Transition Services

Explanation

Transition services must meet the definition of “a results-oriented process that facilitates 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, and independent living or community participation.”

Annual IEP goals should be developed after transition services have been determined. There must be a clear link between the student’s postsecondary goals, transition services, and their annual IEP goals.

Consider these questions when determining transition services:

If the team has considered the questions above and determined that services in a particular area are not necessary to support achievement of the student's postsecondary goals, record “The student is not demonstrating a need at this time” in that area.


Service Areas

Instruction

Instruction as a transition service is a broad range of activities that promotes access to school curriculum, help students gain needed skills and move toward his/her postsecondary goals. Instruction around the acquisition of daily living skills may be needed for some students who need preparation of specific life skills (e.g., self-care, money management, transportation).


This section is for specialized instruction, regular instruction, and career and technical education. If the student has relevant direct services linked to annual IEP goals or relevant classes in school they can be listed here.


Examples of Activities for Instruction:


Related Services

These are the supports (e.g., psychology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, assistive technology) needed for students to access more integrated work, education, and living environments. Related services within the context of transition services is to help students (and families) determine if related services are needed beyond high school, help identify who or what agency might provide those services, help identify how the student (parent) can access those services and make the connections to needed services prior to the student leaving school.


Examples of Activities for Related Services:


Community Participation

Community experiences involve a variety of activities and experiences that are provided outside the school building.

A range of career and job domain activities (e.g., job shadowing, internship, work experiences) are used to learn knowledge and skills to meet the requirements of specific occupations or career pathways. For students going onto post-secondary education, activities often involve touring colleges and/or programs offered by various colleges and universities (e.g., summer programs).


Examples of Activities for Community Experiences:


Development of Employment & Adult Living Objectives

With a major focus on career planning, these services help the student develop, define, refine and finalize his/her post-secondary goals. Assessments, experiences, and planning activities are key to helping students finalize their goals.

This area focuses on the development of work-related behaviors, job seeking and keeping skills, career exploration, skill training and actual employment. Volunteer work also provides important skills and experiences that could lead to integrated employment or supported employment.

Adult living objectives are those services that include support activities done occasionally such as accessing employment support agencies, registering to vote, filing taxes, renting a home, accessing medical services, filing for insurance, or accessing adult services, college information, Social Security Income (SSI).

Remember: The focus for post-secondary employment goals for all students with disabilities is integrated competitive employment, which is defined as employment at a competitive wage or at least minimum wage.


Examples of Activities for Employment & Adult Living Objectives:


Acquisition of Daily Living Skills, Including a Functional Vocational Evaluation

Daily living skills are included, “if appropriate” to support student ability to do those activities that most adults do every day (e.g., grooming, preparing meals, budgeting, maintaining a home, paying bills, caring for clothes).

A functional vocational evaluation is an assessment process through situational assessments or a community-based assessment in the settings where the actual skills and/or job are performed. This practical process includes observations, data from task analysis, and other formal or informal measures.


Examples of Activities for Acquisition of Daily Living Skills and Functional Evaluation, if appropriate:


NOTE: The example activities above were adapted from: Helping educators, parents and other stakeholders understand: Post-school outcomes, course of study and coordinated set of activities by Ed O’Leary and Wendy Collision (2002).