Q. My daughter is in ninth grade and has an IEP. Her teacher said it’s time to do a transition evaluation. What is it and why does she need one?
A. Transition is the period between ninth grade and graduation from high school or a transition program. When a student is in ninth grade, schools must do a transition evaluation for students in special education. It’s the time when families, schools and students look at what the student will need, in addition to academics, to live and work as independently as possible when they transition from school to adult life. The transition assessment should look at your daughter’s hopes, dreams and plans for her future. A transition evaluation measures a student’s strengths and needs in the areas of employment, recreation and leisure, independent/home living, community participation and post-secondary education. It looks at skills necessary for daily living such as budgeting, paying bills, healthy relationships, applying for a job, computer skills, etc. A good transition assessment helps in developing appropriate, measurable goals for getting from where the student is currently to where they want to be after school.
For more information, look at The Arc Guide to the Transition IEP: https://arcminnesota.org/content/uploads/sites/3/2018/01/Arc-Guide-to-Transition-IEP_January-2018.pdf