Transition Practice and Policy Compliance in Ohio: A Survey of Secondary Special Educators

Abstract

In this article the authors examine: (a) statewide implementation of IDEA transition mandates and four other best practices in transition, and (b) factors correlated with their implementation. A survey of transition practices was administered at a statewide meeting for special education supervisors and administrators. Descriptive statistics were used to examine policy and practice implementation and a step-wise multiple regression was used to identify predictors. Respondents reported compliance with an average of 9 of 14 transition policy areas with most compliance found in the paperwork aspects of transition practice. The best predictors of IDEA transition policy compliance were found to be: (a) hours of transition training, and (b) the percentage of non-minority students. Federally funded outreach training was found to be the best predictor for other best practices in transition. The authors raise concerns that IDEA transition compliance efforts appear to be focused more on doing paperwork than on providing transition services. They recommend continued outreach efforts coupled with renewed advocacy regarding transition at the local level.