Assessment Plan

Step 2: Developing an Individualized Transition Assessment Plan

Creating an assessment plan means selecting the right tools and strategies to learn what each student needs in order to plan effectively for life after high school. The Transition Coalition recommends eight guiding principles to help frame this process. Below is an example using a fictional student, Jayden, a ninth-grader with an intellectual disability and significant challenges in reading, writing, and processing information.

1. Customize assessment methods based on decisions that need to be made.
   Example: Since Jayden is entering high school and decisions need to be made about his future course of study, we start by using interest inventories with visual supports to determine his strengths and interests related to elective choices and future work settings.
   
   

2. Ensure methods match the student’s learning and response needs.
   Example: Traditional paper-pencil assessments are not appropriate for Jayden. Instead, we use picture-based surveys and conduct interviews with familiar adults to gather insight in a way that matches his communication style and cognitive needs.
   
   

3. Include assistive technology and necessary accommodations.
   Example: Jayden uses a tablet with text-to-speech software. All digital assessments are adapted to allow him to listen to the questions and use voice output or touch responses to answer.
   
   

4. Conduct assessments in natural environments whenever possible.
   Example: Rather than assessing job skills in the classroom, we observe Jayden helping the custodian after school—where he demonstrates responsibility and enjoyment—providing authentic insight into his readiness for community-based work experiences.
   
   

5. Focus on producing results that inform transition planning.
   Example: Results from a community safety checklist showed Jayden struggles to identify warning signs and directions in public spaces, which leads us to add independent living skills instruction focused on community navigation.
   
   

6. Use multiple ongoing activities to gather information.
   Example: Over the semester, Jayden participates in classroom role-play, completes simplified checklists, and engages in short job try-outs in school-based settings. These experiences allow us to gather more accurate, ongoing data about his preferences and soft skills.
   
   

7. Verify findings using different tools and perspectives.
   Example: Input from Jayden’s family, classroom teacher, and job coach are all collected to confirm that Jayden thrives in predictable, hands-on tasks and may benefit from a future role in custodial or facilities work.
   
   

8. Store results in an accessible, user-friendly format.
   Example: Jayden’s assessment results are compiled in a digital student profile with visuals and summaries that his IEP team—including his family—can easily review to guide course planning and service delivery.

Review Guiding Questions for student based on area of transiiton:

Area of Transition: Current and Future Employment, Occupational Interests & Values

What do we already know about James?

• Jayden likes working around cars and car racing.

• James also likes stocking shelves.

• James does not like the repetition of washing dishes.

What do we need to learn about James?

• What about cars specifically interests James?

• Are there aspects about stocking shelves James likes best?

• What are some occupations that James might like?

How will we gather this information?

• Use a specific career interest interview to ask James and his family about his career interests and preferences.

• Observe James at his work-based learning experience to collect specific observational data on completion of tasks (e.g. work pace, what types of prompts/instructions necessary, how frequent are prompts needed, work-related skills such as communication, problem-solving, working with co-workers).

• Conduct a career values card sort with James so he can identify the values most important to him when working.

Who will gather the information?

• James’ special education teacher will interview him.

• The WBL job coach will observe and collect data on James while he is at work.

• The transition coordinator will conduct the career values card sort with James.