Assessment

The first (and perhaps most important!) step in Transition Planning it to conduct assessment. Actually, assessment can and should occur repeatedly to help students, families, and educators to make informed decisions about necessary services. The assessments don’t only have to be formal, standardized tests; they can also include surveys, observations, interviews, assignments, skills practices, etc. The following are a number of assessment tools:

• Kuder Navigator – an online education and career planning system that gives secondary students (6-12) the tools they need to build a foundation for lifelong career success.
• Employability/Life Skills Assessment – a paper assessment in which a student’s abilities are rated on a variety of skills that help the IEP team to identify strengths and areas in needed of support with transition goals. There are many of these assessments available.  Here is an example.
  
• Transition Assessment Survey for Parents – an online survey for parents to provide their ideas and goals for their students in the three transition areas. One example of such a survey can be found here.
  
• TEACCH Transition Assessment Profile (TTAP) – this comprehensive test was developed for adolescent and older children with autism spectrum disorders, particularly those with transition needs.

ACT TESTS

• EXPLORE Test (8^TH Grade) – a multiple choice assessment that gathers information about a student’s skills, interests, plans, and goals.
• PLAN Test (10^th Grade) – a multiple choice assessment that gathers information about a student’s skills, interests, plans, and goals.
• ACT (11^th Grade) – a college readiness assessment is a curriculum- and standards0based educational and career planning tool that assesses students’ academic readiness for college.

(Portions of the content above  from Davis School District .)