MSDE Technical Assistance Bulletin
November 2019
Secondary Transition is the process of preparing students for adult life after they leave high school. Transition planning begins in Maryland at age 14 as students explore and discover what they want their post-school goals and outcomes to be through career awareness activities.The transition process continues through high school as academic instruction and community experiences support these outcomes. This process considers the student’s strengths, preferences, and interests. Transition is designed to be within a results-oriented process which focuses on improving the student’s academic and functional achievement, while facilitating student’s movement from school to post-school activities. Seamless transition occurs when the services, supports, and connections through high school are already in place with opportunities in adult life. Secondary transition educators facilitate students and their families through the transition process by connecting them to various opportunities such as higher education or training, independent living, employment, and community participation.
