Families are the most important people in the transition planning process.  Families have been there for their child from the beginning and have the most knowledge of the child's individual needs.  It makes sense to take advantage of the expertise and support of families when planning for the student's transition, whether it's school to school transition or transition to adulthood.  All youth with disabilities need support from their families.  What type of support they will need, will vary from one individual to another. 

In the reauthorization of No Child Left Behind (NCLB, 2001), (now The Every Student Succeeds Act, ESSA of 2015) parental involvement was defined as "the participation of parents in regular, two-way, and meaningful communication involving student academic learning and other school activities" (Hirano & Rowe 2015).  The term parent refers to: a natural, adoptive, or foster parent of a child, a guardian, or an individual acting in the place of a natural or adoptive parent (including a grandparent, stepparent, or other relative) with whom the child lives, or an individual who is legally responsible for the child's welfare. (Individuals With Disability Education Act [IDEA], 2004, sec. 602)

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“One of the main components of IDEA (2004) is parent participation in decision making related to their child’s education.  IDEA reaffirms the importance of parent involvement in education by mandating procedures and offering a continuum of activities aimed at facilitating parental involvement” (Hirano & Rowe, 2015).  The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 states for District policy that a school district may receive funds under this part only if:

• It conducts outreach to all parents and family members.

• Implements programs, activities, and procedures to involve parents and family members in Title I programs.

• Plans and implements such programs, activities, and procedures with meaningful consultation with parents of participating children (“Quick brief on family engagement in Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015,” 2016).

We have laws and policies in place for parent participation in both IDEA (2004) and ESSA (2015) yet, overall as Educators, we still are challenged to get parents involved.  Research also shows that when parents are involved in their child’s education in a meaningful way, their child’s post-school outcomes are better. In addition, “parent expectations are among the strongest predictors of employment and other post-school outcomes for young people with IDD” (Blustein, Carter, & McMillan, 2016).  Low expectations are often cited as significant barriers to academic and career achievement for students with disabilities.  When families stay involved in their child's education, the child is more likely to attend school regularly, maintain a positive attitude about school, earn higher grades, graduate from high school, and enroll in postsecondary programs.  Some parents believe high school is a time to foster independence and become less involved in their child's schooling.  Although encouraging independence is important, late adolescence is also a time when children learn skills for adult living from their parents.  Having high expectations for your child plays a critical role to success in employment and postsecondary education settings.  Some questions for families to consider when working with their child are:

1. What will your child do after high school?

2. Will your child go to college or a vocational school?

3. Will your child get a competitive job or need supported employment?  

4. Will your child live at home, independently, or in an Independent Living Center?

5. Will your child need help from other agencies to carry out their plans?

6. Do you need to consider guardianship or conservatorship options? (Must happen before your child turns 18)

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Each of us have our own belief and value systems.  Sometimes they are not the same as our parents beliefs and value systems.  As a matter of fact they aren’t the same, yet we are charged to collaborate and communicate with each other.  In the article, A conceptual model for parent involvement in secondary special education, it states “School leaders often set the school climate and have the power to encourage or discourage school practices, including parent involvement” (Hirano & Rowe, 2015).  In addition to school leaders, teachers are an important factor in supporting parent involvement.  Based on my teaching experience, teachers can have a greater impact on parent involvement when they have built a relationship with the family.  It’s important to reach out to parents and make them feel valued.