older than that maximum age. A “youth with a disability” is an individual with a
disability who is between the ages of 14 and 24 years of age. There is no requirement that a “youth with
a disability” be participating in an educational program. The age range for a “youth with a disability” is
broader than that for a “student with a disability” under the Rehabilitation Act.
Recommended Transition Components
The following suggestions appear in USDOE’s document A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities:
Overview
Successful post-school transition is most likely to happen when students are actively engaged in their
own transition planning. To engage students, families, IEP Teams, VR professionals, and other support
professionals should:
• Set high expectations;
• Use a person-centered planning approach;
• Support the student’s or youth’s social and emotional learning;
• Provide the student or youth with support to make their decisions; and
• Counsel the student and their representative to make informed choices.This section presents key elements of supported decision-making and describes the practice of informed
choice to assist students and youth with disabilities in their decisions for adult life. This section also
contains references to resources that will aid students in achieving their life goals.Setting High Expectations for Secondary School Students with Disabilities
Expectations play a critical role to success in employment and postsecondary educational settings. Low
expectations are often cited as significant barriers to academic and career achievement for students with
disabilities. For example, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that attitudinal barriers of
faculty and support service providers in postsecondary educational settings have been shown to inhibit
the performance of students with disabilities.In contrast, setting high expectations for students with disabilities promote successful post-school
transition. Research demonstrates that students with disabilities do better when they are held to high
expectations and have access to the general education curriculum.
To set high expectations and foster successful post-school outcomes for students with disabilities, all
individuals concerned with their education should:
• Establish a school-wide culture of high expectations;
• Provide students with disabilities access to rigorous coursework (see accelerated programs
section below);
• Ensure students with disabilities have IEP goals that are aligned with the challenging academic
content standards for the grade in which the student is enrolled and ensure that students with
disabilities receive the specialized instruction, related services and other supports they need to
meaningfully access, be involved, and make progress in the general education curriculum;• Provide students with disabilities the opportunity to access College and Career Ready Standards
and Assessments; and
• Ensure educators have the tools and resources necessary to support success.Person-Centered Planning
When developing the IEP or the IPE, planning is centered on the interests, strengths, skills, and needs of
the student or youth with disability. Person-centered approaches:
• Include in the planning process, individuals who have a deep knowledge of the student’s
academic and social history;
• View the student as an individual, rather than as a diagnosis or disability;
• Use everyday language in transition planning, rather than “professional jargon;” and
• Ensure that goals are developed based on the student’s unique strengths, interests, and
capacities.Addressing Students’ Social and Emotional Needs
It is important to address the social and emotional needs of students with disabilities to ensure that they
have the skills needed to be successful in a postsecondary educational setting or workplace. Students
with disabilities who have well-developed social skills are more likely to be able to successfully navigate
employment, community, and postsecondary education settings.
IEP Teams need to take active steps to provide opportunities for students with disabilities to acquire
appropriate social skills. Many of these opportunities can be integrated into the student’s existing course
of study. Specific strategies include:
• Role-playing
Schools can create opportunities for students with disabilities to practice appropriate social skills
in a variety of contexts, including school-based, workplace, community, and postsecondary
educational settings.
• Participation in social and emotional learning programs
A variety of specific social skill development programs exist that can help students acquire critical
social skills.
• Positive school climate
Parents should be aware that a positive school climate is critical to helping students with
disabilities develop strong social skills. For example, safe and supportive classrooms build on the
students’ strengths.Providing the Student and Youth with Support to Make Their Decisions
Beyond developing social skills, it is crucial for students with disabilities to understand and acquire the
skills for self-determination during high school to ensure success in postsecondary education and the
workplace.28 Students with strong self-advocacy skills who understand and fully participate in the
development of their IEP and SOP have better transition outcomes.29Key characteristics of self-determination are the ability to:
• Speak for yourself (self-advocacy);
• Solve problems;
• Set goals;
• Make decisions;
• Possess self-awareness; and
• Exhibit independence.Schools help students develop self-determination skills when they:
• Support students in establishing their own transition goals, including postsecondary education,
career, and independent living goals;
• Ensure that students are actively involved in IEP meetings and understand their IEPs, including
their specialized instruction and related services, the accommodations they receive for
instruction and assessments, if applicable, and supplementary aids and services to facilitate their
education in the least restrictive environment;
• Help students develop skills to direct their own learning;
• Use person-centered planning; and
• Create and maintain a system that supports family involvement and empowers families to
support the self-determination of their sons and daughters.31Developing self-determination and making informed choices heighten students’ knowledge of the
transition process and success in post-school settings.
Self-determination activities can be described as activities that result in individuals with developmental
disabilities, with appropriate assistance, having the ability, opportunity, authority, and support (including
financial support) to:
• Communicate and make personal decisions;
• Communicate choices and exercise control over the type and intensity of services, supports, and
other assistance the individual receives;
• Control resources to obtain needed services, supports and other assistance;
• Participate in, and contribute to, their communities; and• Advocate for themselves and others, develop leadership skills through training in self-advocacy,
participate in coalitions, educate policymakers, and play a role in the development of public
policies that affect individuals with developmental disabilities.
The following are examples of middle and high school transition tasks, which Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) in Virginia presents in its document “Transition Tool Kit For Parents“:
Transition Timeline
Middle School Tasks
Develop study skills and strategies that work
Talk to teachers to identify classroom accommodation needs
Evaluate basic skills in reading, mathematics, oral and written language; plan for remediation if necessary
Identify tentative postsecondary career and personal goals
Investigate which high school courses will prepare me for my postsecondary goals
Attend high school orientation or schedule appointment with high school counselor or special education
department chair to understand high school requirements
Review high school diploma options and plan a course of study to meet requirements
Explore interests through elective courses, clubs, and extracurricular activities
Investigate enrollment in career related courses and other work-based learning options
Begin a Career and Transition Services Career Portfolio to collect information to help plan my future
Participate in developing my transition plan (IEP-303 and IEP-304) to include in my IEP, starting in eighth
grade (or aged 14)
Attend my IEP meeting
List activities or objectives necessary to achieve my goals in my IEP transition plan
Complete grade level tasks in the Academic and Career PlanNinth Grade Tasks
Increase my understanding of why I have an IEP and how the accommodations in my IEP can help me
Develop a plan to request accommodations
Learn strategies to access the same course work as my peers
Review diploma options, and plan a course of study to meet requirements
Discuss enrolling in career-related courses based on my postsecondary goals with my school counselor
Visit the high school career center and ask the career center specialist about college and career planning
resources
Discuss career assessment services offered at Woodson and Mt. Vernon Assessment centers to decide
whether assessment will be helpful for transition planning
Continue to explore interests through elective courses, clubs, and extracurricular activities
Update my Career Portfolio
Complete grade level tasks in the Academic and Career Plan
Meet with my case manager to plan my IEP meeting and discuss my role
Create a transition plan with my case manager and the IEP team that reflects my goals and interests
Identify my Employment and Transition Representative (ETR) and learn the ETR’s role in my transitionTenth Grade Tasks
Ask my parent or teacher to help me explain my disability and request accommodations
Continue to develop and use strategies for success in course work
Review diploma options, and plan a course of study to meet requirements
Consider extending my high school graduation date by one to three years to help me reach my
postsecondary goals
Discuss enrolling in career-related courses based on my postsecondary goals with my school counselor
Meet with my case manager to discuss available career assessment options
If my career plans require a college degree, register and take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test
(PSAT) and consider using testing accommodations and assistive technology
Continue to explore interests through extracurricular activities, hobbies, volunteer work, and work
experiences
Identify interests, aptitudes, values, and opportunities related to occupations of interest
Update my Career Portfolio
Complete grade level tasks in the Academic and Career Plan
Participate actively in my IEP meeting
Continue to actively take part in transition planning with my case manager and IEP teamEleventh Grade Tasks
Identify postsecondary accommodations and assistive technology and learn how to use them efficiently
Practice strategies to prepare for and take exams including time management, self-advocacy, and stress
management
Meet with teachers to explain my disability and request accommodations
Review diploma options, and plan a course of study to meet requirements
Consider extending my high school graduation date by one to three years to help me reach my
postsecondary goals
Discuss with my school counselor possible enrollment in career-related courses
Meet with my case manager to discuss available career assessment options
Continue to explore my interests through involvement in school or community-based extracurricular
activities and work experiences
Update my Career Portfolio
Complete grade level tasks in the Academic and Career Plan
Match my interests and abilities to postsecondary goals
If my career goals require postsecondary education, find schools with courses in which I might be
interested
Speak with representatives from colleges, technical schools, training programs, and the military by visiting
high school, college, and community career fairs
Gather information about college programs that offer the disability services I need
Visit campuses and disability services offices to verify available services and how to access them
Keep documentation of my disability current; colleges want current testing, which cannot be more than
three years old when I begin college
Ask a school counselor about the SAT and ACT tests to decide which better matches my learning style
Consider taking a course to prepare for the SAT or ACT
Take the SAT or ACT and discuss with my case manager whether to request testing accommodations
Meet with my case manager to develop a plan for leading my IEP
Continue to take part in my IEP transition planning with my case manager and IEP team
Contact the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), the Community Services Board,
and other postsecondary agencies to determine my eligibility for services
Invite a representative of the appropriate adult services agency to attend my IEP meetingTwelfth Grade (or aged 18-22) Tasks
Identify ways accommodations on my IEP apply to postsecondary education and employment settings
Continue to develop self-advocacy and study skills
Meet with my teachers to explain my disability and request accommodations
Review diploma options and plan a course of study to meet requirements
Update my Career Portfolio
Complete grade level tasks in the Academic and Career Plan
Match my interests and abilities to postsecondary goals
Consider extending my high school graduation date by one to three years to help me reach my
postsecondary goals
Discuss with a school counselor enrollment in career-related courses or programs
Meet with my case manager to discuss available career assessment options
Continue to explore my interests through involvement in school or community-based extracurricular
activities and work experiences
Meet with my school counselor and ETR early in the year to discuss my postsecondary plans
Early in the year, visit schools, colleges, and training programs in which I am interested
Evaluate disability services and service providers at schools in which I am interested
Obtain copies of any school records that document my disability for postsecondary accommodations
Take the SAT or ACT again, if appropriate
Lead my IEP meeting
Develop my Transition IEP and present it at my IEP meeting
If not done in junior year, contact the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), the
Community Services Board, or other adult service agency to determine my eligibility for postsecondary
services
Invite a representative from an adult services agency to attend my IEP meeting
Resources
Transition of Students With Disabilities To Postsecondary Education: A Guide for High School Educators, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (2011)
Transition Tool Kit For Parents, Fairfax County Public Schools (2019)
Pacer’s National Parent Center on Transition and Employment
Secondary Transition: Why it is important to plan early, Virginia Department of Education (2015)
I’m Determined Project, funded by the Virginia Department of Education
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