A story is told about a very successful executive planning a business trip to Detroit. The plan was to have face to face meetings with an influential client to further the company’s goals. Tickets were purchased, car rented, hotel booked, meetings scheduled and times confirmed. On the morning of the meetings the executive took the pre-ordered map out of the glove department and began to map out his route (obviously pre-GPS times). Try as he might he could not find his destination, streets were wrong, addresses did not correspond and the executive was becoming anxious that not only was he lost but was probably going to be late. The executive pulled the car over and took a short assessment of the situation; the plan was sound, everything was well prepared right down to the map. The executive then looked more closely at the map and laughed out loud; the rental car company had left the wrong map in the glove department it was a street map of Denver not Detroit. There was no way he would get anywhere in Detroit using a map of Denver. The executive pulled into the next gas station, bought a Detroit map, and made his appointment a little frazzled and with just minutes to spare.

We use this story in our Transition Planning Lecture to illustrate the importance of ‘mapping out’ the planned route for post secondary options for our children. The ‘trip’ to this destination will look different for many students and families; however, with the right map all students can be successful in reaching their final destination.

Part 1: THE PLAN:

The dictionary definition of transition is movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc., to another.

So to plan for transition from high school means to have a coordinated set of activities for students with disabilities, designed to promote movement from high school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation. The transition plan (which is part of the student’s IEP) should begin at age 14 (or earlier) and updated annually. The plan is written as student’s preferences, potential, abilities and interests for post-secondary education, work or vocational training. Recommendations for support (related services, community experiences, internships, etc.) to help the student reach his/her goal are also expressed in the IEP (Annual Goals/ Objectives) as well as strategies for instruction. The transition plan is a mandated service provided under the Federal IDEA Section 504, Subsection D.

The transition plan is the beginning of the map. Here the plan begins: what do we need to know and do in order to make the transition a positive experience. The Goals and Objectives are the start point, the proverbial X on the map the "you are here". The plan begins with asking your child five Essential Questions:

1. What will I do when I graduate from High School?

2. What type of job or career would I like to do in the future?

3. What are my strengths or skills?

4. What are my interests?

5. What skills do I need to improve?

There are three other questions that your child must explore to make sure the transition map will bring them to the desired destination:

1. What are my Learning Profile and Learning Style?

2. What type of learning disability do I have?

3. What does that mean about me and my plan?

The Transition Plan begins to materialize with the essential questions examined. The next step is to map out and prepare for the journey to post-secondary education.