Transition planning is a critical process, and at the heart of effective transition planning is age-appropriate transition assessment. It is the foundation for building personalized and meaningful pathways to adulthood for each student.
Transition assessment is the systematic process of gathering information about a student’s strengths, preferences, needs, and interests across adult-life domains such as employment, postsecondary education, independent living, and community participation. That information helps teams create relevant goals, design meaningful learning experiences, and identify the skills and supports students need for life after graduation.
It is also a required part of the IEP process under IDEA. Postsecondary goals in training, education, employment, and, when appropriate, independent living should be based on age-appropriate transition assessment data.
How to use this toolkit
- Browse by domain to find assessments connected to education, independent living, employment, self-determination, and parent input.
- Use cross-domain pages like High Support Needs to find tools that support a particular access or planning need.
- Read the descriptions before choosing a tool so the assessment matches the student, purpose, and support context.
- Use the results to inform IEP goals, transition services, supports, and instructional priorities.
- Revisit assessment information regularly as students grow and goals change, and reassess yearly or as needed, selecting the same or different tools based on the student, context, and transition planning questions.
What is included
- Transition assessment domains
- Community agencies and support resources
- Open-access transition materials
- Reference tools for finding additional assessments
Updates and Contact
This is intended to be a living resource. Items may be added, updated, reorganized, or removed over time as better tools become available.
For feedback, additions, or corrections, contact Jennifer Burnes.