Guide to Transition Assessment in Washington State

Age-appropriate transition assessment is the primary component in the process of secondary transition planning. The transition assessments are the framework through which information is gathered to guide the development of a student’s program in order to successfully move the student from the public school to a post–high school setting. While the transition assessments can include formal or commercial assessments, they can also include interviews, observation, and surveys. Perhaps more important than the type of assessment used is that the process is a systematic method used to collect and organize information regarding the student’s interests, skills, strengths, temperaments and areas of need. This process should begin early and be quite broad during the middle school years, but becomes increasingly more specific as the student moves closer to graduation. The goal of transition assessment is to assist the student in achieving her or his vocational potential; therefore, the goal of the person responsible for the age-appropriate transition assessments is to accurately determine that potential as closely as possible. This becomes more likely by looking at the student’s interests, aptitudes, and preparation opportunities from a global concept and gathering that information in a systematic way.”