Executive functions, which begin developing in early childhood, are necessary for the tasks of daily life, such as decision making and planning. Despite their early development, often without teaching, many teens with disabilities need explicit instruction to acquire and apply executive functions each day. Gaps in executive functions directly…

The purpose of this publication is to provide guidance to Minnesota CareerForce youth development professionals on how to intentionally integrate the Guideposts for Success framework into the Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) model. Developed by PACER Center for Minnesota's Partners for Youth Disability Employment Initiative (DEI), this guide…

The IDEA mandates transition planning in Individualized Education Programs (IEP) for disabled students, who are now enrolling in postsecondary education programs at higher rates than ever before. Despite this, disabled students experience significantly worse post-school outcomes than their non-disabled peers. The purpose of this mixed-methods…

Transition planning is particularly important for dually identified English learners with disabilities, who frequently face additional challenges to postsecondary education success. This study examined postschool expectations, transition planning experiences, and supports of a nationally representative sample of English learners with disabilities,…

Much has been written about the challenges of effective transition planning (e.g., Cavendish & Connor, 2018; Landmark etal., 2007; Luft, 2015). In this article, ways to mitigate some of these common challenges are provided, including low or passive student and family involvement, unresponsiveness to family culture, poor communication between…

Transition for students with disabilities has been the focus of educational policies for several decades. Still, students with disabilities, including those with a specific learning disability (SLD), continue to experience difficulties transitioning to post-school environments, particularly post-secondary education (PSE). The Individuals with…

There is a process within the special education program that directly links a child's educational program with their plans for the future. It is called a Transition Plan and is part of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Transition services are a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability designed to be used within a…

Questions often arise about how accessible educational materials (AEM) might be included in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). The two purposes of this article are to (1) help families and educators understand the importance of including AEM in the IEPs of students who require them, and (2) to discuss locations in the IEP where it may be…

For many students, the transition from high school to adult independent life is one of the most exciting times in their lives. However, that same transition can be daunting, particularly for students with disabilities. Studies have shown the majority of high school students--including an increasing number of students with disabilities--indicate…

This study was performed as the result of gaps in the literature in the area of transition to independent living (IL) using secondary data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 (NLTS-2). Its findings identify individual, skills, family, and school factors that predict postsecondary living status and moderators of the relationships…

We conducted an exploratory study to investigate the relation between nonacademic behavior constructs measured by the "Transition Assessment and Goal Generator" (TAGG) and postsecondary education and employment outcomes for 297 high school leavers who completed the TAGG during their high school years. Four of eight TAGG constructs…

Since the revision of Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004, experts and service providers have been operating on the untested assumption that State Performance Plan Indicator 13 (transition Individualized Education Program [IEP] compliance) is a precursor to Indicator 14 (student outcomes of engagement in postsecondary…

The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA; 2006) requires schools to develop transition plans for students with disabilities, beginning at age 16, if not before. For students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the transition planning process includes unique considerations. This article describes five steps for developing effective…

Lakeview High School is a medium sized high school in a rural farming community. The staff at Lakeview meets at the beginning of each school year to discuss building-level professional development plans. This year, Lakeview's special education team has requested to focus its professional development time on improving special education services for…

We conducted an exploratory study to investigate the relation between nonacademic behavior constructs measured by the "Transition Assessment and Goal Generator" (TAGG) and postsecondary education and employment outcomes for 297 high school leavers who completed the TAGG during their high school years. Four of eight TAGG constructs…