Transition

There are two types of transition that students receive under IDEA.

The first is the transition from First Steps. Students can receive special services through First Steps until their third birthday. When they turn three, the responsibility falls on the Local Educational Agency to take over services. This will likely result in another evaluation process and the creation of a new IEP to determine how the school will serve the student best. First Steps will identify the school district of the need for transition, but parents and patrons are welcome to contact the school district for more information. 

Another transition plan must be in place by the time the student reaches 16 years of age. This transition is designed to prepare students to transition from school to post-school employment, education, specialized training, and independence. Typically, this transition is mentioned in every IEP meeting from the student's very first. You may be asked to confirm their age in early IEP meetings to ensure that the student will not reach 16 during the IEP cycle. You may also be asked about the student's interests, preferences, and post-school ambitions each year in order to generate a large amount of data for when the time comes to begin creating this transition plan. One resource that may be of interest is Vocational Rehabilitation. More information regarding Vocational Rehabilitation can be found here. Several more helpful resources regarding this transition can be found here.