Transition Planning
Your child's right to transition planning starting at age 16, including post-secondary goals for education, employment, and independent living, and how to make sure the IEP prepares your teenager for life after high school.
Page Information
Jurisdiction: Federal IDEA + California special education law
Reviewed: Pending expert review
This page is informational but is still being reviewed by a special education expert. Some details may change.
Transition Planning
Preparing Your Teenager for Life After High School
When your child with an turns 16 — or earlier, if the IEP team agrees — the school must start planning for what comes after high school. This is called , and it is one of the most important parts of your teenager's education.
Transition planning is not just about graduation. It is about setting real, measurable goals for your child's future — whether that means college, vocational training, employment, or independent living. The school must create an (ITP) as part of the IEP that maps out how your child will get from where they are now to where they want to be after they leave school.
Here is the key point: transition planning is required by federal law. It is not something the school can skip, rush through, or treat as an afterthought. If your child is approaching 16 and no one has mentioned transition planning, it is time to bring it up.
Tip
While federal law requires transition planning to start by age 16, many experts — and California law — recognize that starting earlier is better. If your child is 14 or 15, you can ask the IEP team to begin transition planning now. There is no rule against starting early, and it gives your child more time to explore options and build skills.
What Transition Planning Must Include
The IEP must include specific, measurable goals in these areas:
Post-Secondary Education or Training
Where is your child headed after high school? This might include:
- A four-year college or university
- Community college
- Vocational or technical training program
- Certificate programs
- Job training programs
The IEP should describe what courses, skills, and supports your child needs now to be prepared for their post-secondary education goals.
Employment
What kind of work does your child want to do? The IEP should address:
- Career interests and aptitudes (based on a transition assessment)
- Work experience opportunities during high school (job shadowing, internships, part-time jobs)
- Skills needed for the workplace (time management, communication, job-specific skills)
- Connections to vocational rehabilitation agencies if appropriate
Independent Living (When Appropriate)
For some students, the IEP should also address:
- Daily living skills (cooking, money management, transportation, personal care)
- Self-advocacy skills (understanding their disability, knowing how to ask for accommodations)
- Community participation
- Housing and safety awareness
Your Child Must Be Invited to the Meeting
This is critical: the school must invite your teenager to attend their own IEP meeting when transition planning is being discussed. Your child's preferences, interests, and goals should drive the transition plan — not just what the school thinks is realistic.
If your child does not attend the meeting, the school must still take steps to ensure your child's preferences and interests are considered. But whenever possible, your teenager should be at the table. This is their future being planned.
Tip
If the school schedules a transition IEP meeting and does not invite your child, that is a procedural violation. The law requires the school to invite the student. Remind the school of this requirement and insist that your child be included.
Transition Assessments
Before the IEP team can set transition goals, your child should receive age-appropriate transition assessments. These are evaluations that help identify your child's strengths, interests, preferences, and needs related to post-secondary life. They may include:
- Interest inventories (what careers or activities interest your child)
- Aptitude tests (what skills your child has or could develop)
- Self-determination assessments (how well your child advocates for themselves)
- Adaptive behavior assessments (daily living skills)
- Community-based assessments (how your child functions in real-world settings)
If the school has not conducted a transition assessment, request one. The transition goals in the IEP should be based on actual assessment data, not guesswork.
Agency Involvement
Transition planning often involves outside agencies that can provide services after your child leaves school. The school is responsible for inviting these agencies to IEP meetings when appropriate, with your consent. Key agencies include:
- Department of Rehabilitation (DOR): Provides vocational rehabilitation services, job training, and employment support for people with disabilities
- Regional Center: Serves individuals with developmental disabilities, providing services like supported living, day programs, and employment support
- Community college disability services (DSPS): Provides academic accommodations in college settings
If the school has not connected you with any outside agencies and your child is approaching 18, ask the IEP team to make referrals.
Transfer of Rights at Age 18
In California, when your child turns 18, the rights under IDEA transfer from you to your child. This is called the . The school must notify both you and your child about this transfer at least one year before your child turns 18.
After age 18, your child — not you — will make decisions about their IEP, unless a court has appointed a conservator or your child has designated you as their educational representative. This is an important transition to prepare for.
What the Law Says
What To Do Next
- If your child is 14 or 15, request that transition planning begin now. You can ask the IEP team to start transition discussions early. Write to the school and request that the next IEP meeting include transition planning.
- Make sure your child has had a transition assessment. Before the IEP team sets goals, your child should be assessed for interests, aptitudes, and skills. If no assessment has been done, request one in writing.
- Review the transition section of the IEP carefully. Check that the goals are specific, measurable, and based on your child's actual interests — not generic filler. The plan should name specific courses, experiences, and services that will prepare your child.
- Insist your child be invited to the meeting. Talk to your teenager before the meeting about what they want for their future. Help them prepare to share their goals and preferences.
- Ask about agency connections. If your child may benefit from services after high school — vocational rehab, Regional Center, college disability services — ask the school to make referrals and invite agency representatives to the IEP meeting.
- Plan for the transfer of rights at 18. By the time your child is 17, discuss with the IEP team how the transfer of rights will work and whether additional planning is needed.
Sample Letter: Requesting Transition Planning
Dear [Special Education Director or Case Manager],
I am writing regarding my child, [Child's Name], who is currently [age] years old and in [grade] at [School Name]. I would like to request that the next IEP meeting include a comprehensive discussion of transition planning.
Specifically, I am requesting:
- An age-appropriate transition assessment to identify [Child's Name]'s interests, strengths, and needs related to post-secondary education, employment, and independent living
- Development of measurable postsecondary goals in the IEP based on the assessment results
- A plan for transition services, including any coursework, experiences, or supports [Child's Name] needs to reach those goals
- That [Child's Name] be invited to attend and participate in the IEP meeting, as required under IDEA Section 300.321(b)
- That appropriate outside agencies (such as the Department of Rehabilitation or Regional Center) be invited to participate, with my consent
I want to make sure we are preparing [Child's Name] for a successful transition to life after high school. Please contact me to schedule this meeting at a mutually convenient time.
Thank you, [Your Name] [Your Contact Information] [Today's Date]
Tip
Transition planning is not just a box for the school to check. Research shows that students who receive meaningful transition planning and services are significantly more likely to be employed, enrolled in education, and living independently after high school. Hold the school to a high standard — your child's future depends on it.
When to get one-on-one help from an advocate or attorney
Consider contacting an advocate or attorney if any of these apply:
- The district fails to respond to your assessment request within 15 days, misses the 60-day assessment deadline, or repeatedly refuses requests you've made in writing.
- Your child is losing instruction time, being disciplined frequently, or showing significant regression.
- The district wants to move your child to a different school or classroom against your wishes, or you are preparing for mediation or due process.