Planning for Post-Secondary Transition
High School is a Big Thing!
It’s preparation for life, for adult life. Although high school is often an exciting time, there can also be a sense of uncertainty for families especially if a student is receiving special education services. Fortunately, IDEA 2004 and the NH Standards for the Education of Children with Disabilities have protections in place to help students receiving special education services prepare for leaving high school. In high school, IEP teams begin to look at IEPs differently and start to think about planning for what comes next. Schools generally refer to this as Transition Planning and the focus is on the future. It starts with identifying what a student might want to do after high school. When families and schools work together, IEPs can be developed that identify and plan around a youth’s true interests in education, employment, and independent living.
There are post-secondary transition planning components that are required to be part of the IEP.
• Beginning at age 14 (or younger, if determined appropriate by the IEP team), the IEP must include a statement of transition service needs, which focus on the student’s course of study
• Beginning at age 16 (or younger, if determined appropriate by the IEP team), the IEP must include:
o Measurable post-secondary goals in the areas of education, employment and post-school living objectives
o Statement of needed transition services, including, if appropriate, a statement of the interagency responsibilities or any needed linkages
o At least one year before the student reaches the age of majority (18 in New Hampshire), a statement that he/she has been informed of the rights that will transfer to him/her at age 18.
For more information on high school, visit PIC’s Transition Resource, PIC’s Transition Tool Kit or PIC’s Road Map to the Future.
Transition Resources
Download a flyer format of this page!
Download a copy of PIC’s award winning Transition Tool Kit
ELOs provide an opportunity to explore beyond school walls, to work with local experts, gain valuable real-world knowledge and skills, and earn high school credit. Download a brochure about ELOs
Transition fairs connect students and their families to resources that help them build successful lives after high school. Research into transition practices shows that when educators, families, students, community members, and organizations work together, post-secondary outcomes improve for students with disabilities. Download our brochure on How to Plan a Transition Fair
An overview of seven transition-related professional development workshops and three student workshops available to schools for a fee.
Download this 12p. PDF easy to follow guide designed to help high school administrators, staff and families to develop Family Engagement Teams using a focus group strategy to review of how effectively a school works with families. A group might be a follow-up to a survey, or a sole means of gathering parent comments. This guide leads you from initial concept to inviting parents to conducting the meetings.