Transition Planning in the New IEP

By Rebecca Davis, Director of Transition Programs and Maddie Evans, Youth Engagement Coordinator 

Have you heard the news?  The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has revised the Individualized Education Program (IEP) form. Some school districts chose to start using the new form during the 2023-24 school year.  As of fall 2024, the new IEP form is required to be used in all schools throughout the state. 

At the Federation, we believe it’s important to continually emphasize that no changes have been made to the law. The changes are in the IEP form itself. These changes are intended to strengthen the IEP process by encouraging collaboration between schools, families, and students themselves. Ultimately, it is hoped that the new form will promote better outcomes for students with disabilities throughout Massachusetts.

In their Quick Reference Guide, DESE defines five areas of focus where they sought to improve the IEP form. 

1. Family and Student Voice

2. Improved Outcomes and Access

3. Least Restrictive Environment

4. Coordinated Transition Planning

5. Accessibility of Language  

So What Is Coordinated Transition Planning?

Under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA), federal law requires transition planning and transition services as a key component of providing Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to students with disabilities. IDEA defines transition planning as “a coordinated set of activities…focused on improving the academic and functional achievement” of a student to move from school to post-school life.

In Massachusetts, transition planning begins for students with IEPs at the age of 14 (or earlier if the IEP team agrees). By age 14, students must be invited to their IEP meetings, and they are encouraged to participate in the process to the best of their ability. Students with IEPs are entitled to transition support and services under IDEA until graduation or until their 22nd birthday.  

The importance of coordinated and individualized transition planning to prepare students for life after high school cannot be understated. In revising the IEP, DESE embedded the expectations and questions around transition planning into the form. In the old IEP form, there was a separate “Transition Planning Form” that was supposed to be stapled to the student’s IEP document. Although transition planning is a critical part of the IEP process, the previous Transition Planning Form was not always understood by families and school staff.  Some IEP teams treated it as optional.   

By including transition planning within the IEP document itself, the new IEP makes the process of transition planning clearer for everyone involved. During an IEP meeting for a transition-aged student, the sections of the form addressing transition planning will appear in the software. that schools use and must be addressed by the IEP team. 

The new IEP also provides structured prompts for teams to reflect on the skills that students will need in life after high school. It includes consideration of not only academic strengths and challenges, but also how the student functions in the areas of communication, social/emotional needs, and other areas. The form encourages teams to identify a projected date of completion or graduation. Keeping this date in mind can help set timelines for goals and make students aware of the requirements needed to graduate with a diploma if that is part of their plan. 

Considering the Full Range Adult Living Skills

The new IEP form guides teams to discuss important considerations for transition planning. For example, it includes space to emphasize and document connections between the student’s school and community.  This increased focus on community interaction is a welcome addition, encouraging teams to explore an aspect of independent living that can often be overlooked. Following the built-in structure of the new form, IEP goals can be created that link the student with community-based resources and agencies. Staff members would then be assigned as liaisons with outside partners. 

Two form also provides explicit guidance on two important age-related deadlines:

• The form requires documentation when a student turns 17 that both the student and the parent have been notified of the transfer of rights in decision-making, which occurs when a student turns 18. This is important so that families and students can discuss shared decision-making if the student will become their own guardian; or the parent seeking guardianship of their adult child.

• If a Chapter 688 referral is necessary to connect a student to an adult service agency, the IEP form documents when the referral is made (at least two years prior to leaving school) and which agency was contacted. 

Making the Most of the New IEP Form

While it may take some time to become familiar with the updated IEP, it will be worth it.  To assist families and professionals, DESE has developed several tools on how to use the revised IEP form.  Visit the IEP Improvement Project website to find sample IEPs, Discussion Questions for My Yearly IEP Meeting, an IEP technical guide, and quick reference guides about the IEP and transition planning in the IEP. We encourage families to check them out and use the tools to prepare for your IEP meetings.

FCSN is partnering with DESE to train families and professionals on using the new IEP form.  Watch for upcoming trainings in our Weekly Happenings newsletter (subscribe here) or look for upcoming opportunities on our Event calendar.

With its clear instructions and discussion prompts, DESE has created a form that is more engaging for students and families.  For transition-age students, it can be a tool to practice self-advocacy and self-determination while maintaining high expectations for the future.