Transition Planning

Oklahoma's Secondary Transition Framework:

Planning for What's Next

Oklahoma’s Secondary Transition Framework is a clear, comprehensive roadmap to support students with disabilities as they move from high school to adult life. Designed for educators, vocational rehabilitation counselors, professionals, and families, the framework centers on each student’s individual vision for postsecondary education, employment, independent living, and community participation. It includes identified outcomes and services, implementation guides, courses, videos, and practical tools to ensure coordinated, high-quality support for transition teams statewide.

The framework is organized into three major sections that are essential to effective secondary transition planning.

Data-Driven Secondary Transition Planning
Collaborative Systems and Sustainable Teaming
Evidence and Research-Based Practices.

Data-Driven Secondary Transition Planning	Collaborative Systems and Sustainable Teaming	Evidence- and Research-Based Practices
Age-Appropriate Transition Assessment Results	Statewide Interagency Team — Oklahoma Transition Council	School-Wide Supports and Student Development
Drive secondary transition planning Identify strengths, preferences, interests, and needs (SPIN)	Includes representatives from all relevant stakeholders Mission and vision are focused on improving student outcomes Provides guidance and support to local and regional transition teams	Access to school-wide academic, behavioral, comprehensive counseling and mental health supports to foster student development Access to career development, including Individual Career and Academic Planning (ICAP)
Post-Secondary Goals	Local and Regional Transition Teams	Transition Education and Services
Based on strengths, preferences, and interests identified by assessments, student, and family input Measurable and updated annually Occur after high school	Leadership support Engagement of students, families, and community stakeholders Effective meetings Implement effective practices to improve student outcomes	Grounded in quality research to improve student outcomes and aligned with the Predictors of Post-School Success Student-focused, individualized Include multiple opportunities for student development Include instruction in self-determination and work-based learning
Annual Transition Goals	School and Community Teams	Effective Practices
Based on needs identified from skill assessments Measurable, including condition, behavior, and criteria Updated annually	Collaborative school culture fostering a commitment to equal access and intentional planning School and community wide systems supporting transition services	Specific interventions to teach skills to secondary students and youth with disabilities; based on the results of intervention research Specially-designed instruction Aligned to the Predictors of Post-School Success
Transition Services, Coordinated Activities, and Courses of Study	Individualized Education Program (IEP) Teams	Predictors of Post-School Success
Include services and coordinated activities for each annual transition goal Aligned to help students meet post-secondary goals Evidence and research-based practices	Student-focused and student-led meetings Individualized planning Parent Involvement Collaborative decision-making based on students’ goals and plans Outside agency participation for coordination of services	Evidence- and research-based services, supports, or acquired skills identified to be associated with improved post-school outcomes for students with disabilities through correlational research Includes the activities, services, and supports linked to higher success rates in adulthood

Data-Driven Secondary Transition Planning

Age-Appropriate Transition Assessment Results

Drive secondary transition planning
Identify strengths, preferences, interests, and needs (SPIN)

Post-Secondary Goals

Based on strengths, preferences, and interests identified by assessments, student, and family input
Measurable and updated annually
Occur after high school

Annual Transition Goals

Based on needs identified from skill assessments
Measurable, including condition, behavior, and criteria
Updated annually

Transition Services, Coordinated Activities, and Courses of Study

Include services and coordinated activities for each annual transition goal
Aligned to help students meet post-secondary goals

Collaborative Systems and Sustainable Teaming

Statewide Interagency Team — Oklahoma Transition Council

Includes representatives from all relevant stakeholders
Mission and vision are focused on improving student outcomes
Provides guidance and support to local and regional transition teams

Local and Regional Transition Teams

Leadership support
Engagement of students, families, and community stakeholders
Effective meetings
Implement effective practices to improve student outcomes

Individualized Education Program (IEP) Teams

Student-focused and student-led meetings
Includes input from students, families, and all relevant education and transition agency staff

Evidence- and Research-Based Practices

Academic, Functional, Behavioral, and Mental Health Supports

Access school supports for academics, behavior, and mental health
Access to career development, including Individual Career and Academic Planning (ICAP)

Transition Education and Services

Grounded in quality research

Effective Practices

Specific interventions to teach skills to secondary students and youth with disabilities; based on the results of intervention research
Specially-designed instruction
Aligned to the Predictors of Post-School Success

Predictors of Post-School Success

Evidence- and research-based services, supports, or acquired skills identified to be associated with improved post-school outcomes for students with disabilities through correlational research
Includes the activities, services, and supports linked to higher success rates in adulthood

Secondary Transition Outcomes and Services

Outcomes to Guide the Way

The Oklahoma Transition Council (OTC) developed student outcomes for education and training, employment, independent living and community belonging, also referred to as community participation. The outcomes reflect a natural progression toward independence, from exploration to planning, preparation, participation, and self-advocacy.

These outcomes help students, families, educators, and community partners plan for the future. They provide clear skills that can support students as they explore careers, take part in their communities, build independence, and prepare for life after high school.

The outcomes are available in two formats: a digitally accessible version that works with accessibility tools and a print-only version for easy printing and use in planning, instruction, and meetings.

Young woman in a restaurant smiling at the camera

“I Can" statements help students identify the skills they need to strengthen and actively engage in future planning and IEP meetings. They offer insight into student growth, support self‑advocacy and goal setting, and foster productive communication among students, families, teachers, and other transition partners.”

'I Can' Statements

A man and a woman, with two young girls looking at and pointing to something on their computer screens.

The "My Child Can" statements help families understand the skills their child is working toward and support growth at home, school, and in the community. The statements encourage family engagement and meaningful conversation wtih students, educators, and other transition partners.

'My Child Can' Statements

The Oklahoma Transition Outcomes provide a developmental framework to support successful postsecondary transitions. Organized across self-determination, education and training, employment, and independent living and community participation, the outcomes help guide transition planning and skill development toward greater independence.

Outcome Statements

Guides and Guidance Briefs

The Oklahoma Secondary Transition Framework Guides and Guidance Briefs provide comprehensive support for strengthening secondary transition services and supports. They help districts and local regions build effective transition teams, strengthen collaboration between DRS and local education agencies, and apply research- and evidence-based predictors of post-school success. Together, the Guides offer tools to assess services, set meaningful goals, and plan improvements that support positive outcomes for students as they prepare for adult postsecondary education, employment, independent living, and community participation. Click on the Guides to download.

Oklahoma Secondary Transition Framework

Provides an overview and resources for each section of the OK Secondary Transition Framework.

Oklahoma Transition Teaming Guide

Strengthens an existing transition team or establishes a new team.

Predictors of Post-School Success

Provides professionals and families proven practices to prepare youth for adult living and working.

ASAP Assessment and Planning

Equips transition teams with a tool to assess transition programs, set goals, develop action plans, and improve outcomes.

DRS and LEAs Collaboration Guide

Helps DRS and schools partner to plan, coordinate referrals, applications, and services to support students in achieving their postsecondary employment goals.

Resource Mapping Guide

Helps transition teams map out the programs, services, and supports available in their local area to improve transition services and student outcomes.

Transition Assessments

Are you searching for high‑quality transition assessments for your students? You’ve come to the right place! This section offers a collection of quick, practical videos, brief descriptions, and transition resources to help you explore a wide range of assessments that support identifying student strengths, preferences, interests, and needs and developing meaningful postsecondary goals, annual transition goals, and transition services.

Career Inventories and Exploration Tools for Postsecondary Goal Development

Pictorial Interest Inventory

This is a visual assessment where students select preferred tasks from images across career fields to identify potential career interests.

Pictorial Interest Inventory

Photo Career Quiz

This picture-based online quiz helps students discover their career interests.

Photo Career Quiz

RIASEC

Based on Holland's Code, the RIASEC suggests career choices by matching personality types with suitable work environments.

RIASEC

Transition Skills Assessments for Annual Transition Goal Development

AIR Self-Determination

LifeCourse Tools

Life Skills Inventory

College Readiness Guide

Transition Assessment Goal Generator (TAGG)

Employment Support Indicators

Vineland-3 Adaptive Behavior Scales

Self-Determination Inventory

Adolescent Autonomy Checklist

This 105-item checklist evaluates independent living skills and identifies areas needing additional instruction.

Adolescent Autonomy Checklist

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery

This comprehensive timed test developed by the Department of Defense assesses academic and vocational skills in eight areas. Practice tests are available online.

ASVAB

PEATC Life Skills Checklist

This tool is designed to track and build independent living skills for students ages 14-21 as they prepare for adulthood.

PEATEC

Personal Preferences Indicators

Families, educators, and other support professionals can use this guide to gather meaningful information about a student's strengths, preferences, interests, and support needs. Appropriate for students with significant support needs.

Personal Preferences Indicators

Transition Assessment Guides and Databases

OU Zarrow Institute Assessment Resources

The OU Zarrow Institute hosts several transition assessments and self-determination curriculum.

OU Zarrow Institute

Collaborative Assessment Guide

This guide is an update to the previous version of NTACT's Transition Assessment Toolkit. It helps develop a coordinated assessment approach for transition planning and service delivery.

Collaborative Assessment Gudie

Transition Assessment for Students with Complex Support Needs

This Fast Fact provides insights and strategies for completing the transition assessment process for students with high support needs.

Assessment Process for Students with Complex Needs

Indiana University Transition Assessment Matrix

This is a database of assessments in English, Spanish, and Burmese to support transition planning in the classroom, CTE programs, and work-based learning experiences.

Indiana Transition Matrix

Transition Tennessee Assessment Database

This is a collection of 100 or more transition assessments organized by domains to support transition planning (requires a free account).

Transition TN

Got Transition Heathcare Transition Assessments

These free Health Readiness Assessments help youth learn about their healthcare and support families and providers in talking with youth about health skills and moving successfully into adult care.

Healthcare Assessments