Age 14 –16: Build an Effective Individual Transition Program

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Transition to Adulthood Resource Guide

Transition to Adulthood Home > About > Six Essential Resources > Roadmap > County Specific Resources

Transition to Adulthood starts with a well-designed ITP (Individual Transition Plan), which is part of the young adult’s IEP. The ITP outlines transition goals, services, and community activities for the student. It is based on transition assessments, which reveal the student’s individual needs, strengths, skills, and interests. The ITP focuses on three main areas for goals. It is designed with activities and community experiences to support those goals. The ITP goals connect back to IEP goals.

View an ITP form on page 11 of the document Transition Planning: The Basics (PDF) on the CA Transition Alliance website.

To view the building blocks of an effective ITP, click here for the ITP Pyramid. (PDF)

Transition planning is used to identify and develop goals that need to be accomplished during the current school year. This will assist the student in meeting the post high school goals. ITPs could be the driving force behind a student’s IEP at 14 years old (best practice). They must be in place by the student’s 16th birthday.

Please visit the Transition section of Pacer Center, an organization staffed primarily of parents of children with disabilities dedicated to educating families:

https://www.pacer.org/transition/
https://www.pacer.org/transition/learning-center/laws/idea.asp
https://www.pacer.org/transition/learning-center/planning/
https://www.pacer.org/parent/php/PHP-c107.pdf (PDF)
https://www.pacer.org/publications/transition.asp (scroll down for free downloadable transition handouts)

For more information on the laws surrounding Transition Planning, please see the US Department of Education, IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) page:
https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.43

To learn more about Transition Planning, please see the Diagnostic Center of Northern California, a statewide resource. This center provides high-quality, individualized services to special education students, their families, and school districts: