Age-Appropriate Transition Assessments and Resources - Revised 09/2021

Sep 18, 2026

Guide outlining how transition assessments support the transition planning process by gathering students’ strengths, needs, preferences, and interests to inform the Postsecondary Transition Plan (PTP) and Individual Education Plan (IEP). Explains compliance requirements, the definition and purpose of transition assessment, what age-appropriate and ongoing assessments look like, and how formal and informal assessment approaches generate measurable postsecondary goals for education/training, employment, and (as needed) independent living.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Transition Assessment

Transition assessments and their role in transition planning

IEP and Postsecondary Transition Plan (PTP) compliance

What is Transition Assessment?

What does transition assessment look like effectively?

Will answer three core questions

Formal vs. informal assessments

| | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | Age-Appropriate Transition Assessments and Resources | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Education & | | Employment Planning & | | | | | |
Training Experiences
Independent & Adult Living
Scan the QR code to goto the Age-Appropriate
and Resources website.

1 Revised 09/2021 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | |
Transition Assessment
Transition assessments are an important component of the transition planning process. Transition assessments assist the student in exploring their preferences, interests, needs and strengths to aide in writing their Postsecondary Transition Plan (PTP) . This guide will provide information regarding transition assessment compliance, definition, examples, and resources.
Results from initial assessments should be the starting point for transition planning and remain the driving force for determining individual services.
(Rowe D., [et. al](et. al)., 2015)
Individual Education Plan (IEP) and Postsecondary Transition Plan (PTP) Compliance
“The IEP must include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and where appropriate, independent living skills.”
34 CFR 300.320(b)(1), IDEA
The Postsecondary Transition Plan (PTP) is a web-based application used to complete and document the transition planning process at the IEP meeting. In Wisconsin it is required to start this process for all students with disabilities ages 14 and older. When creating the student’s PTP, there is a question specifically regarding transition assessments that must be answered. If a transition assessment is not completed at the time of the annual IEP meeting, the IEP team will not be able to move forward with the student’s postsecondary transition planning. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Revised 09/2021 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | |
What is Transition Assessment?
“Transition assessment is an ongoing process of collecting information on the student’s strengths, needs, preferences, and interests as they relate to the demands of current and future living, learning, and working environments. This process begins at age 14 or earlier and will continue until the student graduates or exits high school. Information from this process is used to drive the IEP and transition planning process and to help develop the Summary of Performance (SoP)
document detailing the student’s academic and functional performance and postsecondary goals.”(adapted from: Sitlington, P. L., Neubert, D. A., Begun, W. H., Lombard, R. C., & Leconte, P. J.(2007) . Assess for success: A practitioner’s handbook on transition assessment (2nd ed. ) . Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. p. 2-3)
Transition Assessment:
What Does this Effectively Look Like?
Age Appropriate Assessments are:
• "Student centered" and take into account student's chronological age
•Assessments focus on the student’s preferences, interests, needs and strengths (PINS)
•Assessments include the student's input but may also include input from the student's family, educators, peers, community members or agencies working with the student
On-Going Assessments include:
•Monitoring to collect data on progress towards post school outcomes
•Planning to meet youth's changing preferences, interests, needs and strengths in transition domains
•Instruction to youth and family on how to use results in the IEP and SoP
Neubert, D. , Leconte, P. (2013)
Measurable Postsecondary Goals
Foundation for creating postsecondary goals in these areas:
•Education/Training
•Employment
•Independent Living (as needed)
3 Revised 09/2021

| | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | |
Tra

FAQs

What role do transition assessments play in the transition planning process?

They collect information about students’ strengths, needs, preferences, and interests to guide writing the Postsecondary Transition Plan (PTP). Results from initial assessments start planning and drive decisions about individual services.

What compliance requirements link transition assessments to the IEP and PTP?

The IEP must include appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based on age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and independent living when appropriate. The PTP is completed through a web-based application, and the IEP team must answer the question regarding transition assessments before moving forward.

How does the guide describe age-appropriate and ongoing transition assessments?

Age-appropriate assessments are student-centered and consider chronological age, focusing on preferences, interests, needs, and strengths, and may include input from family, educators, peers, community members, or agencies. Ongoing assessments involve monitoring progress toward post-school outcomes, planning for changing needs across transition domains, and teaching youth and family how to use results in the IEP and Summary of Performance.

Sep 18, 2026

Uploaded by Felix Montgomery