PART 3: 4 Hallmarks of Exceptional Transition Education for Students on the Autism Spectrum

Bill Mulcahy – Assistant Principal, League School or Greater Boston

The League School of Greater Boston is a model of Best Practice in Transition Education. We are a “best practice” school because of our ability to effectively integrate four important elements: a program team model, vocational programming, transitional planning, and a partnership for the transition process.

Part 3 of 4 Hallmarks – Transition Planning

Another critical element in the Transition Education process is transition planning. Here’s a closer look at how League School approaches it.

Unlike practices in place at other educational institutions, transition planning for League School students begins by age 14, with each of our students serving as an active participant in their IEP planning. They contribute to their Transition Plan by providing input on their vision, concerns, preferences, goals, and post-22 living and employment plans. Parent and guardian involvement is also key to contributing to their child’s transition planning from age 14 to post-22 years. IEP goals are functional and focused on transition skills and developing independence. Vocational and transition objectives are embedded in many of our IEP goals to address the social communication, emotional regulation, functional academic, community safety, and the daily living skills needs of our students.

The more students get involved with this process, the better the results.  Next, we will conclude our blog series on optimizing the Transition Education process with Part 4 – Creating a Partnership for Transition Planning.