06/04/2026
Parents – Did You Know? There is an important difference between transition services and transition programs!
Transition services are a set of activities designed to improve the academic and functional skills of students with disabilities to help them move from high school to an independent life in the community.
Transition programs are what schools and districts have created to provide a variety of transition services to meet the needs of students.
Transition services are based on a student’s individual needs, where a transition program is a standard offering from a district to help support students who are transition-aged. As a result, transition services for students ages 18–21 are NOT a single, set program or a one-size-fits-all placement.
Under federal special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), transition services must be individualized and based on each student’s:
-Unique needs
-Strengths
-Preferences
-Interests
-Postsecondary goals (education, employment, and independent living)
The IEP team decides what services the student will receive and where those services will be provided. Placement decisions must still follow the requirements for Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).
Depending on the student’s IEP, transition services for students ages 18–21 may occur:
-At the high school
-In another building within the district
-In community settings such as job sites or training programs
-In partnership with community agencies
-In another nearby school district that your school district collaborates or contracts out with
Because transition services must be individualized, schools should consider a range (continuum) of placement options, not just one program. The purpose of transition planning is to help the student build the skills and experiences needed for life after high school, and the services and placement should reflect what will help that particular student succeed.
If transition programs for students ages 18–21 that a school district currently offers do not meet a student’s individual transition service needs, the district cannot simply say that the transition program is the only option available.
Under IDEA, the school district is responsible for ensuring the student receives individualized services through their IEP that provide FAPE.
If an existing “program” does not meet the student’s needs, the IEP team may need to consider other ways the services can be provided.
For example, a district might:
—Develop or create appropriate services within the district
—Partner with community programs or agencies to provide transition opportunities
—Contract with outside providers who can deliver the needed services
—Collaborate with another nearby school district that offers appropriate transition services
—Provide community-based instruction or job training with appropriate supports
The key point is that transition services must be based on the student’s individual needs, preferences, interests, and postsecondary goals, not limited only to services the district’s “programs” offer.
Parents - As you think about your student’s future after high school, it can be helpful to remember that transition planning is meant to be a team process. Families, students, and school staff all bring important perspectives to the table. When everyone works together, the conversation can focus on what supports the student in building skills for adult life.
18-21 transition services are different than a transition program and should look different for each student. They can include opportunities to build skills related to employment, further education or training, and independent living skills.
It’s important to work with the school team to explore what transition services and settings might support the student’s goals, interests, and preferences, regardless of the program offerings.
Open communication and shared planning can help ensure that decisions about transition services reflect the student’s needs and hopes for the future.
Your voice, and your student’s voice, are important parts of that conversation! 💜
*Legal References from Nebraska Rule 51 about Transition Services
92 NAC 51-003.63 Transition services means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability that is designed to be within a results-oriented process that is focused on improving the academic and functional achievement of the child with a disability to facilitate the child's movement from school to post-school activities, including post-secondary education, vocational training, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, or community participation; is based upon the individual child's needs, taking into account the child's strengths, preferences, and interests; and includes instruction, related services, community experiences, and the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and when appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and a functional vocational evaluation. Transition services for children with disabilities may be special education, if provided as specially designed instruction, or related services, if required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education.
92 NAC 51-008.01A The school district or approved cooperative shall establish policies and procedures to assure that, to the maximum extent appropriate, children with disabilities, including children in public or nonpublic schools and approved service agencies, are educated with children who are not disabled, and that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of children with disabilities from the regular educational environment occurs only when the nature and severity of the disability is such that education in regular classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
92 NAC 51-007.07A9 Beginning no later than the first IEP to be in effect when the child turns 14, or younger if deemed appropriate by the IEP team, and updated annually thereafter:
92 NAC 51-007.07A9b The transition services (including courses of study) needed to assist the child in reaching those goals. goals
