Whenever a major life change occurs, thoughtful planning and preparation can provide an anchor point and roadmap towards stability and a positive outcome. Planning for your child’s transition to adulthood is no different – and for parents of children with disabilities, effective and collaborative planning is crucial to setting your child up for success in post-secondary education, independent living, and the workforce.
A thoughtful and effective transition plan should provide you with key goals, steps, data points and information to answer the questions “are we doing enough?” and “are we on the right path?.” As part of the IEP process, transition planning sets realistic goals, identifies measures of progress, and ensures that resources are in place for your child after their transition from public education.
Transition planning is required as part of the IEP process for students beginning the year they turn 14. At this point, students also join their IEP teams as members in their own right. Whenever possible, students should be encouraged to join their own meetings and participate in planning. Student perspectives matter! Young adults still need guidance as they build their skills, but transition plans must include – and be centered around – student voice and honor the perspective the student brings to their own future. Your child’s skills in self-determination, including self-advocacy and awareness of their own learning profile and needed supports, should be cultivated and encouraged through this stage of the IEP process. At times, the path a student desires may diverge from that envisioned by the parent – be prepared to embrace this challenge as a family!
A well crafted transition plan will be individualized to the student and include relevant information about the student’s profile as a learner and disability related needs, as well as meaningful goals and supports to help them move towards independence after high school graduation or the completion of a program for transition age young adults. All students with disabilities will have a Transition Planning Form as a component of their IEP. Some students may have transition related goals within their IEP. Goals and areas of need are most often identified through informal transition assessments or a more formal transition evaluation.
Transition assessment is required under IDEA and can include formal and informal measures tailored to a student’s individual needs, goals, and profile as a learner. The purpose of a transition assessment is to help a team understand the student’s post-secondary vision for adulthood and identify areas of strength as well as areas of need. These assessments often target self-determination, independent living (activities of daily living, housing, travel), vocational and career readiness skills needed for competitive or supported employment, and community access, in addition to information related to the student’s disability and functional literacy or communication skills. This information can be utilized to identify goal areas, community-based services, and guide referrals and recommendations for services after high school.
Keep in mind that the transition plan for your child should also reflect integrated and collaborative support and planning between the student, family, school, and adult agencies. Expect to play a key role in the planning process. The process of accessing support through an adult agency is a discussion for another day!