Transition Services

Essential Elements

• Transition Services are the skills, experiences, activities, opportunities, and connections necessary to achieve postsecondary goals. They focus on improving academic and functional performance, and facilitate movement from school to post-school as identified in the student’s postsecondary goal statements. 
• Transition service areas may include:
  •  instruction,
  • related services,
  • community experiences,
  • or development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, if appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and provision of a functional vocational evaluation.
• IDEA defines transition services as a “coordinated set of activities designed within a results-oriented process.” The transition services (activities) should specify what will occur, who is responsible, and when (within the current IEP year) it will take place. 
• Transition services that will help the student achieve their desired measurable postsecondary goals can be the responsibility of student, parent, school and/or outside agencies, if all parties are part of the planning process and agree to accept responsibility for the service.
• As with other components of the postsecondary transition process, this information must be updated at least annually.
• If a particular service (activity) is not carried out by the responsible party, the IEP team needs to convene a meeting to discuss how to address the particular need. Do not wait for the next IEP meeting.

Student Voice

To ensure that the student’s voice is central to developing needed services, the team should consider the following questions: 

1. What experiences must the student participate in during this IEP year that are necessary for attaining their identified postsecondary goals? 
2. What services and specific instruction are essential during this IEP year for the student to develop skills and knowledge to attain their postsecondary goals? 
3. Do we know enough about this student’s skills to identify or design activities to support his/her postsecondary goals, or is there a need for further investigation?