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Legislation

Transition to the Next Steps After High School

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997

Information on IDEA 2004 and transition issues can be found on the Web sites of the National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center and the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition

Overview: Transition in Public Education

Career preparation for public school students was guaranteed through the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, later merged with programs of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Act expanded options for learning first-hand about a range of vocations, offered mainly to general education students through a combination of school-based and work-based learning. The Carl Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1998 was created to develop more fully the academic, vocational, and technical skills of secondary and postsecondary students who enroll in vocational and technical education programs. Students with disabilities are included in its provisions.

In addition, more and more public schools are offering intensive preparation for college, particularly for low-income students and students from racial/ethnic groups that have had relatively low rates of college entry. Beginning as early as 8th grade, these activities are supported by the National Early Intervention Scholarship and Partnership program, Upward Bound, Talent Search, and other Federal education programs, and by school district initiatives, college-school partnerships, and local organizations.

• IDEA defines transition services as a coordinated set of activities designed in an outcome-oriented process that promotes movement from school to post-school activities (such as vocational training, employment, college, adult services, independent living, and community participation). Based on each student's needs and interests, these activities include the development of objectives for employment and other aspects of adult living, to be achieved through instruction, related services, community experiences and, for some, the acquisition of daily living skills.
• Beginning when students are 14, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) must include a statement of school and post-school goals, so that attention becomes focused on planning for this transition. No later than age 16, students should begin to receive the actual transition services that would lead to the achievement of these goals. Responsibility for identifying needs and planning for transition rests with the student's IEP Team composed of parents, teachers, and other service providers.

Transition-focused IEP planning may also include recommendations of such individuals as school counselors, vocational or career assessment personnel, vocational educators, the district's transition specialist, probation officers, employment specialists or job coaches, rehabilitation providers, and representatives of other Federal education programs, community transition committees, independent living centers, agencies serving mental health or mental retardation, postsecondary programs, employment agencies, the Social Security Administration, local business and industry. Coordination of interagency services makes possible the participation of these and other community resources.

• Students themselves should take part in transition-focused IEP planning when they are capable of doing so, and their needs, interests, and preferences are taken into account, whether they participate or not. Preparing the student to be an active member of the IEP team is a learning process that leads to knowledge about one's disability, skill in expressing learning needs and career goals, awareness of necessary accommodations, knowledge of rights, skills in communication and negotiation, and eventual self-determination. This process should unfold with consideration of the student's cultural values and dynamics.
• The IDEA Amendments of 1997 guarantee that students with disabilities have access to the general education curriculum. Coupled with the longstanding goal that these students be educated in general education classrooms to the greatest extent suitable for their learning needs, this provision improves their opportunities for continued progress after high school.
• Depending on State law, IDEA allows students with disabilities to remain in public school transition programs through age 21 if they have transition needs and have not received a regular high school diploma. In emphasizing individual responsibility, the 1997 IDEA Amendments provide for the transfer of parental rights for educational decisions to students who reach the age of majority and are able to make these decisions. IDEA requires that in states that transfer rights at the age of majority, beginning at least one year before a student reaches the age of majority under State law, the student's IEP must include a statement that the student has been informed of his or her rights, if any, that will transfer to the student on reaching the age of majority.

Other legislation provides in different ways for equal participation in productive adult life, not only for youth but for the one-fifth of all Americans (48.9 million) who have disabilities. IDEA has clear linkages with the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which are the foundations of employment policy concerning individuals with disabilities. As early as 1973, the Rehabilitation Act prohibited exclusion, solely on the basis of disability, of otherwise qualified individuals from participation in and benefits of any program receiving Federal financial assistance. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications.

Opportunities for individuals with severe disabilities are promoted in the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 1990, which assists States in building capacities for the culturally competent services, supports, and assistance that are necessary for achieving independence, productivity, and community inclusion. The 1986 Amendments of the Rehabilitation Act established supported employment as a rehabilitation option for individuals with the most significant disabilities. In addition, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program of the Social Security Administration is available for individuals who have the most significant disabilities or conditions that severely limit their ability to work, and who have few financial resources. SSI Work Incentives increase income while an eligible individual engages in employment during and after secondary education, although this benefit alone does not raise its recipients above the poverty level.

Transition: Issues

High school completion is corresponds strongly to future education, employment, and earnings opportunities. Graduation policies concerning students with disabilities vary across the States, and thus rates of graduation with a standard diploma also differ. In addition to standard diplomas, many States offer alternate diplomas or certificates of completion. In some States, school districts may set their own diploma requirements and, in six States, IEP Teams establish diploma requirements for students who have severe disabilities. As part of school reform initiatives, an increasing number of States have been raising graduation standards, often including an exit examination as well as competency tests that precede and lead to the exit exam.

• The percentage of students with disabilities aged 17-21 who graduate with a standard diploma has been increasing slowly but consistently. In 1994-95, for example, 23.5% graduated with a standard diploma, while 25.5% (147,942) did so in 1997-98. In that year, the highest graduation rates were attained by students with deaf-blindness, speech or language impairments, learning disabilities, and visual impairments, and the lowest rates by students with mental retardation, multiple disabilities, and autism.
• The non-completion rate of students with disabilities is much higher than that of non-disabled students, and unemployment rates for dropouts with disabilities are as much as 40 percent higher than those of high school graduates with disabilities. Among students aged 14 to 21 enrolled in special education, 31.19% of those who left school during 1997-98 discontinued their education without a diploma, certificate, or reaching maximum age. (These include dropouts, runaways, General Educational Development [GED] certificate recipients, expulsions, and status unknown.) Students with learning disabilities and students with emotional disturbance had the highest rates of exit without a diploma, certificate, or reaching maximum age. (The learning disabilities category is by far the most populous, making it possible for this group to have high proportions of completion and non-completion simultaneously.)
• Graduation and dropout rates are targets of national concern. The 1997 IDEA Amendments require States to establish goals for the performance of students with disabilities and indicators to measure progress toward those goals. At a minimum, indicators must include high school graduation rates, dropout rates, and performance on large-scale assessments. In its evaluation of IDEA for the Government Performance and Results Act, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs has specified higher graduation rates and lower dropout rates among its indicators of improved results for children.
• Youth with disabilities in the Juvenile Justice system. Youth with disabilities are over represented in the juvenile justice system. More than half of youth in the juvenile justice system have at least one mental health disorder, and often are dual diagnosed. Understandably, emotional, behavioral, cognitive and learning disabilities interfere with school success, retention and commitment. Many youth with emotional and behavioral disorders have underlying learning and cognitive disorders that are never identified, which also increases their risk for involvement in delinquent behaviors. By ages 15-18, many youth are discouraged and frustrated by their inability to succeed. Ironically, many of the youth in the juvenile justice system have never had access to transition services that address functional, technical, and vocational skills. If they enter the justice system, transition services are scarce, even more so when they are incarcerated, in adult settings.

Equal access to employment is essential for quality of life and productive citizenship. The U.S. Census Bureau points out that disability correlates with reduced chances for employment, and that the earnings of employees with disabilities are lower than those of other employees. By the ratio of income to the poverty threshold, 12.2% of those with no disability, 14.1% of those with a non-severe disability, and 24.3% of those with a severe disability are below the poverty line.

• Employment gains have been made by young adults with disabilities in recent years, particularly with the addition of workplace accommodations, but many are not employed or have not obtained the types of employment that offer adequate pay and benefits. The unemployment rate is highest for persons with severe or multiple disabilities, whose capacities for working productively, with supports, are well documented. Supported employment involves competitive work in integrated settings with support services at the work site, as necessary for the worker to succeed on the job. These services may include a job coach, workplace modifications, job restructuring, and involvement of co-workers in training. The growing use of supported employment is making it possible for more and more people with significant disabilities to join the labor market for the first time.

Enrollment in postsecondary education has tripled among young adults with disabilities since the Education of All Handicapped Children Act (now IDEA) became law in 1975, but remains lower than their potential for study at two-year and four-year institutions.

• Approximately 6% of undergraduate students reported having a disability in 1995-96. An estimated 428,280 students with disabilities were enrolled in postsecondary education in 1996-97 and 1997-98, most at public institutions. Among these were 195,870 with learning disabilities; more than 42,000 with hearing impairments, blindness, or visual impairments; 33,260 with mental illness or emotional disturbance; and thousands more with other disabilities. A 1994 survey of undergraduates who started postsecondary education in 1989 showed that 53% of students with disabilities, and 64% nondisabled students, had earned a degree or a vocational certificate or were still enrolled at the end of five years. The rate of entering graduate school within a year of attaining a bachelor's degree was similar for both groups.
• While these outcomes show that IDEA has had an impact in preparing students for postsecondary education, greater participation should take place as students with disabilities gain full access to the general education curriculum and participate in large-scale performance assessments, as expressed in the IDEA Amendments of 1997. In addition, while more and more students with disabilities are going on to college, most students with disabilities leave before they complete their program or degree. In addition to being better prepared academically, students must develop their self-determination and self-advocacy skills to be successful in postsecondary and employment settings.

Coordination of services occurs when (a) there is linkage among each of the component activities that comprise the services, and (b) there is an inter-relationship among the various agencies that are involved in providing the services. This definition from the U.S. Department of Education underscores the need for positive relationships among agencies, memoranda of understanding, and State and local interagency agreements. Although the school has primary responsibility for providing transition services, the success of the endeavor depends on broad interagency efforts, arranged by State and local administrators or transition specialists, and not solely by teachers. Because many students will continue or begin services with local agencies after high school, it is desirable that relevant service providers be identified, eligibility for service be established, and interagency responsibilities be described in the IEP while the student is in high school. Considerable variation exists among States and districts in the extent of interagency collaboration for transition. In general, however, school systems are developing stronger interagency relationships. One stimulus for this effort is the need to assist students and families in navigating complex public service systems; another is the movement to empower individuals with disabilities to control their own destinies.

Family involvement linked with better outcomes for youth but drops off for youth during the secondary school years. The complexity of transitioning from special education to multiple adult systems is confusing and highlights the need to both educate youth and families about the services of various adult systems and promote the development of self-determination and advocacy skills.

Transition: Positive Trends

The two younger age groups of individuals with disabilities are better represented in the labor force than older individuals, as shown by the Census data below. These are the age groups that have benefited from IDEA transition services over the past 16 or more years, the ADA more recently, and other legislation. The guarantees of these laws are not only increasing productivity and contributions to society and reducing dependence on public assistance, but are also improving quality of life and integration within society for persons with disabilities.

Labor Force Status of Civilians 16 to 64 Years Old: 2000

Note: In the labor force refers to those who are able and actively desire to work. Currently employed pertains to those members of the labor force who have jobs.

Source: Census Bureau (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/20010201-3.html)

Opportunities for employment of qualified workers are increasing. In the early 21st century, 60% of new jobs will require skills that only 20% of the current work force possesses. The following are a few examples of initiatives to advance career opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

• The 21st Century Workforce Initiative, announced by the White House in June 2001, established the Office of the 21st Century Workforce in the U.S. Department of Labor and a President's Council of the same name. Among other things, these entities will examine current and alternative approaches to assist workers and employers in adjusting to technological and other changes in the work process and needs for new skills. This includes opportunities for workplace education, retraining, access to assistive technologies, and workplace supports.
• The Presidential Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities was created in 1998 and charged with seeking ways to increase the share of the population with disabilities who have a job.
• The Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, is addressing the significantly lower employment rates among individuals with disabilities who are racially/ethnically diverse. Partnerships have been formed with the NAACP, the National Urban League, and ASPIRA (a Hispanic advocacy organization) to establish new High School/High Tech programs that provide opportunities for racially/ethnically diverse youth with disabilities to explore careers in technology. Mentoring and internships in technology businesses are included. Model sites in Baltimore, Omaha, Lincoln, and Newark will become national demonstration sites.
• The Business Coalition for Education Reform (BCER), sponsored by the National Alliance of Business, is composed of 13 business-led organizations with coordinated efforts to increase the academic achievement of all students by promoting business involvement in education at the national, State, and local levels. Partners leverage their resources and expertise; build partnerships to help States and communities learn from each other; and provide technical assistance to a growing network of State and local coalitions.
• The Job Accommodation Network is a toll-free consulting service that provides information about job accommodations and the employability of people with disabilities, as well as information about the ADA and an online database of accommodation options. It is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy.

Career avenues for individuals with the most serious disabilities are also expanding, through innovations in rehabilitation engineering, work-place modifications, compensatory strategies, skills-based curricula, community-based work experiences, assistive technologies, personal assistant services, customized employment, and a greater interest in exploring self-employment options for people with disabilities. The three components of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services have been a major force in these developments. The Rehabilitative Services Administration (RSA) oversees programs that help individuals with physical or mental disabilities to obtain employment through such supports as counseling, medical and psychological services, vocational assessment, job training, provision of assistive devices, and other individualized services. RSA's major formula grant program awards funds to State vocational rehabilitation agencies to provide employment-related services for individuals with disabilities, giving priority to those whose disabilities are severe. The 1992 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act authorized funding to train parents on issues related to the vocational rehabilitation service system for the first time. The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) supports a comprehensive program of research on the rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities. This includes funding of Rehabilitation Research, Training, and Engineering centers, along with projects that apply these centers' findings to improve services and results for individuals with disabilities. NIDRR also supports regional Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers; State technology assistance projects; and other programs. The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) administers competitive grant programs in research, personnel preparation, parent training and information, technical assistance and dissemination. These include various projects to improve transition of students with disabilities, including severe and multiple disabilities.

Assistive technologies are making it possible for greater numbers of individuals with disabilities to succeed in education, to work, and to use home and community utilities, services, equipment, information services, entertainment and cultural resources.

• The New Freedom Initiative proposes an increase in Federal funding for low-interest loans to assist Americans with disabilities in purchasing assistive technology hardware and software -- and to support a greater Federal investment in assistive technology research and development. In announcing this proposal in February 2001, President Bush cited such examples as text telephones for those with hearing impairments, computer monitors for those with visual impairments, and infrared pointers for people who cannot use their hands.
• The Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) is a nationwide nonprofit network that provides technical assistance, training, and support to: (a) independent consumer-driven technology resource centers in communities around the country; (b) vendors of conventional and assistive technology; and (c) allied organizations and individuals that work to increase technology access for people with disabilities. Over the past 13 years, the ATA has assisted nearly 2.5 million Americans with disabilities. Next steps include additions of new ATA centers and expanded relationships with the telecommunications and computer industry.

In higher education, students with disabilities are on the campuses of 98% of public two-year and four-year postsecondary institutions, 63% of private four-year institutions, and 47% of private two-year institutions. Continuing a trend that began in the 1970s, virtually all offer at least one support service, most offer a range of accommodations and assistance, and many operate an Office of Disability Services. Services include: alternative exam formats; tutors; readers, note-takers; registration assistance; adaptive equipment and technology; textbooks on tape; sign language and oral interpreters; course substitution; disability benefits counseling; special college orientation programs; disability resource handbooks; placement services; adaptive physical education or sports; paratransit for campus mobility; personal attendants; and instruction in independent living skills.

• The HEATH Resource Center at The George Washington University has been funded by OSEP to maintain and advance a national information network and referral exchange service for collecting, developing, and sharing information, research, expertise, and resources on postsecondary options for individuals with disabilities. These services assist persons with disabilities in exploring and entering postsecondary education and also assist postsecondary institutions in accommodating their needs.

The First National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students was conducted from 1987 to 1993. Results included a list of factors that were associated with greater success in the post-school years, including: (a) high school completion; (b) vocational education; (c) work experience; (d) placement in general education classrooms; (e) enrollment in advanced academic courses; (f) establishment of transition goals; (g) participation in school or community groups; and (h) parents' expectations. The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has funded the Second National Longitudinal Transition Study of Secondary Aged Students with Disabilities, which tracks a nationally representative sample of students over 10 years as they move from secondary to postsecondary activities. Data collection began in 2000-2001. The results of the second longitudinal study will provide a new picture of transition services, the impact of IDEA over time, and results for students, all of which will be useful in continuing to improve the post-high school outcomes of individuals with disabilities.

Transition: Research and Development Sources

Alliance for Technology Access, 2175 East Francisco Boulevard, Suite L, San Rafael, CA 94939. http://www.ataccess.org

Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), P.O. Box 21192, Columbus, OH 43221-0192. http://www.ahead.org

Business Coalition for Education Reform, National Alliance of Business, 1201 New York Avenue NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005. Pass*It*On: Plan for Achieving Self-Support with Information Technology Opportunities Nationwide. http://www.itaa.org

Job Accommodation Network, 918 Chestnut Ridge Road, Suite 1, P.O. Box 6080, Morgantown, WVA 26506-6080. http://www.jan.wvu.edu

HEATH Resource Center, The George Washington University, 2131 G Street NW, Suite 211, Washington, DC 20052. http://www.heath.gwu.edu

National Center for the Study of Postsecondary Educational Supports, Center on Disability Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1776 University Avenue, UA 4-6, Honolulu, HI 96822. http://www.rrtc.hawaii.edu

National Center on Secondary Education and Transition, Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota, 6 Pattee Hall 150 Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455. http://www.ncset.org

National Council on Independent Living, 1916 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 209, Arlington, VA 22201. http://www.ncil.org

Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, 1331 F Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20004. http://www.dol.gov/odep/welcome.html

Technical Assistance on Transition and the Rehabilitation Act (TATRA), PACER Center, Inc., 8161 Normandale Road, Minneapolis, MN 55437. http://www.pacer.org/tatra/index.asp

Transition: Documents Used For This Summary

ACCESS ERIC. (2000). Early intervention: Expanding access to higher education. ERIC Review, 8(1).

deFur, S. H. (1999). Transition planning: A team effort. Washington, DC: National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities.

Hamilton, S. F., & Hamilton, M. A. (1997). When is learning work-based? Phi Delta Kappan, 78(9), 676-681. ERIC Document Reproduction Services No. EJ 544 327

Hasazi, S. B., Furney, K. S., & DeStefano, L. (1999). Implementing the IDEA transition mandates. Exceptional Children, 65(4), 555-566. ERIC No. EJ 589 564

Henderson, K. (1995). Overview of ADA, IDEA, and Section 504. Arlington, VA: ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education.

Horn, L., & Berktold, J. (1999). Students with disabilities in postsecondary education: A profile of preparation, participation, and outcomes. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.

Horne, R. L., & Thuli, K. J. (1998). Making school-to-work opportunities happen for students with disabilities. Minneapolis, MN: National Transition Alliance for Youth with Disabilities.

Kochhar-Bryant, C. (2000). Transition to action: Who is building local capacity to implement transition services? The Alliance Newsletter, 4(1).

Lewis, L., & Farris, E. (1999). An institutional perspective on students with disabilities in postsecondary education. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.

McGaughey, M., & Mank, D. (2001). State policy innovation and systems change: The context for the supported employment initiative. Journal of Disability Studies, 11(4), 202-209.

National Center for Education Statistics. (2000). Postsecondary students with disabilities: Enrollment, services, and persistence. Washington, DC: U.S Department of Education.

National Transition Network. (1998, October). Handbook on Supplemental Security income work incentives and transition students. Champaign, IL: University of Illinois

Office of Disability Employment Policy. (2001). Cultural diversity initiative. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor.

Office of Postsecondary Education. (2000). Helping all Americans reach postsecondary education. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.

Office of Special Education Programs. (1995). The relationship of secondary school experiences to the early post-school results of youth with disabilities. 17th Annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (pp. 73-91). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.

Office of Special Education Programs. (2000). 22nd Annual report to Congress on the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education (pp. IV-15 thru IV-21; Table AD1

President of the United States. (2001, February 1). Remarks by the President in announcement of the New Freedom Initiative. Washington, DC: The White House. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/20010201-3.html

President of the United States. (2001, June 20). Executive Order: 21st century workforce initiative. Washington, DC: The White House. http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/06/20010620-2.html

Rusch, F. (1996). Transition. In Improving the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: Making schools work for all of America's children (pp. 477-499). Washington, DC: National Council on Disability.

Spera, V., & Williams, A. (2000, September). Employer involvement. National Transition Alliance Resource Bulletin. Full text:

Thurlow, M., Shin, H., Guy, B., & Lee, S-Y. (1999). State graduation requirements for students with and without disabilities. Minneapolis: National Transition Network. ERIC No. ED 431 284)

U.S. Department of Education. (1992, September 29). Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities Program and Preschool Grants for Children with Disabilities: Final Rules. Federal Register, 57(208), 48694-48704.

U.S. Senate. (1997, May 9). Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments: Report from the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Washington, DC: 105th Congress of the United States. ERIC No. ED 419 315

Wehman, P., & Revell, W. G., Jr. (1996). Supported employment. In Improving the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: Making schools work for all of America's children (pp. 501-534). Washington, DC: National Council on Disability.

Web source -- National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/index.html?src=mr

Web source -- Office of Special Education Programs http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/index.html

Web source -- Rehabilitative Services Administration http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/rsa/index.html

Web source -- Social Security Administration http://www.ssa.gov

Web source -- SRI International (National Longitudinal Transition Study, 1987-1993, and Second National Longitudinal Transition Study, 2000-2010). http://www.nlts2.org

Web source -- U.S. Census Bureau data. http://www.census.gov/main/www/access.html

Web source -- U.S. Department of Labor; access to laws, regulations, and programs related to disabilities and to non-discrimination in employment. http://www.dol.gov