Tips for IEP Transition into Highschool
Transition
You are preparing your child for future EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, and INDEPENDENT LIVING (required by IDEA at age 16, many states it’s earlier)
– Assess present levels (academic, functional), strengths, interests, preferences
– Develop postsecondary and IEP goals
– Identify services (e.g, OVR, PAES Lab), curriculum, activities
Future Education:
– Your child is a lifelong learner!
– What skills/supports/activities does your child need after high school?
– What programs are offered in your area? (college, bridge programs, community college, vo-tech)
Employment:
– Transition programming starts with assessments and explorations to determine strengths, preferences, interests, etc. to create pro-vocational goals.
– It is important for them to begin practicing and model a job that they not only would be able to do, but enjoy doing.
– You can begin adding in helpful Life Skill tasks as early as 9 years of age throughout your child’s school day (e.g., making deliveries to other classrooms, wiping down tables or running a school snack shop.)
Independent Living:
– Focus on life skills and leisure skills (siblings are a good guide)
– Stay in contact with local organizations and their programs, so you have that continuous contact as your child grows into adulthood.
*Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
*Practical Assessment Exploration Program – explore jobs in five areas (consumer/service, business/marketing, processing/production, construction/industrial, computer technology) and develops soft skills (hygiene, safety, communication, following directions, etc.)
