Student-Led Transition IEP Toolkit

This toolkit provides educators, Parent Centers, and youth-serving organizations with ready-to-use videos and accessible worksheets designed to build student voice, self-advocacy, and leadership within the IEP and transition planning process.

All videos reference and align with the screen reader–friendly versions of the accompanying documents to ensure accessible use for all learners.

Across four sections and a wrap-up video, students develop self-awareness, learn about their rights, create meaningful transition goals, and build the skills to lead or co-lead their own IEP meetings. Each section includes instructional videos and screen reader–friendly resources to support inclusive implementation in classrooms, workshops, and family engagement settings.

Together, these tools promote self-determination, collaboration, and meaningful student participation in transition planning.

Self-Awareness and Self-Advocacy

In this section, students build the skills to set meaningful goals and speak up for what they need to succeed. The learning begins with a video on self-advocacy and goal setting, which introduces key concepts such as understanding your strengths, identifying your needs, and breaking big goals into manageable steps.

After watching the video, students complete guided worksheets and practice activities to deepen their learning. The Goal Setting worksheet (screen reader friendly version) walks students step-by-step through identifying a “Big Goal,” understanding why it matters, breaking it into smaller mini-goals, building a support team, staying motivated, and reflecting on progress.

The My Strengths and Needs worksheet (screen reader friendly version) helps students recognize what they do well, where they may need support, and how teachers and families can partner with them.

The Self-Advocacy Practice worksheet (screen reader friendly version) gives students structured opportunities to role-play, practice asking for help, and develop their own advocacy sentences.

An accompanying educator video provides additional guidance, strategies, and tools to support implementation in classroom and learning environments.

Self-Advocacy and Goal Setting Video

Understanding the IEP Process, Terminology & Legal Rights

This section provides tools to teach students about the IEP process and their legal rights in special education. The video introduces key concepts in accessible language, helping students understand what an IEP is, how it is developed, and the important role they and their families play on the IEP team.

The accompanying tip sheet (screen reader friendly version) reinforces these concepts and serves as a practical teaching tool. It outlines parents’ and students’ rights, including participation in meetings, access to records, consent for services, requesting meetings, and options for dispute resolution.

Understanding the IEP Process Video https://youtu.be/ZV4bcFZ7bhM

tip sheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dmaxY4fOZ3JJBCkutWEyjYY4_J6wWDQY/view?usp=sharing

Screen Reader Friendly tip sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M9oOjdn97tdW6kwM-3fpET8MGte3GC15/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110219607253315872126&rtpof=true&sd=true

Envisioning Success & Creating Meaningful Transition Goals

This section provides tools to help students define their vision of success and translate that vision into meaningful IEP transition goals. The learning begins with a student-centered video that guides youth through thinking about their future and connecting long-term dreams to actionable steps.

The Envisioning Your Own Success activity (screen reader friendly version) encourages students to reflect on what success means to them.

The My IEP Transition Goals worksheet (screen reader friendly version) then helps students connect their strengths and interests to concrete postsecondary goals in education or training, employment, and independent living.

Envisioning Your Own Success activity: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rwmz9Go4xF9vx8J6Boe6DFwCg1RAU0I0/view?usp=drive_link

Screen Reader Friendly Envisioning Your Own Success activity: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VQO3fyxsCuG_ZVsJWrG9vEZ1VQ2xg5u_/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=110219607253315872126&rtpof=true&sd=true

My IEP Transition Goals worksheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GWfhouPzkyFiKZzCAzi7_TPKEsvoeTzl/view?usp=drive_link

Screen Reader Friendly My IEP Transition Goals worksheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PXgLy32Nv2zN6tqf8BB_Uxn_inRTrPhE/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=110219607253315872126&rtpof=true&sd=true

Creating Meaningful Goals Video https://youtu.be/gK6aTxp9Ghc

Leading or Co-Leading an IEP Meeting

This section provides practical tools to prepare students to lead or co-lead their own IEP meetings. The video models what student leadership can look like in an IEP meeting and breaks down the process into manageable, confidence-building steps.

The Student IEP Meeting Facilitation Checklist (screen reader friendly version) serves as a structured teaching tool that guides students through every phase of the meeting process. It supports preparation before the meeting (reviewing goals, practicing introductions, preparing questions), outlines how to open the meeting and explain their leadership role, and provides prompts for sharing strengths, needs, accommodations, and progress.

Student IEP Meeting Facilitation Checklist: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pW59Ke3yB-B-a8gXKK3vxAru3G70DHpu/view?usp=drive_link

Screen Reader Friendly Student IEP Meeting Facilitation Checklist: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gJSsIs7Hw8tfxVPQ-lYcUIRn8gf56a0W/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=110219607253315872126&rtpof=true&sd=true

Leading or Co-Leading and IEP Meeting Video https://youtu.be/CJjdBljBkDM

Wrap-Up Video: Fostering Collaboration

The wrap-up video brings all four sections together by reinforcing the importance of collaboration in supporting student success. This video highlights how goal setting, self-advocacy, understanding the IEP process, transition planning, and student-led meetings work best when students, families, and school teams’ partner effectively.

Fostering Collaboration Video

About the author:

Jessica Keogh, M.Ed. Jessica Keogh is the Founder and President of Faith Above My Ability, a nonprofit organization rooted in faith, disability advocacy, and empowerment. She lives with a progressive neuromuscular disorder that has yet to be diagnosed, an experience that deeply informs her work and leadership. Jessica is an experienced emotional support educator with a strong passion for educating, advocating for, and empowering youth with disabilities. She holds a master’s degree in education and certifications as a Reading Specialist, English Language Learner (ELL) educator, and Transformative Leader. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership, with dissertation research focused on elevating the voices of transition-aged students with physical disabilities.