The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004 outlined a series of mandates for special education teachers. Specifically, they must develop activities that promote skills to help their students become successful in adulthood. These activities became an additional requirement that needed to be navigated by special education staff,…

Research indicates that the trend of students with disabilities choosing to attend college is continually increasing. However, research also suggests that this population may be ill prepared to meet the increased academic demands and level of independence needed at the college level. Research in the field indicates that high schools may not be…

This qualitative case study examines the challenges facing rural secondary schools in transitioning youth from high school to post-secondary education and careers, and whether the interventions, strategies and support built into the Early College High School could offer a solution to this long-standing challenge to better meet the needs of special…

Post-secondary transition plans are a mandatory component of the individual education program (IEP) for all students aged 16 and over, that are eligible for special education services. This regulation has been in effect since the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990. IDEA has been reauthorized twice in the…

Although transition of students with disabilities has been part of federal mandates since the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990 and IDEA amendments of 1997, many students with disabilities continue to leave high school without a functional postsecondary transition plan. The purpose of this qualitative…

Despite efforts over the past several decades to improve the delivery of transition services for youth with disabilities, outcomes continue to be unacceptably dismal for most youth, including high rates of unemployment, residential independence, and financial dependence, concurrent with low rates of enrollment in college or other postsecondary…

To address disabled students' troubling outcomes, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services identified school-to-work transition as a major priority. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandates that transition services be part of secondary students' IEPs. Principals' and parents'…

Results of follow-up studies conducted on 67 high-school students with behavior disorders (BD) who graduated in 1985 and 22 graduates with BD who graduated in 1993, after passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), were compared to investigate the effects of transition requirements. The class of 1993 demonstrated better…

The transition to adult life for students with reading and writing challenges is an area that is not often addressed. The purpose of this article is to relate the informal assessment process to the broader context of high stakes assessment, high school exit exams, diploma options, and transition planning; identify the competencies needed for a…

This policy brief examines states' experiences and data regarding implementation of the transition planning mandate of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It reports on a study which investigated whether implementation of transition planning was associated with decreased dropout rates for youth with disabilities and whether the format…

Interviews with 106 Apache Native American youth (including 52 who received special education services) who had exited high school between 1988 and 1992 found that 14 special education and 19 general education students were employed. Results are discussed in light of curriculum, cultural implications of employment, and federally mandated…

This paper synthesizes literature which relates to the successful transition of students with learning disabilities upon leaving high school. The first section defines transition and analyzes the components of transition as outlined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The second section reviews issues related to students with…

Transitioning from high school to a postsecondary educational environment is exciting but challenging. There are new places, new faces, and new ways of doing things. Students now must advocate for themselves instead of having programs and services planned for them. These adjustments can at times be overwhelming. Minimize the challenges by planning…

Designed for parents of students, this booklet provides information and strategies for helping students with disabilities make a smooth transition to postsecondary education and training. The first part of the booklet addresses: building blocks for transition, transition services mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,…

This manual on development of transition planning programs/services for high school youth with disabilities and their families is based on the premises that both youth and family members need to be actively involved in every step of the transition planning process, that empowered families can access necessary transition and adult services needed…