Transition Services
Checklists
• Record Keeping Checklist for Parents During the Transition Process
• Transition Planning Timeline Checklist
Procedures
• Employment Related Transition Goals-Procedures
Checklists
Record Keeping Checklist for Parents and Students during the Transition Process
During the transition process, it is extremely important that parents and students develop a record keeping system. This system should encompass four specific categories:
_____ Official documents (as well as Medical and Psychological reports)
_____ Financial documents
_____ Chronicle of information
The first category, official documents involve maintaining a file of a student’s written official documents. Examples include:
_____ all high school transcripts
_____ evaluation test results
_____ medical records
_____ letters of recommendation
_____ job coach reports
_____ on-the-job training reports
_____ teacher comments
_____ schedules
_____ therapist reports
_____ IEPs
_____ transitional IEPs
_____ end-of-the-year reports
The second category, financial documents, includes:
_____ sources of income and assets (pension funds, interest income, etc.)
_____ Social Security and Medicare information
_____ investment income
_____ insurance information with policy numbers
_____ bank accounts
_____ location of safe deposit boxes
_____ copies of recent income tax returns
_____ liabilities: what is owed to whom and when payments are due
_____ credit card and charge account names and numbers
_____ property taxes
_____ location of personal items
The third category involves an ongoing chronicle of information gathered as the result of:
_____ phone conversations with school or agency officials
_____ summary of meeting
_____ copies of letters written by parents
_____ copies of letters received
_____ brochures handed out by organizations
Download a PDF Version of this Checklist – CLICK HERE
Transition Planning Time Line Checklist
Any transition process must take into account all of the necessary procedures and issues that will facilitate the student’s transition to adulthood. While this may vary from state to state, a practical timeline will assist you in helping both the student and the parents be as prepared as possible. You should help families consider the following checklist of transition activities when preparing transition plans with the IEP team. The student’s skills and interests will determine which items on the checklist are relevant and whether these transition issues should be addressed at IEP transition meetings. The checklist can also help identify who should be part of the IEP transition team. Responsibility for carrying out the specific transition activities should be determined at the IEP transition meetings.
The following list is provided to serve as an optional planning tool and only as a guideline:
Four to Five Years before Leaving the School District
_____ Introduce and discuss transition services with parents and student.
_____ Notify parents that transition services will be incorporated into the IEP, beginning at age 15.
_____ Initiate vocational assessment
_____ Develop and implement strategies to increase responsibilities and independence at home
_____ Identify personal learning styles and the necessary accommodations if the child is to be a successful learner and worker.
_____ Identify career interests and skills, complete interest and career inventories, and identify additional education or training requirements.
_____ Explore options for post secondary education and admission criteria.
_____ Consider the need for residential opportunities, including completing applications, as appropriate.
_____ Identify interests and options for future living arrangements, including supports.
_____ Learn to help the child communicate his or her interests, preferences, and needs effectively.
_____ Teach the student how to explain his or her disability and the necessary accommodations.
_____ Learn and practice informed decision-making skills.
_____ Investigate assistive technology tools that can increase community involvement and employment opportunities.
_____ Broaden the child’s experiences with community activities and help him or her form friendships.
_____ Pursue and use transportation options.
_____ Investigate money management and identify necessary skills.
_____ Acquire identification card and the ability to communicate personal information.
_____ Identify and begin learning skills necessary for independent living.
_____ Learn and practice personal health care.
Two to Three Years before Leaving the School District
_____ Identify community support services and programs (vocational rehabilitation, county services, centers for independent living, etc.).
_____ Invite adult service providers, peers, and others to the IEP transition meeting.
_____ Begin exploring recreation/community leisure activities
_____ Match career interests and skills with vocational course work and community work experiences.
_____ Involve state vocational rehabilitation agencies, as appropriate within two years of school exit.
_____ Gather more information on post secondary programs and the support services offered, and make arrangements for accommodations to take college entrance exams.
_____ Assure that copies of work-related documents are available:
_____ Social security card
_____ Birth certificate
_____ Working papers (if appropriate)
_____ Identify health care providers and become informed about sexuality and family planning issues.
_____ Consider summer employment or volunteer experience.
_____ Determine the need for financial support (Supplemental Security Income, state financial supplemental programs, Medicare).
_____ Learn and practice appropriate interpersonal, communication, and social skills for different settings (employment, school, recreation, with peers, etc.).
_____ Explore legal status with regard to decision making prior to age of majority, wills, guardianship, special needs trust.
_____ Practice independent living skills–budgeting, shopping, cooking, and housekeeping.
_____ Identify needed personal assistance or enabling supports, and if appropriate, learn to direct and manage these services.
One Year before Leaving the School District (for the Child)
_____ Apply for financial support programs. (Supplemental Security Income, vocational rehabilitation, and personal assistant services).
_____ Identify the post secondary school plan and arrange for accommodations.
_____ Practice effective communication by developing interview skills, asking for help, and identifying necessary accommodations at post secondary and work environments.
_____ Obtain driver’s training and license.
_____ Develop transportation/mobility strategies such as:
- Independent travel skills training
- Public or paratransit transportation
- Needs for travel attendant
_____ Specify desired job and obtain paid employment with supports as needed.
_____ Investigate SSDI/SSI/Medicaid programs.
_____ Consider and seek guardianship or emancipation.
_____ Develop and update employment plans.
_____ Investigate and apply for post school opportunities (further educational vocational training, college, military, etc.)
_____ Develop a resume
_____ Take responsibility for arriving on time to work, appointments, and social activities.
_____ Assume responsibility for health care needs (making appointments, filling and taking prescriptions, etc.)
_____ Register to vote.
_____ Male students register for the draft (no exceptions).
_____ Review health insurance coverage: inform insurance company of child’s disability and investigate rider of continued eligibility.
Prior to Graduation or Aging Out of School
Complete transition to employment, further education or training, and community living, affirming that arrangements are in place for the following:
_____ Post secondary/continuing education
_____ Employment
_____ Legal/advocacy
_____ Personal independence/residential
_____ Recreation/leisure
_____ Medical/health
_____ Counseling
_____ Financial/income
_____ Transportation/independent travel skills
Download a PDF Version of this Checklist – CLICK HERE
Procedures
Employment Related Transition Goals-Procedures
In order to determine the employment-related transition goals for a student you will want to consider the following procedures:
1.) In what type of work is the student interested?
2.) Considering the nature and severity of the student’s disability and the nature of his or her job interests, is it more appropriate for the student to be involved in competitive employment or some level of supported employment?
3.) If the student has chosen a particular occupational field, does he or she have the skills and abilities needed to succeed in that field? What specific work skills is the student missing?
4.) Does the student know what employee behaviors are considered important to successful employment, and does he or she demonstrate these behaviors?
5.) What school activities are needed in order for the student to acquire these work-related skills and behaviors?
6.) What type of academic, social, and/or vocational program is needed to help the student acquire relevant work skills and behaviors before he or she exits high school? Is there such a program available within the school system or community? If not, what individuals and organizations (school, businesses, paraprofessionals, and job coaches) can collaborate to develop a personalized program to address the student’s needs?
7.) What types of accommodations might the student need on the job? Is the student informed as to his or her rights under federal law to receive accommodations? Does he or she have the self-advocacy skills necessary to request and obtain these accommodations?
Download a PDF Version of this Procedure – CLICK HERE
