Learn about transition services for youth
What is Transition?
Transition is a process of planning to help youth develop life skills and have real life experiences so they can become successful, contributing members of society. Transition planning relates not only to post high school goals, but includes the many years of planning and working toward meaningful goals including employment. There are many government agencies and organizations that can help young people plan for the transition from school to postsecondary education or work, as well as resources for parents and educators.
Where to Look on Disability.gov
Young people can begin with the Student Resources section of Disability.gov to find out about options for education and working after high school, including guides and toolkits that walk students through the transition process step by step.
Both parents and students can visit the Financial Aid section of Disability.gov for information on how to pay for college or other postsecondary education.
Transition from High School to Postsecondary Education
For transition materials for parents, students and professionals, as well as those related to specific disabilities, visit the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities' Transition to Adulthood Web site. Learn how transition planning is related to a student's IEP, and how parents, youth and educators can work together on transition planning.
A toolkit from George Washington University's HEATH Resource Center offers guidance and advice for parents, students and educators on transitioning from high school to postsecondary education.
The Going to College Web site is a resource for teens with disabilities that helps them identify their own strengths and needs, learn what to expect at college and prepare for and apply to college.
To learn about your rights as a person with a disability in postsecondary education, visit the Department of Education's Web site.
Young people can also watch Succeeding in College and at Work, a series of videos in which students with disabilities describe their experiences in college and their strategies for success.
The Department of Education offers a questions and answers fact sheet about transition from high school to postsecondary education which addresses issues such as federal support for transition programs, and the requirements for a "Summary of Performance", or SOP, which provides a summary of a student's academic achievement and functional performance to assist him or her to transition beyond high school.
Educators can find information from the Postsecondary Education Programs Network (PEPNet), which offers information to help secondary and postsecondary institutions more effectively address the vocational, technical and continuing and adult education needs of individuals who are deaf, including those who are deaf with co-occurring disabilities such as learning and emotional disabilities.
Transition from School to Work
TransCen Online's School-to-Career Transition Self-Paced Modules can help young people work at their own pace as they plan for their transition from school to adult life. This site covers work, health and social services and family supports.
The National Collaboration on Workforce & Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) offers several publications on issues related to the transition from high school to work, including a guide to Benefits Planning for Youths with Disabilities. NCWD also offers Guideposts for Success to help steer families, institutions and young people through the transition process.
The Preparing for Employment guide provides information and advice for young people with disabilities looking for their first jobs. It also includes information on how Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams can help young people with disabilities develop a plan that includes employment goals.
You can also learn about how your Social Security benefits might be affected by employment, and what programs and incentives are available to help youth with disabilities make the transition to employment on the Social Security Administration Web site.
Resources for Parents
Health is often a primary concern when young people transition from school to adult life. Learn about how to manage health issues during and after the transition from school to adult life on the Healthy & Ready to Work Web site. This site covers issues such as finding quality health care, involving youth in their own care and understanding health care systems.
The Department of Labor offers information on family involvement and supports. Participation and involvement of parents, family members and/or other caring adults can promote the social, emotional, physical, academic and occupational growth of youth, leading them to better post-school outcomes. The site offers a fact sheet on connecting activities which provides advice on how parents can help their children connect to programs, services, activities and supports that help them gain access to post-school options.
The Association on Higher Education & Disability offers answers to frequently asked questions parents have related to transition.
The HEATH Resource Center's Parents' Guide to the Transition of Their Adult Child to College, Career and Community offers tools and resources to help prepare parents for their childrens' transition from high school to postsecondary education.
The Introduction to Guidance Activities Web course is designed to assist parents in supporting their children as they prepare for college.
The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition's IEP & Transition Planning Frequently Asked Questions fact sheet answers many common questions on issues related to transition, including what are the legal requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) regarding transition.
Parent Centers serve families of children of all ages (birth through 26 years) with all disabilities; physical, cognitive, behavioral, social and emotional. State Parent Centers provide additional resources and information to help young people with disabilities transition from high school to postsecondary education and employment.
Resources for Students
The HEATH Resource Center's Awareness of Postsecondary Options Guide offers answers to many of the questions young people have before and during the transition process, and provides detailed information on available options.
The Department of Education's guide Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities helps students with disabilities learn about their rights and responsibilities related to postsecondary education.
In addition, the Association on Higher Education & Disability offers answers to frequently asked questions students have related to transition.
The Department of Education offers a Students section of their Web site which provides information and resources on a variety of topics related to postsecondary education, including information on financial aid and College Navigator, which helps students find colleges based on location, programs, tuition, distance learning, evening courses and more.
The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center offers a video on what students should start to think about when determining their postsecondary goals.
Resources for Educators
The Department of Education's publication, Transition of Students With Disabilities To Postsecondary Education: A Guide for High School Educators helps educators advise students with disabilities on what to expect in postsecondary education.
The Association on Higher Education & Disability offers Best Practices Resources for educators and disability service providers to use in developing and refining their approaches to working with youth with disabilities as they transition to, and participate in, higher education.
Buffalo State College's Office of Disability Services offers a list of helpful links of about disabilities for students, faculty and staff that contains a number of valuable resources related to students with disabilities and higher education.
The Postsecondary Innovative Transition Technology (Post-ITT) Educator Instructional Module helps teachers and other service providers (including school counselors) working with youth with disabilities be informed about the many issues related to transition.
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