Transition planning is a mandatory aspect of special education service delivery, according to federal special education law (IDEA 20 U.S.C. 1400). Federal law requires that school special education teams engage in transition planning for each student’s transition to adulthood — that is, from high school to college or employment.
The law states specific requirements for transition planning. These requirements include timing, assessment, goals, and services. In January 2017, the United States Department of Education published “A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities,” which explains IDEA’s requirement for transition planning and its relationship to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
The U.S. Department of Education’s – A Transition Guide to Postsecondary Education and Employment for Students and Youth with Disabilities is available online at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/transition/products/postsecondary-transition-guide-2017.pdf
