Indicator 13 was originally designed to address compliance, not quality... a compliant IEP may not be high quality.
- Findley, Ruble & McGrew study of transition-age autistic students (2022). Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
The next challenge in transition is execution.
Transition planning is now broadly established in special education. The harder question is what happens after the plan is written.
Do assessments shape meaningful goals?
Do those goals drive instruction?
Do students practice relevant skills in authentic settings?
Can teams see progress?
Are adult systems connected early enough
Tennesse Educator Study | 2026
12.9%
of surveyed educators reported planning work-based activities at job sites.
The study included 185 special education teachers across 57 Tennessee districts. While 93% reported writing IEPs and transition plans, reported job-site work experiences were much less common. One-state evidence, not a national prevalence estimate.
Findley, Ruble & McGrew | 2022
< 25%
of IEPs included an annual goal addressing a documented social-skill or behavior need.
In a study of 20 autistic students across two states, more than two thirds of IEPs documented a need, but fewer than one quarter included a corresponding annual goal. Small sample, not a national prevalence estimate.
