#31 - Individualized Transition Planning to Guide IEP Goals
"Falling off the cliff" refers to what happens to young adults with special needs upon exiting the school system and losing services that were once readily available. One of the most important things that can be done to prepare for the shift in services is spend a lot of energy and thought on the Individualized Transition Plan which is a federally mandated document guiding IEP goals beginning at the age of 14 or 16.
Dana Lattin, project coordinator of the Transition Coalition, will talk with us about :
What we need to be exposing our kids to and thinking about now in order to prepare for the future
Keeping records of interests and strengths to share with the planning team and examples of ways to do this
Person-centered planning
The three categories that drive transition (from a legal standpoint)
Assessment tools for educators and parents
Places to find resources and assessment tools
Mentioned in This Episode
(click to be directed to the web page)
Transition was included in the IDEA authorization in the 1990's.
Dana Lattin works with the Transition Coalition, NTACT, and a post-secondary program at the Univesity of Kansas for students with disabilities.
Keeping and updating an ongoing transition portfolio is a way to keep track of interests and strengths to share with the planning team. There are a lot of ways this can be done for students with both mild to severe needs. The Transition Coalition website has several templates and links to assessments. Here is an example of an in-depth assessment covering a variety of areas.
The transition portion of an IEP is driven by 3 categories. They are education, employment, and independent living.
Finding and building upon the strengths of the student is a guiding force in formulating annual IEP goals that contribute to measurable transition goals. A blend of assessment measures helps the team find those strengths.
A recommended assessment to use when first getting started with transition planning is the Transition Planning Inventory.
MAPS planning is a person-centered planning method used to collect information from those close to the student.
The Transition Coalition website is a must for parents who want to be proactive in transition planning. There, you can find formal and informal assessments, study modules, webinars, and much more.
Related LOMAH Content
Episode #25: Think College is funded by the US Department of Education as a national coordinator for transition and post-secondary options for students with intellectual disabilities.
The Individualized Transition Plan series is an introduction to the ITP. The four-part series covers assessments, writing goals, and interagency collaboration.