The completion of high school is the first step toward becoming an adult. There are many choices and decisions that must be made to plan for future outcomes. These decisions may include pursuing vocational instruction or further academic education, getting a job, and living independently. Making these choices may seem complex and overwhelming for students and their families. Therefore, planning for the transition to adulthood must begin years before graduation occurs.
Transition is a process described in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA,
1997, P.L. 105-17), which leads to student and family selected outcomes for students with disabilities once they have completed high school. Transition is the process of planning for a child’s passage from early intervention services to school based services. It is also a process of planning for a student’s life once s/he graduates from high school. Transition is a process that shapes decision-making about the student’s desires for adult life. These post-school choices include where an individual will work, live, study, and integrate into the community. Transition molds decision-making about the course of the student’s education in order to meet post-school outcomes.
Transition outcomes for each individual student will vary according to the student’s desires, goals, talents, and interests. School systems are responsible for assuring that transition planning becomes a component of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) beginning at age 14; however, it may be necessary to start transition planning much earlier in order to allow the student to achieve meaningful post-school outcomes. The purpose of the transition plan is to outline what the student needs to accomplish in order to achieve his/her goals for future independent living, employment, continued education, and recreational interests. The transition section of the IEP must be reviewed and updated annually. The transition team should include the student, family members, school personnel, adult service providers and anyone else that
would represent the student’s interests and needs and contribute to the transition plan. At age 14, the IEP team identifies a student’s transition service needs. Some of the content or topics that may be included are: