IDEA '97 Transition Requirements: A Guide

Contents | Section V | Section VII

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) provides guidance to State Education Agencies on monitoring the implementation of all provisions of IDEA, with particular emphasis on those areas most critical to improved educational outcomes for students with disabilities. In 1993, OSEP began monitoring the implementation of the transition services requirements of IDEA after the federal regulations were issued on September 29, 1992 for Public Law 101-476, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990. On March 3, 1995, OSEP issued Memorandum 95-13, Monitoring Procedures of the Office of Special Education Programs. Recognizing the importance of transition services to the educational outcomes of students with disabilities, OSEP identified "the development of a statement of needed transition services no later than age 16" as one of four requirements toward which it would direct its future monitoring efforts. The memorandum stated that it expected the states and entities to also emphasize the transition services requirements in their monitoring efforts (U.S. Department of Education, 1995). In the 18th Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of IDEA, OSEP reiterated its position declaring:

"OSEP places the highest priority on compliance with those IDEA requirements that have the strongest relationship with improved services and results for students with disabilities and their families. Based largely on results of the National Longitudinal Transition Study ¹, OSEP has determined that the requirements with the strongest links to results and general supervision include those addressing statements of needed transition services for students with disabilities beginning no later than age 16 (and younger, if determined appropriate.)" (U.S. Department of Education, 1996)

At the annual Monitoring Academy in May 1999, OSEP disseminated its Continuous Improvement Monitoring: 1999-2000 Monitoring Manual (U. S. Department of Education, 1999). During the academy and throughout the document, OSEP emphasizes that its monitoring process is multi-faceted, continuous, data-driven, based on partnerships with key stakeholders, and premised on ensuring improved results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. The OSEP Monitoring Manual includes Appendix A identifying Secondary Transition as a critical component of its monitoring process. The document lists the objective that "all youth with disabilities, beginning at age 14 and younger, when appropriate, receive individualized, coordinated transition services, designed within an outcome-oriented process which promotes movement from school to post-school activities." The two components cited to meet this objective are "(1) appropriate services are provided to prepare youth with disabilities for employment, post-secondary education, independent living, community participation and life skills; and (2) youth with disabilities are actively involved in appropriate transition planning." It is clear that OSEP has placed significant value on transition in its monitoring efforts.

During the past several years, studies have investigated state and district compliance with the IDEA 1990 federal requirements for needed transition services (Lawson and Everson, 1993; deFur, Getzel, and Kregel, 1994; Grigal, Test, Beattie, and Wood, 1997; Hasazi, Furney, DeStefano, and Johnson, 1999; Williams and O’Leary, in press). All of the studies found that states and local districts experienced some difficulties in implementing the transition provisions of IDEA. The majority of the difficulties center on:

• Addressing the required components of statements of needed transition services (instruction, community experiences, the development of employment and other adult living skills, and interagency linkages).
• Inviting students as well as other agencies likely to be responsible for providing or paying for transition services to the IEP meeting.
• Developing a coordinated set of activities designed to promote movement to the student’s desired post-school activity.
• Identifying the student's desired post-school outcomes.
• Specifying the linkages and responsibilities with outside agencies or service needs after the student graduates.
• Indicating invitation of the student or other agencies and indicating that the purpose of the meeting would be consideration of transition services on parent notices.

Even though the transition requirements have been in place since 1990, the results of these studies indicate that there is still much room for improvement in the implementation of those requirements. The intent of this monograph is to provide a resource to assist practitioners in designing a coordinated constellation of services which will enable students to move from the school setting to the post-school activities best matching their interests, goals, preferences, and needs.

¹ The National Longitudinal Transition Study identified several factors as strong predictors of post-school success in living independently, obtaining employment, and earning higher wages for youth with disabilities. These include high school completion, participation in regular education with appropriate supplementary aids and services and access to secondary vocational education, including work experience.

Contents | Section V | Section VII