Early Transitions: Priority Areas

Explore seven priority areas for the transitions between birth and ninth grade.

Contents

Student empowerment

You're already teaching transition skills. Many teachers do it without even realizing. The shift? Adopt a transition-focused mindset.

Why it matters: Early, intentional teaching of transition skills helps students navigate change — in class and beyond. When general and special education teachers share an understanding of transition and are open to integrating it into their practice, transition teaching becomes stronger and more effective.

Empower students: Empowering students by giving them choices helps them take control of their learning and teaches them how they learn best. Giving choice = building ownership. As John Spencer says: “Our job is not to prepare students for something, our job is to help students prepare themselves for anything.”

How to do it well: Teachers are naturally creative and can find ways to integrate transition skills across the curriculum.

- - Model transition strategies.
  - Prep students for daily classroom shifts.
  - Integrate skills into all content areas.

Use what works to build student transition skills and ownership of their learning:

- - Student-centered learning
  - Responsive classrooms
  - Choice-based learning
  - Social skills instruction
  - Strength-based learning
  - Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
  - Project-based learning
  - Personalized education

Bottom line: More student ownership = more engagement, empowerment, and long-term success.

Final tip: Use language and actions that build interdependence + independence — not dependence. Avoid enabling. Support growth. Special educators, in their desire to help, can unintentionally enable students.

Below are ways to refocus your language and actions, adapted from Landfried Consultants, 1991. See the full action list, Facilitating Self-Determination Through Actions (PDF, 1 page).

Comparing actions that build dependence to actions that build independence
Build dependence	Build independence and interdependence
Thinking for	Creating “bite-size” learning tasks
Speaking for	Asking questions
Rescuing	Adhering to agreed consequences
Solving for	Displaying patience
Excusing	Reviewing expectations
Frequently reminding	Saying things once

Empowerment resources

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Self-determination and self-advocacy

Many early grade teachers naturally foster the skills of self-determination and self-advocacy in their students, often without realizing it. Teachers help students lay the foundation for developing these essential skills by focusing on student-centered instruction and empowering students to take control of their learning.

Why it matters: By creating a supportive environment that encourages students to take responsibility for their learning and personal growth, you can help them develop self-determination and self-advocacy that will serve them throughout their academic careers and beyond.

A clear and simple model for understanding self-determination: Sharon Field and Alan Hoffman created a self-determination model available on their website, 2BSD resources for self-determination. Teachers can use the model to think about ways to engage students in the development of these skills.

Action Model for Self-Determination. See accessible text version below.

Accessible text version of of the Action Model (PDF format) or MSWord format

Clearer and bigger graphic: see the full Fields and Hoffman model for more information about each area

Overview of the model: According to the model, self-determination is:

- - built on the foundation of Know and Value Yourself. It emphasizes supporting students to:
  - Plan (e.g., set goals be creative, develop activities)
  - Act (e.g., take risks, problem solve, make decisions, communicate)
  - Experience Outcomes and Learn (e.g., learn from failures and successes, reflect, make adjustments).

This is an continuous cycle, so a person continues to increase their ability to be self-determined as they move through the four areas.

Ten ways early grades teachers can encourage self-determination and self-advocacy:

1. 1. Model self-advocacy: Demonstrate how to express needs, preferences, and concerns in a clear, respectful way. Show students how you advocate for yourself in real-life situations.
  2. Incorporate self-advocacy lessons: Integrate lessons on self-advocacy into your curriculum. Teach students how to ask for help, clarify instructions, and express their needs in various settings, including school and at home.
  3. Develop students' communication skills: Teach students how to communicate their needs and preferences clearly, both verbally and non-verbally. Practice these skills through role-playing and structured activities.
  4. Encourage collaboration: Provide opportunities for students to work in pairs or groups where they must negotiate roles, express their ideas, and advocate for their contributions. Collaborative learning can build self-confidence and advocacy skills.
  5. Promote problem-solving: Encourage students to identify problems and think through possible solutions on their own, rather than providing all the answers. This builds their confidence and decision-making skills.
  6. Teach goal-setting: Help students set personal academic and behavioral goals. Break down larger goals into smaller, achievable steps, and encourage them to track their goal progress.
  7. Encourage self-reflection: Provide regular opportunities for students to reflect on their work and behavior. Ask guiding questions such as “What worked well today?” or “What could you do differently next time?”
  8. Decision-making, choices, and voice: Allow students to make choices in their learning process, whether it’s about what project to work on, how to demonstrate their knowledge, or how to organize their time. Look for teachable moments related to decision-making and model the process and practice with students. This fosters a sense of ownership over their education.
  9. Provide clear instructions and expectations: Give clear, concise instructions for tasks and activities. When students know exactly what is expected, they are more likely to feel confident in taking responsibility for their actions.
  10. Celebrate effort and progress: Reinforce the value of effort, persistence, and self-advocacy rather than just outcomes. Celebrate small successes along the way, helping students see their growth. Engage students to understand grading so that they can own their own scores or evaluations and learn how to move forward through their own efforts.

Self-determination and self-advocacy resources

- - - Self-determination website: The I’m Determined website has a section focused on tools, including curriculum activities, that early grades educators can use to promote self-determination in the general education curriculum and engage students in IEP meetings. Checklists for students, parents, and teachers to assess a student's level of self-determination.
    - Free curriculum for grades K-5: Field and Hoffman's site, 2BSD resources on self-determination, has resources to support self-determination in the classroom including a free curriculum for grades K-5, Early Steps to Self-Determination. They planned to publish the curriculum but are instead making it available for free in its final draft form. Click the Download box on their page to add the curriculum to a shopping cart. Go to the cart and check out - yes, it will be free. After you place your order, a receipt pops up with the actual PDF download link.
    - Teach with a student-centered focus: Quick and Easy Ways to Incorporate Student-Centered Strategies in Your Classroom (PDF, 1 page, 2024), from Kathryn Long, a Keene State College graduate student, outlines various student-centered activities teachers can use in their classroom with minimal effort.
    - Self-determination resources in this course: Check out the Self-Determination module. You can adapt the resources for use with younger students. Also look at the self-determination assessments on the Transition Assessments List page. The SDI can be used with 6th grade and up. Others can be adapted for use with younger students.
    - For additional information about self-determination see Module 6 | Self-Determination

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Younger student engagement in the IEP process

Participating with their IEP planning and meetings is a good way for students to express and practice their self-advocacy and self-determination skills.

Why it matters: Participation helps students develop a sense of agency over their own education. They gain a clearer understanding of their strengths, challenges, and goals, which can lead to more effective, personalized support.

Create a safe space: It is important is to create a safe space for students to participate in their IEP process so that it is positive and reinforcing. Be creative in how you think about age-appropriate ways to engage student in their IEPs:

- - role-play IEP meetings
  - design creative ways for students to share their preferences, interests, and needs at IEP meetings, e.g., sharing needs through audio, video, artwork, written narrative, etc.
  - have students keep a “My Strengths Booklet”
  - have students create a poster to share about themselves
  - support students to set their goals in their own language

Person-centered planning: Person-centered planning tools used with students in high schools can also be adapted and used with students in the early grades. Reach out to case managers in high schools and see resources below for more information.

IEP engagement resources

- - - IEP participation: The IEP Participation Brochure (PDF, 2 pages, 2012) from the I'm Determined website gives students with disabilities a checklist of ways they can participate in their IEP process.
    - Person-centered planning tools: The Learning for a Lifetime project at the University of Oregon developed several person-centered planning tools, outlined in Person-Centered Assessment and Planning: A Guide for New Tools (PDF, 46 pages, 2000). These tools can easily be adapted for use in the early grades and include:
      - Good Experiences (page 18)
        
        I Have a Dream — Do You? (page 22)
        
        The Other Way (page 32)
    - Person-centered planning tools in this course: Check out the resource page, Person-Centered Planning, in the Self-Determination module.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approaches

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approaches help to promote transition skills at an early age. It's a strength-based approach which aims to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all students by providing multiple means of engagement, representation, and action/expression.

Why it matters: When applied to elementary-aged students, UDL can play a crucial role in fostering transition and career development by addressing diverse needs and preparing students for future opportunities. UDL fosters transition and career development by providing a flexible, inclusive approach that:

- - addresses diverse learning needs
  - encourages exploration of career concepts
  - supports skill development
  - promotes self-advocacy, and student ownership and empowerment

UDL's holistic approach prepares students for a variety of future pathways and helps them build a strong foundation for lifelong learning and career success.

How UDL supports early exposure to career concepts:

- - Multiple means of representation: By presenting career-related information in various formats (e.g., visual aids, hands-on activities, multimedia), UDL helps students understand different professions and career paths in a way that suits their learning styles.
  - Choice and flexibility: Students can explore careers through different interests and skills, allowing them to engage with the content in a meaningful way.

How UDL supports skill development:

- - Multiple means of action and expression: UDL encourages students to develop and demonstrate skills through various methods. For example, students might use digital tools, create presentations, or engage in role-playing activities to practice skills relevant to future careers.
  - Goal setting and self-monitoring: Students are encouraged to set personal goals and monitor their progress, which fosters self-awareness and responsibility, crucial for career development.

How UDL supports diverse learning needs:

- - Individualized learning: UDL’s flexibility allows teachers to tailor learning experiences to meet the needs of each student, including those with disabilities or learning challenges. The individualized approach ensures that all students have the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge needed for future careers.
  - Scaffolding and support: UDL promotes the use of scaffolding techniques to support students’ gradual development of skills and knowledge.

How UDL encourages of self-advocacy and independence:

- - Personalized learning paths: By providing options and choices, UDL helps students learn how to advocate for their needs and preferences, a key skill in both education and the workplace.
  - Critical thinking and problem-solving: UDL encourages activities that develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills which are valuable in any career.

How UDL increases engagement and motivation:

- - Variety in learning activities: UDL offers diverse learning activities that can increase student engagement and motivation. Engaged and motivated students are more likely to explore different career interests and take ownership of their learning.
  - Relevance and real-world connections: By linking learning activities to real-world contexts and career opportunities, UDL helps students see the relevance of their education and how it applies to their future.

UDL resources

- - Free online training module: The IRIS Center provides an excellent free online training module as an introduction to UDL, Universal Design for Learning: Designing Learning Experiences That Engage and Challenge All Students. It highlights the key principles and ways for teachers to integrate these principles in their teaching.
  - The most up-to-date resources on UDL: See the CAST website and specifically the UDL Guidelines. Explore the site as there are free resources for educators and helpful frameworks and activities to consider.

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Career awareness and exploration

Students with disabilities can engage in career awareness activities in preschool and elementary school through various inclusive and supportive approaches.

Why it matters: How many times have you heard from students, “I want to be a….”? When educators teach from a transition mindset, they think about ways to make connections to careers and jobs to provide opportunities for younger students to think about their own career and job interests.

Strategies early educators can use:

- - Adapted materials: Provide career awareness materials that are accessible and adapted to the needs of students with disabilities. This can include simplified texts, tactile materials, and visual aids.
  - Classroom roles: Assigning classroom roles helps students develop skills like responsibility, teamwork, and communication. Roles such as leader or organizer foster problem-solving, decision-making, and self-confidence. These experiences build qualities like accountability, leadership, and adaptability, preparing students with strong work habits.
  - Hands-on activities: Offer hands-on activities that simulate various jobs or professions. For example, setting up pretend play areas where students can try out different roles (like a doctor’s office or a construction site) can be engaging and informative.
  - Guest speakers, role models, and interviews: Invite guest speakers with disabilities who are successful in various careers to share their experiences. Work with students to design interview questions for the guests. Watch videos of individuals with disabilities engaged in various jobs and careers. This can help students see possibilities and feel inspired. This course has a sizable transition video collection that you can search in several ways.
  - Interactive technology: Use interactive technology and multimedia resources to explore careers. Educational apps, videos, and virtual reality experiences can provide engaging ways to learn about different professions.
  - Individualized support: Provide individualized support as needed, such as using assistive technologies, providing extra time, or offering personalized explanations. Tailor career awareness activities based on students’ interests and strengths. This helps in making the activities more relevant and engaging.
  - Extended Learning Opportunities (ELOs): Extended Learning Opportunities can be designed for students in both elementary and middle school classrooms. See the Beyond Classroom Canvas course for ways to engage students in the community and in career experiences.
  - Career Days and Fairs: Organize career days or fairs where students can interact with professionals from different fields. Ensure that these events are inclusive and considerate of diverse abilities.

Example of career exploration event

Pelham Elementary High School hosted a vibrant Career Exploration Week and Career Fair (PDF, 1 page, 2025)

Career awareness and exploration resources

- - - Incorporate career awareness into instruction: The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), provides a great resource for K-12 educators to explore ways to incorporate career awareness and development into instruction. They provide lesson plans, career portfolio planners, and other career exploration ideas. Resources are divided into elementary and middle school levels.
    - Career videos and curriculum for all grades: KnowItAll.org provides many videos across career areas that are designed for early education students, and include curriculum and lesson plans. Browse by grade and subject to explore their large library of information.
    - Career exploration lesson plans and activities: Ohio Department of Education and Workforce provides a series of lessons and activities related to career exploration in the early grades. Search from more than 250 resources in support of career exploration across grade levels.
    - Career games and activities: Virginia Career View has many resources for both K-5 and K-8 in career exploration. They include career games for students, career searches, and activities teachers can use in classrooms. It is a treasure trove of information for early educators.
    - Virtual community of workplaces: Kids Work! is a virtual community of workplaces designed to give K-5 students an interactive job exploration experience that connects school work to real work.
    - Explore farming careers: My American Farm is an educational game platform from the American Farm Bureau for PreK-5 learners. There are a whole slew of agriculturally themed games and free educator resources such as agriculture lesson plans, activity sheets and comics. You can sort by grade level.
    - Career exploration on a federal website: Explore careers based on your interests on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Learn about the education and skills necessary for various careers, as well as the pay, job outlook, work environment, and more. Also see the BLS Career Resource Guide for resources for early grades as well as high school educators.
    - Job shadows: Teachers Pay Teachers includes over 28 resources for teachers to think about ways for students to engage in job shadowing.

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Family supports

Coaching families on the importance of early transition planning fosters independence and long-term readiness in students from a young age.

Why it matters: Today, many families lack knowledge about transition planning in high school. Educating them early on its importance for a student's self-determination and future pathways is essential for empowering students to navigate adulthood with confidence. Family support is critical when developing a student’s transition skills and learning about their strengths, needs, and interests.

Supporting families requires a thoughtful and individualized approach.

Five ways to support families

- - Demystify the IEP and encourage student voice: Case managers can demystify the language of the IEP and find ways to work with parents to encourage their child’s voice in the process. Work with parents to help with identifying their child's strengths, interests, and needs in transition.
  - Communicate and collaborate with families:
    - - Maintain consistent communication with parents and discuss openly a student’s needs.
      - Encourage parents to be active and empowered in a child’s education program.
      - Share with parents the importance of providing opportunities for students to advocate for themselves at an early age.
      - Share information with parents about transition and self-determination in conversations and at IEP meetings.
      - Consider developing a Parent or Guardian Transition Planning Team and include parents who have children at both elementary and secondary levels. The teams can design ways for parents to engage early in the process including hosting family focus groups. We offer a resource to assist administrators in the development of Family Engagement Teams (PDF, 12 pages, 2017).
  - Support families to encourage self-determination skills: Parents can model and encourage self-determination skills with their child. Support parents to:
    - - Find ways to encourage self-advocacy, problem-solving, decision-making, and other self-determination skill.
      - Approach learning from the perspective of coaching rather than enabling or “doing” for a child. This will help students learn they have a voice in their life.
  - Provide resources and education for families:
    - - Provide parents with resources about self-determination, career exploration, development, and transition planning in the early grades.
      - Educate them about the future IDEA requirements in transition so they can prepare early on to meaningfully engage and understand the process.
      - Offer opportunities for parents to learn more about transition planning at parent conferences, workshops, school newsletters, etc.
  - Form community partnerships: Look for ways to engage the community early in the early grades. Form partnerships with local businesses, agencies, disability support organizations, and other community organizations. Sharing about careers as well as future resources will be helpful.

Family support resources

- - - Supporting families transitioning from early intervention: Supporting Families in Transition between Early Intervention and School-age Programs (PDF, 6 pages), from the Colorado Department of Education, provides an overview of how educators can create structures and supports during the early transitions. Has good charts.
    - Partnering with families in the transition to kindergarten: Family Engagement and the Transition to Kindergarten, from Head Start, provides resources for families and educators to support early transitions. They stress engaging families and the importance of partnering with them during these critical early transitions.
    - Student IEP Participation: Self-Determination Checklists from the Virginia Family Special Education Connection, are really good. Check out the IEP Participation Brochure in which students can plan how they will participate and the Parent Exit Survey in which parents can express how it was to have their child participating in their IEP meeting.
    - New Hampshire's parent resource: The NH Parent Information Center (PIC) is a statewide resource for parents, providing a range of supports and information on special education requirements, practices, transition planning, self-determination, and career development throughout a student's P-12 education.
    - General information on family transition training: see our Family Involvement Module.

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Support by school leaders

School leaders play a pivotal role in ensuring students with disabilities navigate the PreK-12 education system smoothly.

Why it matters: School transitions can be particularly challenging for students with disabilities. By establishing clear communication, promoting collaboration among general and special education staff, and developing targeted support systems, school leaders can create an environment where students feel supported at every stage.

The big picture: To promote a positive educational experience, establish inclusive, culturally responsive policies and practices that address the diverse developmental and emotional needs of students during the early transitions. School leaders must build strong partnerships with families, local agencies, and community stakeholders across the PreK-12 spectrum.

Five things for leaders to do:

- - Focus on program structures to support transition: Create aligned program structures that ensure continuity in curriculum, services, and support systems across grade levels.
  - Facilitate professional learning experiences about:
    - IDEA transition requirements so staff understand the context for supporting transition.
    - Effective strategies for supporting students with diverse needs during transitions, including strategies for differentiated instruction and social-emotional support.
    - Strategies for empowering students in their learning.
  - Promote collaboration across grade levels: Collaboration across grade levels ensures smooth transitions for students with disabilities by fostering effective communication between teachers and administrators about students' progress, strengths, and needs. This shared knowledge supports areas like self-determination, transition planning, and career development, helping students build essential skills.
  - Engage families and communities: Build strong partnerships with families by keeping them informed about transition timelines, available resources, learning opportunities, and strategies to support their child’s success during transitions.
  - Monitor student progress: Use data to track student progress throughout transitions, identifying areas where students may need additional support, and adjusting resources and interventions accordingly to ensure successful outcomes.

School leader resources

- - - Example activities that connect to post-school success: PreK-Post12 Predictors of Success: Sample Activities (PDF, 6 pages, 2024), from the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT:C) can help leaders understand how to integrate transition planning across grade levels. Based on NTACT:C's PreK-Post12 Predictors of Success, it provides a helpful framework for administrators to work with staff to assess current transition efforts and identify any potential gaps. The main message is Start Early.
      - Blank template of the sample activities chart (Excel, 3 pages, 2025) we created for you to customize
        
        Blank template of the sample activities chart
    - Free online training modules: The Iris Center at Vanderbilt University has created a series of free online training modules on transition. We recommend these as an efficient way to get a sound overview of transition planning and requirements.
      - The Secondary Transition: Student-Centered Transition Planning and the Secondary Transition: Helping Students with Disabilities Plan for Transition to Post-Secondary training modules were developed for administrators and educators to learn about the essential IDEA requirements and the widely accepted Taxonomy for Transition Planning.
        
        A three-part Evidence-Based Practices Series to assist administrators and teachers to learn about the various evidence-based practices for transition.
    - The Transition 101 page in this course (not Iris) reviews all the major IDEA transition requirements as well as practices to promote transition.
    - Q&A from the US Department of Education: 2023 Early Childhood Transition Questions and Answers (PDF, 20 pages, 2023). The actual laws and rules.

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Updated 6-22-26