Transition Plan

A Transition Plan is the portion of an IEP that prepares a student with a disability for adult life. IDEA requires that transition services be in place by the IEP that will be in effect when the student turns 16 (some states require earlier, at 14). The plan must be based on age-appropriate transition assessments and must address education/training, employment, and — when appropriate — independent living.

The plan includes measurable postsecondary goals (what the student will do after high school), the transition services the school will provide to help the student reach those goals, and a course of study that aligns with the goals. Beginning no later than age 17, the IEP must also include a statement that the student has been informed of the rights that transfer at the age of majority.

Transition planning often involves outside agencies — vocational rehabilitation, local colleges, employment services — and the student is expected to be an active participant in their IEP meetings.