Planning for the Future: The Importance of Transition Services

My children just started high school. It has been an eye opening experience for all of us. Remember when you were in high school and your long term goals consisted of graduating and having a date for prom? Well, let me tell you, times have certainly changed.

In the recent push to make high schoolers more "college ready," many middle schools have begun requiring 8th grade students to plan out their entire high school curriculum. More and more high schools are instituting academies within the school, each with courses designed to prepare students for different career paths from the STEM program (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) to visual and performing arts. Students are expected to choose an academy by the end of their freshman year.

Children with disabilities and their families must similarly make a plan for the future. Will that future include college? Vocational training? Finding employment? What about living arrangements? Will your child be able to live independently or will s/he need assistance? What about transportation needs? Personal finance? To help give you a better idea of things you should be thinking about, check out this example of a Parent Transition Survey.

One of the primary goals of the IDEA is to enable students with disabilities "to lead productive and independent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible" (20 U.S.C. 1400((c)(5)(A)(ii)).  To that end, transition goals and services are a crucial part of any Individualized Education Program as they prepare students for life after high school. The legal definition of "transition services" found in the Code of Federal Regulations Section 300.43 states:

(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. (34 C.F.R. 300.43).

So, paragraph (a)!) lists the general goals to be considered and paragraph (a)(2) lists the general types of services to be provided. Beginning no later than age 14, the IEP must include more specific transitional goals set by and on behalf of the student as well as the services necessary to assist the student in achieving those goals. The student must be included to the fullest extent possible in any IEP team discussions relating to postsecondary transition.  The IDEA requires these transition goals and services to be already in effect when the child reaches the age of 16 and updated annually thereafter (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(1)(A)(i)(VIII).

If you're unsure what postsecondary goals are appropriate for your child, transition assessments are a great place to start. They can be formal or informal and cover four main areas:

1. Educational Assessments focus on academic and cognitive abilities and can also aid in identifying specific learning disabilities. 
2. Vocational Assessments identify career interests and job skills including occupation-specific skill certifications. 
3. Psychological Assessments target behavioral, emotional and social skills. 
4. Medical Assessments deal with physical and functional abilities such as vision and hearing.

You can find more in depth information and examples of the different types of transition assessments here.

Depending on the goals set, additional school personnel and/or representatives from outside service agencies who will charged with paying for or providing transition services must be invited to attend future IEP meetings (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(12)). For example, if the goal is postsecondary education, the school's college admissions counselor should attend. If the goal is to live independently then an extension services agent should be invited. For a list of other possible service providers to be included, click here.

There is a lot to think about in transition planning and it can be scary for parents as well as children; but there is plenty of information and assistance out there. I have included links to some particularly helpful sites below. You can also talk to your school guidance counselor, your child's doctor or an advocate. The more prepared your child is when they leave high school, the better his/her chances of making a successful transition to adulthood.

Transition Resources

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities Transition to Adulthood
Association on Higher Education and Disability http://www.ahead.org/
The Council for Exceptional Children Division on Career Development and Transition