Family Involvement

Families are a key part of the transition assessment process.  In most instances, they know the child best, including their preferences, interests, needs, strengths, and cultural background. This insight helps make both formal and informal assessments more meaningful and supports better transition planning. Families bring a valuable perspective and are the experts on their child.

Ongoing two-way communication with families helps ensure that transition goals reflect both the student’s and the family’s hopes and dreams for the future.  To keep families informed and involved, be sure to:

• Share and explain assessment results in accessible ways

• Provide observations about the student and invite families to do the same (What does life look like for the student and family outside of school, ie. chores at home, interactions with others, time management, etc)

  • • Information provided by families can be utilizied as an informal assessment.

• Provide opportunities to collaborate with transition partners and next steps

Including family input leads to more meaningful conversations with both the student and their family.  

Using a variety of assessment methods allows students to demonstrate their skills and strengths in ways that reflect their cultural experiences, beliefs, goals, and comfort level.

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