Transition Planning and Services

What is Transition Planning?

Transition planning is a legally mandated, personalized process designed to help students with disabilities move successfully from high school to adult life.

The Core Purpose

It serves as a roadmap to prepare students for their post-school outcomes, specifically focusing on:

Education or Training: Continuing learning at college, vocational school, or trade programs.
Employment: Finding and keeping a meaningful job.
Independent Living: Managing daily life tasks and living as independently as possible.

The Process & Timing

Starts Early: By law, the Transition Plan must be included in a student's IEP (Individualized Education Program) starting by age 14 (or earlier if appropriate).
Assessment-Based: The planning begins with a careful look at the student's strengths, preferences, interests, and needs.
Goal Setting: This assessment directly informs the student's postsecondary goals in the key areas listed above.
Service Delivery: The team (teachers, family, and others) then provides transition services—such as instruction, community experiences, and training in employment or daily living skills—to help the student reach those goals.

Why It Matters

Transition planning is vital because it provides the necessary support and structure to ensure students with disabilities can continue learning, find work, live independently, and contribute fully to their communities, thereby successfully transitioning into adulthood.

Special Education 18+ Services Coordinator/

Transition and Employment Designee (TED)

Eden Guthrie

(512) 943-5000 Ext 6069 GuthrieE@GeorgetownISD.org

GISD Special Education Parent Liaison

Brandy Watson

(512) 943-1899

WatsonB@GeorgetownISD.org

Transition Planning and Services Information Hub

Graduation

Students receiving special education services must meet the course and credit requirements of the Foundation High School Program (FHSP).

The ARD (Admission, Review, and Dismissal) committee makes two key determinations:

EOC Assessments: The ARD committee decides if the student must achieve satisfactory scores on the End-of-Course (EOC) assessments to graduate.
Modified Curriculum Path: If the student's curriculum for a required FHSP course is modified, they must also successfully complete their IEP and meet criteria demonstrating they have employment/employability skills or access to adult services outside the school district.

Essentially, a student must meet the standard course requirements, and the ARD committee customizes the EOC and modified curriculum criteria to align graduation with the student's post-school goals.

Transfer of Rights

Transfer of Rights at Age 18

The Transfer of Rights signifies that a student is legally considered an adult at age 18, shifting all educational decision-making authority from the parent to the student.

What Happens at Age 18?

Adult Status: At 18, the student is legally deemed capable of making their own educational choices, regardless of their disability label or level of need.
IEP Responsibility: Since the IEP is a legal contract, the adult student is now responsible for signing and agreeing to the IEP.
Parental Role: The parent's rights regarding the student's education are transferred to the student.

Notification Requirement

School districts must give written notice of this transfer.

Before the student turns 18, the Notice of Transfer of Educational Rights form will be provided at the annual ARD meeting for both the parent(s) and the student to sign.

Once the student turns 18, the Notification of Transfer of Parental Rights at Age of Majority form will be provided at the annual ARD meeting for both the parent(s) and the student to sign.

Important Note

This transfer of rights occurs automatically unless the parents have established other legal arrangements, such as guardianship, before the student turns 18.

Guardianship and Alternatives

Guardianship Explained

Guardianship is a legal process that removes rights and privileges from an individual deemed "incapacitated" by the state court system.

Purpose: To protect people at risk of abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
Scope: It can be full (removing all rights) or partial (allowing the individual to retain certain rights like voting or choosing where they live).
Requirement: The process requires the court system and an attorney.

Alternatives to Guardianship

While guardianship may be necessary for some, parents should know it's not the only way to remain involved in the student's life and education after age 18.

Effective transition planning must now address alternatives that foster independence:

Decision-Making Skills: Providing opportunities to help the student develop their own decision-making abilities.
Support and Independence: Offering services that encourage self-determination, including the use of a Supported Decision-Making Agreement (SDMA).

The emphasis is on finding less restrictive options than full guardianship to enable parental participation in the ARD process while prioritizing the student's independence.

~ Texas Guide to Adult Guardianship (English)

~ Manual sobre la Tutela de Aldutos en Texas

~ Alternatives to Guardianship (ARC of Texas)

~ Supported Decision-Making Agreement Form

Texas Transition and Employment Guide

18+ Services

Our 18+ program's goal is to ensure students have a meaningful and fulfilling adult life. The strategy is focused on building and bridging:

Building an Adult Life: We help students create and practice an adult schedule focused on Employment, Education/Training, Community Experiences, and Independent Living while still supported by the school.
Bridging Supports: We slowly fade school support while actively connecting families with external adult agencies to ensure continuous support after high school eligibility ends.

This prepares students for the end of school services by establishing their adult schedule and securing the necessary community supports.

~ GISD's Parent Guidance Document for 18+ Services

~ GISD Bridges Program

~ Project Search Website

Postsecondary Education

Postsecondary Education Options for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities have a wide range of choices for education after high school, from academic degrees to specialized vocational training.

The Key Steps to Choosing a School

To ensure a smooth transition, students should follow these critical steps before enrolling:

Contact Disability Support Services (DSS): Set up a meeting with the school's DSS office.
Provide Documentation: Bring current learning disability documentation to the meeting.
Know Your Needs: Be prepared to request specific accommodations needed in a college setting.
Confirm Services: Determine if the school can actually provide the requested accommodations.
Visit and Vet: Complete a campus tour and interview faculty and staff to confirm the fit.

Types of Postsecondary Options

Option	Primary Goal	Degree/Outcome	Key Feature
Four-Year Colleges & Universities	Earn a bachelor's degree	Bachelor's degree	Varies widely by size, standards, and course offerings.
Two-Year Colleges	Earn an associate's degree or prepare for transfer	Associate of Arts (AA) or Applied Science (AAS)	AA degrees are often transferable; AAS degrees are occupation-specific.
Vocational-Technical Schools	Gain specialized job-specific skills	Certification or specific job training	Focused, targeted training (e.g., plumbing, nurse's aide).
Adult/Continuing Education	Improve basic skills or self-enrichment	Certificates, improved skills, or enrichment	Housed often at colleges; few requirements beyond course fees.
Life Skills Programs	Increase basic academic, social, and life management skills	Training for Independence	Designed for students needing intensive focus on social and vocational training alongside basic academics.

College Disability Programs and Support Services Directory

Disability Rights Texas

Local and State Agency Information

Guide to Government Agencies for Services or Public Benefits

(English and Spanish) Comprehensive information on navigating government support systems.

Essential Agencies and Resources for Transition

Employment and Career Support

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) is the primary state agency for employment services.

Key Resources:
- Texas Workforce Commission: Provides services like job training, career counseling, assistive technology, and job placement to help people with disabilities achieve employment.
- TWC Guide for Applicants (English and Spanish): Resources to help students apply for and understand vocational services.
- SSA: Working While Disabled (English and Spanish): Information on federal programs that allow individuals to work while still receiving Social Security benefits (like SSI/SSDI).
- The ARC of Texas: Advocates for Texans with IDD, so that each of us can live the life we deserve and choose.

Health, Long-Term Care, and Benefits

These services are primarily managed at the state level by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) (which absorbed the former Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services).

Key Resources:
- Texas Health and Human Services Commission: The overarching state agency for health care, long-term services, and support programs.
- Medicaid Waiver Info Packet / Information about Medicaid Waiver Programs: Crucial resources detailing long-term services and supports (like supported living and day programs) provided in the community, rather than in institutions.
- SSI Starter Kit: A guide to the federal Supplemental Security Income program, which provides financial assistance for basic needs.
- Bluebonnet Trails Community Services: Provides essential, long-term support for individuals with complex needs across all ages.

Financial Planning and Guidance

These resources help families manage financial independence and access information on public benefits.

Key Resources:
- Guide to Government Agencies for Services or Public Benefits (English and Spanish): Comprehensive information on navigating government support systems.
- Texas ABLE Savings Program: Information on special, tax-advantaged savings accounts that allow people with disabilities to save money without jeopardizing their eligibility for federal benefits (like SSI/Medicaid).