1. Exceptional Lives
  2. Massachusetts Guides
  3. Transition to Adulthood
  4. The IEP and monitoring progress

Make sure transition planning is in the IEP

Your child's IEP is an important part of the transition process.

Massachusetts law requires that by the time your child turns 14, the IEP must include planning for their life after high school. This is called Transition Planning.

At age 14, your child should be part of this planning and come to the IEP meetings.

Here's what you can do:

  • Think about what you see your child doing after high school:

    • Living with you?

    • Getting a job?

    • College program?

  • Encourage your child to think about their interests, values, and future goals.

  • Give them opportunities to practice making decisions and to learn about themselves. These conversations will help the IEP team (including you!) create a transition plan that is really what your child wants.

  • Get advice from friends, teachers, or service providers.

See our Special Education Guide to learn more about the process of creating an effective IEP. (Click on the title to open it in a new tab on your screen.)

Kids with a disability have a right to be in school, with the services they need, until 22 or get a high school diploma-whichever comes first.

To learn more about the transition process, keep reading through this Guide. We have a lot more to tell you!

Also, click on the link at the bottom of the page to download a 2-page brochure about transition planning. (It will open in a new tab or appear in the bottom corner of your screen.)

Click here to find it in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Portuguese,Chinese and Vietnamese.

 

Source: MA DESE