Transition
Webster's Dictionary defines the word transition" as "a passage from state, stage or place to another." One of the primary purposes of Public Law 105-17, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is to “ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free and appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for employment and independent living.” *“Why Focus on Transition” is taken from Transition Requirements-A Guide for States, Districts, School, Universities and Families by Jane Storm, Ed O’Leary and Jane Williams. Additionally Storm, O’Leary, and Williams note that “The IEP team needs to take a longitudinal view of where the student would like to end up and then build and IEP that will assist the student in that process.” In this proposed schema, transition becomes an “outcome-oriented process”. The entire IEP for every student, beginning at least by 14 years of age becomes future directed, goal-oriented, and based upon the student’s performances, interests, and needs. The IEP team needs to take a longitudinal view of where the student would like to end up and then build an IEP that will help the student get there. Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency currently has three transition coordinators who specialize in transition. Additionally, each local school district has an AEA Building Representative assigned to each building in a district. Please feel free to contact your AEA Building Representative with questions, concerns or a referral to one of the transition coordinators. 
Iowa Code 281-41.5 defines "transition services" as a coordinated set of activities for an eligible individual that is based on the individual's needs, preferences, interests and goals.
This law focuses the student’s educational program on involvement and progress in the general curriculum (the curriculum that is used with non-disabled children) in addition to the supports and services needed for individualized help through the IEP process. Understanding transition services is important for general education teachers working with students ages 14 and over. It is important to always remember that like any other student, students with disabilities have the right to be in their least restrictive environment (LRE) and receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).
Why Focus on Transition*
The Prairie Lakes AEA Lending Library (Media Catalog) and Parent Educator Resource Library also carry materials about transition.
Additional Links & Resources
The
The Council for Exceptional Children provides a summary of the law, recommendations and a link to the text of the law.
MyTransitionIowa.org provides numerous transition planning tools. This site also contains success stories, connections to peer groups and links to additional services and resources in Iowa.
Iowa COMPASS is Iowa's free, statewide information and referral service for people with disabilities, their families, service providers and other members of the community. Information on over 5,500 local state and national agencies and programs is maintained at Iowa COMPASS.
Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services works for and with individuals who have disabilities to achieve their employment, independence and economic goals.
Information on Iowa providers and related services can be found at Iowa Association of Community Providers.
Opportunities Unlimited offers a balanced approach to rehabilitation for individuals with brain injury, spinal cord injury and physical disabilities.
Goodwill Industries is one of the world's largest nonprofit providers of education, training and career services for people with disadvantages, such as welfare dependency, homelessness and lack of education or work experience, as well as those with physical, mental and emotional disabilities.
Wrightslaw provides information on changes in IDEA, as well as some brief explanations.
The concept of transition is simple and generally has three major components:
