Secondary Transition

Secondary transition services are intended to help youth with disabilities make the transition from the world of high school to the world of adulthood. Individualized Education Program (IEP) Teams work together to plan and implement academic and non-academic courses and programs of study that help all youth achieve successful post-school outcomes such as postsecondary education and training, employment, and community engagement.

Technical assistance resources on this page include research, articles, tools, templates, technical assistance centers, and websites. (Note: Use of the resources included on this site does not guarantee that the district's performance or determination status under section 616(d), will improve for the next reporting period.)

Guidelines for Aligning High School & Beyond Plans (HSBP) & IEP Transition Plans

The purpose of the Guidelines for Aligning HSBPs and IEP Transition Plans document is to provide general information and guidelines to educators, staff, and administrators for developing and aligning the HSBP and the IEP, including suggestions for minimizing duplication. This guide addresses the following topics to facilitate a student’s seamless transition from school to postsecondary activities:

  • Transition planning, opportunities, and programs;
  • Transition services and requirements;
  • Education and employment options for students with disabilities after leaving secondary school;
  • Supporting decisions made by students with disabilities;
  • HSBP and IEP examples, flow charts of and data related to the transition process, and
  • Resources (e.g., scholarships) and a glossary of key terms used in both the HSBP and IEP transition planning processes.

The various topics are organized into appendices to allow the reader to access and use information specific to local needs.

HSBP & IEP Transition Plans Guidelines

This document includes appendices with information on transition-focused topics as described below:

 

Aligning High School and Beyond Plans (HSBP) and IEP Transition Plans Webinars
Graduation (Indicator 1)
  • OSPI's Secondary Transition Self-study and Systems Analysis- tools and templates - Includes self-assessment tools to provide a framework for evaluating (a) knowledge, (b) skills, and (c) dispositions related to providing quality transition services for students with disabilities in school programs. These activities will promote planning and continuous improvement to increase post-school outcomes for students.
  • OSPI's Graduation Toolkit - This toolkit is a resource to help educators and families understand Washington State graduation requirements and is periodically updated with new materials and information.
  • Increasing School Completion: Learning from Research-Based Practices that Work - This brief, from the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, highlights findings from a 2004 review of 45 prevention and intervention studies addressing dropout or school completion described in professional journals.
  • Quality Indicators for Secondary Transition - Research-based indicators developed by the Center for Change in Transition Services (CCTS), in conjunction with OSPI, that is designed to assist school districts in assessing transition services for students with disabilities in school programs.
  • The National Center on Secondary Education and Transition - NCSET coordinates national resources, offers technical assistance, and disseminates information related to secondary education and transition for youth with disabilities in order to create opportunities for youth to achieve successful futures.
Dropout (Indicator 2)
  • OSPI's Secondary Transition Self-study and Systems Analysis- tools and templates - Includes self-assessment tools to provide a framework for evaluating (a) knowledge, (b) skills, and (c) dispositions related to providing quality transition services for students with disabilities in school programs. These activities will promote planning and continuous improvement to increase post-school outcomes for students.
  • Effective Strategies for Dropout Prevention - The National Dropout Prevention Center has identified 15 effective strategies that have the most positive impact on the dropout rate. These strategies have been implemented successfully at all education levels and environments throughout the nation.
  • The National Dropout Prevention Center and the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities websites - These Centers were specifically established to assist stakeholders in increasing school completion rates for students with disabilities through knowledge synthesis, technical assistance, and dissemination of interventions and practices that work.
  • DO-IT website (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology) - DO-IT serves to increase the participation of individuals with disabilities in challenging academic programs and careers. It promotes the use of computer and networking technologies to increase independence, productivity, and participation in education and employment.
  • Quality Indicators for Secondary Transition - Research-based indicators developed by the Center for Change in Transition Services (CCTS), in conjunction with OSPI, that is designed to assist school districts in assessing transition services for students with disabilities in school programs.
Transition IEPs (Indicator 13)
  • Transition Supports and Services: A Summary for Students and Families - The purpose of this resource is to support students and families to learn more about how the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Transition Plan and aligned High School and Beyond Plan (HSBP) support a student to be ready for their goals for post-secondary goals.  
  • OSPI's Secondary Transition Self-study and Systems Analysis- tools and templates - Includes self-assessment tools to provide a framework for evaluating (a) knowledge, (b) skills, and (c) dispositions related to providing quality transition services for students with disabilities in school programs. These activities will promote planning and continuous improvement to increase post-school outcomes for students.
  • Center for Change in Transition Services website - The goal of CCTS, Washington State's transition technical assistance center, is to improve post-school outcomes for students with disabilities in Washington State through training, technical assistance, and the collection and analysis of post-school survey data.
  • Career Planning Begins with Assessment: A Guide for Professionals Serving Youth with Educational and Career Development Challenges (2005) - This guide, developed by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disabilities, provides an extensive list of formal assessments in four domains (educational, psychological/diagnostic, vocational/career, and medical), including norming procedures, target group, reliability/validity, and costs for each.
  • School Transition Services website - School Transition Services, through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), are a team effort that provides support and guidance to students with disabilities as they prepare to move from high school to the work place. Transition teams assist students in identifying career interests and learning what skills and training are needed to prepare for careers in those fields of interest.
Post-school Outcomes (Indicator 14)
  • OSPI's Secondary Transition Self-study and Systems Analysis- tools and templates - Includes self-assessment tools to provide a framework for evaluating (a) knowledge, (b) skills, and (c) dispositions related to providing quality transition services for students with disabilities in school programs. These activities will promote planning and continuous improvement to increase post-school outcomes for students.
  • Center for Change in Transition Services website - The goal of CCTS, Washington State's transition technical assistance center, is to improve post-school outcomes for students with disabilities in Washington State through training, technical assistance, and the collection and analysis of post-school survey data.
  • Quality Indicators for Secondary Transition - Research-based indicators developed by the Center for Change in Transition Services (CCTS), in conjunction with OSPI, that is designed to assist school districts in assessing transition services for students with disabilities in school programs.
  • Transition Toolkit for Systems Improvement - National Standards and Quality Indicators (2005) - This document, from the National Alliance for Secondary Education and Transition, outlines standards and indicators that can be used to help assure high-quality transition for youth who are moving from a secondary school setting to the adult world.
Transition Support Resources
Consent Form to Share Student Information with State Transition Agencies

Download the Consent to Share Student Information with State Transition Agencies Form (3c) from the Model State Forms web page.

  • Translated forms

Consent to Share Student Information with State Transition Agencies Form (3c) - Arabic | Khmer | Korean | Punjabi | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Somali |Spanish | Tagalog | Ukrainian | Vietnamese

Informational Handouts: