Transition services are the actual activities and supports that carry out a student's transition plan. Where the plan sets the destination, these services are the vehicle. They can include instruction in job or life skills, work experience, help connecting to adult agencies, practice using public transportation, or guidance applying to college — whatever a particular student needs to move toward their post-school goals.
The law describes these as a coordinated set of activities designed to be results-oriented, meaning they should lead somewhere real, not just fill a schedule. They are supposed to be based on the individual student, taking into account strengths, preferences, and interests. A good set of transition services feels tailored: it looks different for a student headed to a four-year college than for one aiming to enter the workforce right away.
As these services roll out, ask to see progress just as you would with any IEP goal. Are the work-experience placements actually happening? Is the self-advocacy instruction real? Because these years are short, gaps here are costly. If a promised transition service is not being delivered, it is fair to raise it in writing and ask the team how it will be made up.
Related terms
General information and document preparation — not legal advice.