Transition assessments can be formal or informal and are the foundation of the transition process. Transition assessments should be updated each year.

Follow the steps below to determine the appropriate transition assessment to use with your student. 

1. Begin by thinking about what you already know about the student’s strengths, preferences, interests,  and needs as they relate to the demands of current and future living, learning, and working environments

• • Review this Transition Assessment Overview for more information about what transition assessment should tell the IEP team 

2. Review the list of assessments below to determine the category of transition assessment that best fits your student’s transition planning needs.

Employment Assessments - primarily assess occupational interests and values but can also assess areas such as work environment, interest and motivation to work, work initiative, temperament and personality, etc. 

Overall Transition Plan Assessments - designed to address each part of the transition plan.  They don’t dive deep into any one area but can be very useful in completing a plan. each part of the transition plan.  They don’t dive deep into any one area but can be very useful in completing a plan.

Life Skills/Miscellaneous Assessments - designed to assess skills related to independent living and self-advocacy

3. Choose an assessment that is appropriate for the student and that helps you update the student’s measurable postsecondary goals and plan transition services, course of study, and annual IEP goals

4. Remember to document that a transition assessment was completed on the IEP! 

• • Use the Transition Assessments Grid on Synergy 

• • Transition assessments must be sent to IEP Support to attach in Synergy, even if using a computer based assessment such as Xello
    • If using a computer based assessment - print the relevant results sections and send to IEP support to attach in Synergy

KSDE Guidance & Resources on Transition Assessment

Transition Assessment List