The vast majority of states in the U.S. are failing to provide transition planning and services for disabled students in public schools, an analysis of federal data has found, raising questions about whether states are doing enough to position disabled students to succeed in college.
Specifically, the analysis by the Center for American Progress found that in 2023, only two states – Iowa and Rhode Island – met the 100 percent goal for including transitional services in their individualized education plans, more commonly known as IEPs. Twenty-two states “almost hit their target” by including transitional services in at least 90 percent of student IEPs; while the remaining 26 states and Washington, D.C. failed to reach the 90 percent mark, the analysis found.
The Center for American Progress says these findings have implications for life after high school for the nation’s 8.4 million students, or 17 percent of the public school population, who had a disability. The center offers up mentorship programs in general – and in particular a pilot virtual retreat program called Ramp Your Voice! that focuses on “disability justice, healing, and peer connection” – as a possible solution for lessening disparities between disabled students, particularly disabled students of color, and their non-disabled peers when it comes to college persistence, graduation, and securing employment.
The bigger picture:
This analysis by the Center for American Progress adds to the evidence that shows how badly America’s public institutions are lagging when it comes to leveling the playing field in education for students with disabilities. 
While many states were relatively close to providing transitional services to disabled students, a few states and the District of Columbia were woefully far away from meeting this goal. For instance, in D.C. only 10.5 percent of students with disabilities, and who were over the age of 16, were getting transitional services. In Tennessee and Hawaii, the figures stood at about 12% and 24%, respectively.
A key question is whether transitional services make a meaningful difference in the lives of students. Research suggests that it helps. For instance, a 2016 study found that students who received transition planning instruction in high school were significantly more likely to access disability supports and accommodations in college or a career and technical program.
However, if states are to make a meaningful difference on behalf of disabled students, states must do more than just provide superficial services that only make them look good on paper. The Center for American Progress recommends pulling “unused” federal dollars for rehabilitative services to “revive” the Disability Innovation Fund in order to fund transitional mentorship programs.
