TRANSITION SERVICES

 

Transition services for students in special education are services that help students move from school to adult life. They should reflect the student’s own goals for his future. Federal special education law defines transition services as a coordinated set of activities for a student with a disability that: 

1. is designed within an result-oriented process, which promotes movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult  education, adult services, independent living, or community participation;

2. is based upon the individual student’s needs, taking into account the student’s preferences, strengths and interests; and

3. includes instruction, related services, community experiences, the development or employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation. 

           

One court has found that a student’s services may include driver’s education, self- advocacy, and independent living skills such as cooking and cleaning. Transition services should include evidence of an employment assessment, as well as evidence of an independent living assessment if appropriate (for severe students). Further, they should include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals that cover education/training, employment and, as needed, independent living. These postsecondary goals must be based on age appropriate transition assessment, and they must be updated annually. Transition services should reasonably enable the students to meet their postsecondary goals.

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Transition services should include a course of study that is a multi-year description of coursework from the student's current year to anticipated exit year and that is designed to help the student achieve the identified postsecondary goals (additional courses/activities discussed that may support post-secondary goals, e.g. SLC participation, electives or instruction related to post-secondary goals, community experiences, participation in other school clubs or organizations, etc.). 

 

Finally, the annual IEP goal(s) should be related to the student's transition service’s needs. Also, students should be invited to the IEP team meeting where transition services are discussed. And, if appropriate, a representative of any participating agency should be invited to the IEP team meeting with the prior consent of the parent or student, who has reached the age of majority. 

 

According to federal law, beginning not later than the year in which a student turns 16 years of age, a student’s IEP must include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and the transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals. Transition services mean the development of employment and other post-school living objectives. Transition services are a “coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability 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.”