• What is transition assessment?

    • Transition assessment is an on-going process of collecting information on the student’s strengths, preferences, interests,  and needs as they relate to the demands of current and future living, learning, and working environments.

    • Transition assessment is required by KSDE in order to help the IEP team develop appropriate transition goals and activities

     

    What should transition assessments tell the IEP team?

    Choose a transition assessment that helps the IEP team address the four areas of SPIN as they relate to the student’s current and future living, learning, and working environments.

     Strengths: Actions or activities the student does well

      • What do I do well in school? What do I o well at home or in my community? What do other people say are my strengths?

    Preferences: The things that make tasks and assignments more tolerable, enjoyable, and acceptable for the student

      • What helps me be successful? Where do I see myself living and working in the future?

    Interests: Subjects, activities, and interactions that bring about engagement and motivation for learning/work in the student.

      • What do I like to do when I’m not in school? What activities or organizations do I enjoy participating in?

    Needs: Variables that when unmet result in frustration or failure for the student

      • What are the accommodations that help me? How can others help me? What are some things that are difficult for me?

    Click Here for a brief video on how SPIN analysis builds self-awareness in people of all ages

     

    KSDE Guidance & Resources on Transition Assessment 

    The LEA must conduct an age-appropriate transition assessment at a minimum in the areas of education/training, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living. The purpose of the transition assessment is to provide information to develop and write practical, achievable measurable post-secondary goals and assist in the identification of transition services necessary in helping the student reach those goals. Transition assessment must be conducted prior to the student reaching age 14 and prior to the development of the measurable post-secondary goals and transition services in the student’s IEP. For each postsecondary goal, there must be evidence that at least one age-appropriate transition assessment was used to provide information on the student’s needs, strengths, preferences, and interests regarding postsecondary goals. Evidence would most likely be found in the student’s file.

    • What does the student want to do beyond school (e.g., further education or training, employment, military, continuing or adult education, etc.)?

    • Where and how does the student want to live (e.g., dorm, apartment, family home, group home, supported or independent)?

    • How does the student want to take part in the community (e.g., transportation, recreation, community activities, etc.)?

     

    Does Transition Assessment Require Parent Consent?

    It is important to consider and understand that a transition assessment is not an evaluation or reevaluation but has the potential of leading to the need for a reevaluation. The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has published informal guidance stating that, “Generally, parental consent is not required prior to conducting an age appropriate transition assessment because the purpose of the assessment is to develop appropriate postsecondary IEP goals and not to determine whether a child has or continues to have a disability, and the nature and extent of the special education and related services that the child needs. If, however, the IEP Team determines that a reevaluations of the child is warranted in order to obtain additional data, based on the student’s educational or related services needs including improved academic achievement and functional performance, the public agency is required to obtain parental consent consistent with 34 C.F.R. 300.300(c)” (Letter to Olex, 119 LRP 8445, Feb. 22, 2019). 

     

    Additional Resources: