State and Federal law require that a student's IEP contain measurable post-secondary goals and services called a "transition plan" when the child reaches a certain age. Massachusetts General Law chapter 71B section 2 (signed into law in August 2008) requires a plan be in place by the child's 14th birthday. While this is two years earlier than Federal law requires, it is best to begin transition planning long before the child is a teenager. I encourage all parents to set high but realistic goals with their children and to treat each IEP goal as a small but important step towards their child's post-secondary aspirations.
Transition Planning