The Emperor Has No Clothes: Improving the Quality and Compliance of ITPs

The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) requires that an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for students with disabilities, age 16 years and older, include age appropriate transition assessment results aligned with measurable postsecondary goals. This section of the IEP is typically known as an Individual Transition Plan (ITP). A recent investigation found a number of ITPs did not meet the requirements of the IDEA. To support special education teachers in writing IDEA-compliant ITPs, this article presents suggestions for developing quality ITPs with specific emphasis on transition assessment. Discussion includes potential explanations for the lack of quality in presenting transition assessment results, recommendations for conducting transition assessment, transition assessment resources, and examples of quality and IDEA-compliant ITPs