Postsecondary Goals and Courses of Study

Postsecondary goals describe what the student will do after high school, and the course of study describes the pathway that will get the student there. The IEP documents a long-term goal in each of three areas (Postsecondary Education/Training, Employment/Occupation/Career, and Community/Independent Living) and the aligned course of study, and translates them into measurable annual transition goals with transition services and activities.

• 34 CFR §300.43, transition services definition, including courses of study https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.43 

• 34 CFR §300.320(b), postsecondary goals and transition services https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.320 

• Alabama Administrative Code, Rule 290-8-9-.05  IEP transition provisions

Long-term goals in three areas.  Select or write the most appropriate goal for the student in each area, based on the age-appropriate transition assessments. Sample Community/Independent Living options in the Alabama IEP range from independent living to semi-independent, group home or supported environments, or living with parents or guardians, based on the student's independent living skill level and preferences. Employment options range from competitive integrated employment to supported employment.

Course of study.  For middle school students, document a course of study that helps prepare the student for transition. For students in grades 9-12, the IEP Team must document the anticipated date of exit, the selected pathway to the Alabama High School Diploma (General Education, Essentials, or Alternate Achievement Standards), the program credits to be earned, and the total number of electives.

Annual transition goals.  Each long-term goal is supported by measurable annual transition goals tied to the Alabama Transition Standards, with a present level of academic achievement and functional performance that describes the age-appropriate transition assessments. Every transition goal must reference a standard; goals with embedded academic content must also reference the content standard.

Transition services and activities.  For each annual goal, select the transition service areas (for example, Vocational Evaluations, Community Experiences, Personal Management, Transportation, Employment Development, Postsecondary Education, Linkages to Agencies, Advocacy/Guardianship, Financial Management) and write a minimum of two transition activities — the specific steps the student will take toward the goal — with the persons and agencies involved.

• Document a long-term goal in each of the three areas, based on assessments.

• Complete the 9-12 course-of-study items: exit date, diploma pathway, credits, electives.

• Write measurable annual transition goals referencing the Alabama Transition Standards.

• List at least two transition activities and responsible persons/agencies for each goal..

• Courses of study that do not logically lead to the stated postsecondary goals

• Annual transition goals written without referencing a transition standard

• Fewer than two transition activities per annual goal

• Postsecondary goals written as what the school will do, rather than what the student will do after graduation

SES Policies and Procedures  https://www.alabamaachieves.org/special-education/policies-and-procedures/  Mastering the Maze, IEP Transition and Annual Transition Goal pages, including the Alabama Transition Standards guidance. See also Graduation Requirements  https://www.alabamaachieves.org/graduation-requirements/  for current diploma pathways.