Transition Services

Definition

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:

What experiences must the student participate in this academic year that are necessary for achieving the identified postsecondary goals?
What services and specific instruction are essential this year for the student to develop skills and knowledge to attain their postsecondary goals?
Do we know enough about this student’s vocational skills to identify an appropriate postsecondary employment goal or design activities to support the identified goal?

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 their 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

Improve reading comprehension skills
Increase reading fluency
Improve math problem solving skills
Improve written composition skills
Learn and practice social skills
Learn and practice communication skills
Learn and practice self-determination skills
Learn and practice self-advocacy
Learn and practice employability skills
Learn budgeting/money management skills
Practice negotiation skills for job raises, car purchases, job hiring, etc.
Participate in community-based instruction
Learn and practice self-management skills
Learn and practice stress management skills
Learn and demonstrate time management skills
Learn and demonstrate study skills
Learn recreation and leisure skills
Learn and practice responsible decision-making skills
Learn and practice problem-solving skills

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

Complete assistive technology trials
Connect with adult services who provide assistive technology
Participate in orientation and mobility services
Work with school health nurse on medication management
Learn about audiological services for after high school
Learn how to access interpreter services for college and/or employment settings
Explore options for a service animal
Use augmentative communication devices in community settings
Visit potential post-school providers of physical therapy (or other therapies)
Participate in social work 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

Practice budgeting and shopping skills
Use public transportation to get to and from work site
Access local community resources such as health care facilities, mental health facilities, library, postal services, grocery store, bank, Laundromat)
Demonstrate appropriate social skills in community settings (being quiet in relevant settings, work settings, standing in line, asking for help)
Locate items in a grocery store
Explore new ways to use leisure time
Plan and participate in community activities (e.g., transportation, leisure, work)
Recognize and pay for small purchases in community settings
Participate in work experiences
Participate in job shadowing
Tour colleges
Participate in internships or apprenticeship programs
Tour employment or other community settings
Obtain a state identification and/or driver’s license
Register with Selective Services
Understand and participate in voting process
Explore and tour living and housing options
Learn about and participate in volunteer opportunities (e.g., Habitat for Humanity, Hospital, Animal shelter, library)
Learn about and visit potential places for shopping for food, clothes, etc.
Learn and practice the dangers of accepting assistance/goods from strangers
Select and order their food in restaurant
Learn and practice problem-solving skills in community settings
Able to identify the locations of and get to social service agencies (e.g., employment agencies, social services, rehabilitation agencies, etc.)

Development of Employment & Adult Living Objectives

With a major focus on career planning, these services help the student develop, define, refine and finalize their 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

Participate in community-based employment program/work-study program
Participate in an apprenticeship or internship program
Complete application to Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Interview various workers in interested field
Obtain specific information about an occupation
Meet with employment agencies or supported employment providers to identify services
Participate in in-school jobs
Participate in community work experiences
Practice completing job applications and interviewing skills with work study coordinator
Interview military branch officers
Attend transition fair/career fair at school
Meet with armed forces recruiter
Learn about voting and where to register to vote
Participate in job shadowing
Go on interviews with employers
Develop resume, cover letters and thank you notes for after interviews
Explore college grants, loans and scholarships
Complete financial aid information
Research interested careers through Department of Labor
Learn and practice skills needed to access job search services
Open a bank account
Visit adult service providers
Explore guardianship issues and financial planning
Apply to colleges

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

Take cooking classes
Learn to operate washing/dryer
Learn to use an ATM card
Learn meal preparation
Learn grocery skills
Learn how to purchase and care for clothes
Learn and practices basic self-care
Learn and practices grooming and hygiene skills
Care for personal toileting needs
Communicate personal information (e.g., name, address, gender, telephone number, etc.) in appropriate situations
Manage daily time schedule
Open checking/savings account
Learn emergency procedures
Take courses in health, family planning, child development
Learn medication self-management
Listen to the weather forecast to plan daily/weekly outings/clothes choices
Demonstrate safety skills in various settings (e.g., home, kitchen, work)
Learn and practices seeking medical and/or emergency assistance
Learn basic laundry skills

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I review the Transition Services page of the IEP and use it to develop transition-focused annual IEP goals?

First, there should always be 100% overlap between the activities listed in the Instruction area of the Transition Services page and the direct/indirect services listed on the services grid of the IEP. However, not all transition services will translate into a corresponding annual IEP goal and direct/indirect service.

The key distinction here is “tasks” versus “skills.” Of the transition services identified, annual IEP goals should be developed in areas that will have specific skill development outcomes (e.g., reading comprehension skills, self-advocacy skills, etc.). On the other hand, many transition services involve completing tasks (e.g., signing up for driver’s education, visiting colleges, etc.) and developing annual IEP goals in these areas would not be appropriate.

When the school is a service provider for a transition service, when are all of these transition activities supposed to happen in the school day?

Activities in the area of Instruction will be part of the student's direct/indirect services listed on the services grid of the IEP. If the school has a direct service available that is closely related to transition activities (e.g., an Employability Skills Seminar class, a Life Skills class, etc.) numerous activities from several transition service areas may be incorporated into that class. General education programming, including school counseling services, is also a key resource for completing transition activities. For example, a case manager might arrange a meeting between a special education student and their school counselor to discuss college options. If the student has been referred to Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS), VRS counselors typically assist with numerous transition activities. For more information about the specific transition services available in your school building, refer to your building's World's Best Workforce Plan or Building Principal/Supervisor.

Can parents be listed as an “Agency” on the Transition Services page?

Yes! In many cases, transition services occur in the community and the parent/guardian is in an optimal position to support these tasks (e.g., enrolling the student in driver’s education classes, opening a bank account, or applying for county services). Only list a parent/guardian as an Agency on the Transition Services page if they attended the IEP meeting and committed to completing the listed service/activity.

What if the parent doesn’t complete the transition activity listed?

The school district is obligated to convene an IEP meeting to discuss the lack of progress towards completion of the transition activity. If the transition activity is still an area of need that should be addressed in the IEP, the school may choose to rewrite the transition activity in terms that enable the school district to become the service provider. For example, instead of the transition activity listed being “opening a bank account” the school district may change the transition activity to “learn the steps of opening a bank account in the community including researching local banks and the banking accounts they have available."

When should the IEP Team consider placement in an 18-21-year-old Transition Program?

As a team, it may be beneficial to ask the following questions:

Does the student have sufficient skills, with the supports they have in place, to either participate in a postsecondary education program, enter the military, or obtain immediate competitive employment?
- If the answer to the question is yes, the student is likely ready to graduate and accept their diploma.
If the answer to the question is no, are there supports or services (outside of special education) that can adequately assist the student in participating in a postsecondary education program, enter the military, or obtain immediate competitive employment?
- If the answer to the second question is yes, the student may be ready to graduate and accept their diploma.
If the answer to both questions is no, what skills does the student need to gain in order to be prepared for participating in a postsecondary education program or obtaining immediate competitive employment?

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