Transition Planning Reference — Texas IDEA Age 14+

Scope note: Diagnosticians do not write transition goals or coordinate agency referrals — that is the case manager's role. This reference covers what you need to know to evaluate transition-age students accurately and document your findings in a way that supports the transition planning process.

Early Childhood

IEP begins; no transition requirements

Pre-Transition

Student strengths/interests can be documented; no legal trigger yet

14
Texas Trigger
Transition services & goals required in IEP
TX Only

16
Federal Trigger
IDEA minimum; Texas exceeds this by 2 years
IDEA

Age of Majority

Rights transfer to student (unless guardianship established)

Exit

Maximum age for IDEA services in Texas; district obligation ends

Timelines & Triggers

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Texas Transition at Age 14 — Two Years Earlier Than Federal

TX Law▼

Texas requires transition planning to begin no later than the first IEP in effect when the student turns 14 — two years earlier than the federal IDEA minimum of age 16. The IEP must include: measurable postsecondary goals, transition services, and a course of study aligned to those goals. The student must be invited to the ARD.

TAC§89.1055(b)(7) — Transition services required beginning at age 14; postsecondary goals; student invited to ARD

IDEA34 CFR §300.320(b) — Transition services definition; federal minimum age 16; Texas stricter

Practical implication: If you are evaluating a student who is or will be 14 before their next ARD, your FIE findings directly inform the transition planning section of the IEP. Document strengths, interests, and functional skills explicitly.

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What "Transition Services" Means Under IDEA

TX Law▼

Transition services are a coordinated set of activities designed within a results-oriented process that facilitates movement from school to post-school activities — including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living, and community participation.

IDEA34 CFR §300.43 — Transition services definition; coordinated, results-oriented, based on individual needs

TAC§89.1055(b)(7) — Transition services in IEP; must be based on age-appropriate transition assessment

Must be based on assessment: Transition services in the IEP must be grounded in age-appropriate transition assessment (AATA). Without documented assessment, transition goals cannot be individualized.

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Age of Majority — Rights Transfer at 18

TX Law▼

When a student turns 18 in Texas, IDEA rights transfer from the parent to the student unless the student has been determined incompetent under state law or a guardian has been appointed. The district must notify both the student and parents at least one year before the student turns 18. After transfer, the student is the decision-maker for all IEP matters.

IDEA34 CFR §300.520 — Transfer of parental rights at age of majority; notification one year prior

Texas Ed. Code§29.017 — Transfer of rights; guardianship exception; student participation in ARD

Guardianship planning: For students with ID or significant cognitive disabilities, families should begin guardianship planning before age 18. This is outside the diagnostician's direct role but worth noting in the FIE when relevant.

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Student Must Be Invited to Transition ARDs

TX Law▼

Once transition planning begins, the district must invite the student to the ARD meeting. If the student does not attend, the district must take steps to ensure the student's preferences and interests are considered. Failure to invite the student is a procedural violation.

IDEA34 CFR §300.321(b) — Student invited to IEP meeting when transition is discussed; preferences must be considered if absent

TAC§89.1050 — ARD committee composition; student participation required for transition

If student doesn't attend: Document steps taken to obtain their preferences — interviews, surveys, or other means. "Student was invited but did not attend" is not sufficient documentation on its own.

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Summary of Performance (SOP) — Required at Exit

TX Law▼

When a student with a disability exits school (through graduation or aging out at 21), the district must provide a Summary of Performance (SOP). The SOP documents: the student's academic achievement and functional performance, and recommendations for accommodations and supports needed to assist the student in meeting postsecondary goals. This is a critical document for college disability services offices and adult agencies.

IDEA34 CFR §300.305(e)(3) — Summary of performance required upon exit from IDEA; academic achievement and functional performance

TAC§89.1070 — Summary of performance; required at graduation or aging out; student and parent copies

Diagnostician connection: The SOP is typically written by the case manager, but draws heavily on FIE findings. A well-documented FIE with functional performance language, clear accommodation rationale, and explicit documentation of the disability's impact makes writing a strong SOP far easier.

Note: Age-appropriate transition assessment (AATA) is a broad term that encompasses many types of tools and approaches. It is not a specific instrument — it is a process of gathering information about the student's strengths, interests, preferences, and needs as they relate to postsecondary goals.

Overview: What AATA Must Cover

Required Domains

What must be assessed

Postsecondary education / training interests
Employment interests and aptitudes
Independent living skills and goals
Self-determination and self-advocacy skills
Strengths, preferences, and interests
Functional performance relevant to post-school goals

Key Principle

Assessment drives the IEP

Transition goals must be grounded in AATA data
Generic goals ("get a job") without assessment basis are non-compliant
Assessment must reflect the student's own preferences — not just parent/teacher input
Must be updated as the student progresses; not a one-time event
Can use multiple informal methods alongside formal instruments

Formal Transition Assessment Instruments

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TAGG — Transition Assessment and Goal Generator

Formal▼

An online, standardized transition assessment normed on students with disabilities ages 14–22. Provides ratings from the student, parent, and professional across nine transition-related constructs: strengths, limitations/challenges, disability awareness, persistence/work ethic, interacting with others, employment, further education/training, independent living, and self-determination.

Diagnostician connection: The TAGG professional form can be completed by the diagnostician as part of a transition-age FIE. Results link directly to postsecondary goal areas and provide norm-referenced data across multiple raters.

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ABAS-3 — Adaptive Behavior Assessment System

Formal▼

The ABAS-3 assesses adaptive functioning across conceptual, social, and practical skill domains — directly mapping to the three adaptive behavior areas used in ID eligibility and the independent living domain of transition planning. At the transition age level, ABAS-3 data is particularly relevant for students with ID, autism, and developmental delays.

Diagnostician connection: You already administer this for ID and DD eligibility. For transition-age students, explicitly connect ABAS-3 findings to independent living and employment readiness in your FIE narrative — don't just report scores. Note which adaptive skill gaps are most likely to affect post-school functioning.

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Career Interest & Aptitude Measures

Formal▼

Career interest inventories measure the student's vocational interest areas (often using Holland/RIASEC themes) and can be linked to occupational clusters. Aptitude measures assess abilities relevant to specific vocational pathways. These are often administered by vocational rehabilitation counselors or school counselors, but diagnosticians should be familiar with their structure.

Common instruments: Self-Directed Search (SDS), Career Occupational Preference System (COPS), O*NET Interest Profiler (free, online), Differential Aptitude Tests (DAT).

Free resource: O*NET Interest Profiler (online.onetcenter.org) is free, accessible, and links directly to career clusters. Useful to reference when reviewing transition data.

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Self-Determination Assessments

Formal▼

Self-determination encompasses a student's ability to make choices, set goals, and advocate for themselves. Formal assessments provide baseline data and can be used to develop self-advocacy goals in the IEP. Self-determination is one of the strongest predictors of positive post-school outcomes for students with disabilities.

Common instruments: Arc's Self-Determination Scale, AIR Self-Determination Assessment (free), ChoiceMaker Self-Determination Assessment.

Diagnostician connection: When writing the FIE for transition-age students, include observations about the student's self-awareness of their disability, ability to describe their own needs, and participation in the evaluation process. These are informal indicators of self-determination relevant to the SOP and transition IEP.

Informal Transition Assessment Methods

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Informal Methods — Interviews, Observations & Surveys

Informal▼

Informal AATA methods are equally valid and often more meaningful than formal instruments. They include: student interviews (career interests, living preferences, postsecondary goals), parent interviews, teacher observations (work habits, social skills, functional academics), situational assessments (real or simulated work environments), community-based observations, preference surveys, and portfolio reviews.

Best practice: A combination of formal and informal methods across multiple settings and respondents provides the most complete picture. No single assessment should be the sole basis for transition goals.

Note: Coordinating agency referrals is the case manager's responsibility. Diagnosticians should know what these agencies offer and when referral is appropriate to make accurate recommendations in the FIE.

Texas Adult Service Agencies

Texas VR

Texas Workforce Commission — Vocational Rehabilitation

Provides vocational rehabilitation services to help people with disabilities prepare for, obtain, retain, or advance in employment. Services include vocational assessment, job training, supported employment, college supports, assistive technology, and job placement.

Serves: Students with disabilities who have an employment goal

Referral timing: Can refer students as young as 14; Pre-ETS services begin at 14 for students with IEPs or 504 plans. Formal VR case opens at 16 or later. Referral before age 16 accesses Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS).

twc.texas.gov ↗

Pre-ETS

Pre-Employment Transition Services (through Texas VR)

Federally mandated services available to any student with a disability ages 14–21 who has an IEP or 504 plan — even before a formal VR case is opened. Five required Pre-ETS activities: job exploration counseling, work-based learning, counseling on enrollment in postsecondary programs, workplace readiness training, and instruction in self-advocacy.

Serves: Any student with an IEP or 504, ages 14–21

Key point: Pre-ETS does not require an open VR case. Schools can coordinate with VR to access these services for eligible students starting at age 14.

HHSC / IDD Services

Texas Health & Human Services Commission — Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

Provides Medicaid waiver services, supported living, day habilitation, employment assistance, and residential supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Waiver waitlists are extremely long — early application is critical.

Serves: Individuals with ID/DD; significant waitlists for waiver services

Critical timing: Families should apply for IDD waiver services as early as possible — waitlists can be 10+ years. Referral should happen no later than early high school. This is one of the most important agency connections a diagnostician can flag in a FIE for students with ID.

hhs.texas.gov ↗

TWC

Texas Workforce Commission

State agency overseeing workforce development, job placement, and employer connections. Operates Workforce Solutions offices across Texas offering job search assistance, resume support, and connections to training programs. VR is housed within TWC.

Serves: Job seekers of all ability levels

Relevant for: Students pursuing employment post-graduation who may not qualify for VR or who need general workforce services.

twc.texas.gov ↗

DARS / Blind Services

Division for Blind Services (part of HHSC)

Provides vocational rehabilitation and independent living services specifically for Texans who are blind or have significant visual impairments. Separate from general VR — students with visual impairments should be referred to DBS, not standard VR.

Serves: Students and adults with visual impairments or blindness

hhs.texas.gov ↗

Disability Rights TX

Disability Rights Texas

Free legal advocacy organization for Texans with disabilities. Can assist transition-age students and families with IEP disputes, supported decision-making alternatives to guardianship, and understanding adult disability rights.

Serves: Individuals with disabilities of all ages

disabilityrightstx.org ↗

Supported Decision-Making

Alternative to full guardianship for transition-age students

Supported decision-making is a legal alternative to guardianship that allows an individual with a disability to make their own decisions with help from a trusted supporter. Texas passed the Supported Decision-Making Agreement Act in 2015. Relevant when families are considering guardianship for students with significant disabilities.

Relevant for: Students with ID, ASD, or significant cognitive disabilities approaching age 18

supporteddecisionmaking.org ↗

Texas HireAbility

TWC Employer Relations / HireAbility Texas

TWC's employer outreach initiative connecting businesses with job seekers with disabilities. Provides resources for employers and can connect students with employers open to inclusive hiring. Useful context when supporting students with employment-focused transition goals.

Serves: Students and adults with disabilities seeking employment

twc.texas.gov ↗

Postsecondary Education Supports

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College Disability Services — Documentation Requirements Change

Postsecondary▼

IDEA does not follow students to college. At the postsecondary level, disability services are governed by ADA Title II / Section 504. The student must self-identify to disability services and provide documentation of their disability and its functional impact. Schools vary in documentation requirements — some accept recent FIEs; others require updated evaluations.

Diagnostician connection: The SOP and the FIE are the primary documents a student will use to access college disability services. Write the FIE with functional impact language that clearly describes how the disability affects academic performance — not just scores. Vague statements ("scores were low average") are less useful than functional statements ("reading fluency deficits result in significantly slower reading speed that requires extended time on all reading-based tasks").

Documentation currency: Most colleges require evaluations within 3–5 years. If a student's most recent FIE is from middle school, a re-evaluation before graduation significantly helps their transition to college services.

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TSI Assessment — Exemptions & Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Postsecondary▼

The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Assessment is required for most students entering Texas public colleges. Students with documented disabilities may be entitled to testing accommodations (extended time, reader, etc.) on the TSI. Documentation of the disability — typically the most recent FIE or SOP — is required to request accommodations. Some students may qualify for exemptions based on qualifying ACT/SAT scores or military service.

TAC19 TAC §4.54 — TSI Assessment; exemptions; accommodations for students with disabilities

Diagnostician connection: The FIE and SOP are the documentation students use to request TSI accommodations. Ensure your FIE clearly documents the disability, its functional impact on test performance, and accommodation history — particularly extended time.

What Changes at Age 14 in the FIE

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What the FIE Should Include for Transition-Age Students

Diagnostician▼

For students age 14+, the FIE should expand to address transition-relevant domains beyond academic achievement and cognitive ability. These include:

Adaptive behavior — functional independence in daily living, social/practical skills (ABAS-3 or similar)
Vocational interests and aptitudes — document from student interview, career inventories, or teacher observation
Self-determination indicators — student's awareness of their disability, ability to describe needs, self-advocacy observed during evaluation
Functional academic performance — reading level, math computation, writing fluency in terms of real-world impact
Strengths explicitly documented — not just weaknesses; the IEP transition goals must build on what the student can do
Postsecondary goal alignment — connect your findings to employment, education/training, and independent living domains when possible

Key shift: Before age 14, FIE narratives focus primarily on classroom impact. After age 14, they should also address post-school impact — how will this disability affect the student's ability to succeed in college, work, and independent living?

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Writing Functional Performance Language for Transition

Diagnostician▼

Functional performance language connects scores to real-world impact — especially important for the SOP and college documentation. Move beyond score reporting to describe how the disability affects the student's ability to function independently.

Score-only (less useful for transition): "Processing speed was in the Low Average range (SS = 84)."

Functional language (more useful): "Processing speed in the Low Average range means [STUDENT] requires significantly more time to complete reading- and writing-based tasks than peers. In postsecondary settings, extended time accommodations on exams and assignments would directly address this documented functional limitation."

For the SOP: The case manager writes it, but your FIE language is the source. Write your FIE impact statements with the SOP and college documentation office in mind — especially for students likely to pursue postsecondary education.

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Re-Evaluation Timing for Transition-Age Students

Diagnostician▼

For students likely to pursue postsecondary education or access adult services, evaluation timing matters beyond IDEA compliance. A re-evaluation completed close to graduation is more useful for college disability services and adult agencies than one completed at age 14.

Most college disability services offices and VR require documentation within 3–5 years. A student who was last evaluated in 7th grade and graduates at 18 will have a 6-year-old FIE — which may not be accepted.

Best practice: For students pursuing college, consider timing the triennial re-evaluation in 10th or 11th grade — close enough to graduation to be useful for college documentation, while still within the IDEA 3-year window. Raise this with the case manager when scheduling re-evaluations for transition-age students.

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Recommending Agency Referrals in the FIE

Diagnostician▼

While coordinating actual agency referrals is the case manager's job, diagnosticians can and should note relevant agency connections in the FIE when findings support them. This helps ensure the ARD committee considers these linkages during transition planning.

Example FIE language — VR/Pre-ETS: "Given [STUDENT]'s documented learning disability and employment goal, referral to Texas VR for Pre-Employment Transition Services is recommended to support development of job exploration, workplace readiness, and self-advocacy skills."

Example FIE language — HHSC IDD: "Given [STUDENT]'s documented intellectual disability, the ARD committee may wish to discuss referral to HHSC IDD services and waiver application, as waitlists for adult IDD services in Texas are substantial and early application is strongly recommended."

Scope boundary: You are recommending, not coordinating. Document the recommendation clearly, bring it up in the ARD, and ensure the case manager follows through. Don't make commitments on behalf of the district.

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Interviewing the Student — Capturing Voice in the FIE

Diagnostician▼

For transition-age students, the student interview becomes especially important. In addition to standard rapport-building, explore: the student's awareness of their own disability and its impact, their postsecondary goals (education, employment, living), their interests and strengths, and how they would describe what they need to succeed. These observations belong in the FIE.

Sample interview prompts:
"What do you want to do after high school?"
"What kinds of work or activities are you good at?"
"If you could ask a teacher for one thing that would help you, what would it be?"
"Do you know why you have an IEP? Can you tell me in your own words what your challenges are?"

Self-determination note: Document the student's level of self-awareness and self-advocacy in the FIE. A student who can clearly articulate their needs and goals is better positioned for postsecondary success than one who cannot — and this is a legitimate functional skill area to address in the transition IEP.

🎯 Transition Planning Reference