Transition IEP Goals in New York: Regents Diplomas, CDOS, and Postsecondary Planning

By age 15, every New York IEP is supposed to include transition planning. In practice, many families arrive at the 15-year-old CSE meeting and hear generic language about "vocational goals" that has been copied from the previous year. Real transition planning connects where your child is now to a specific, realistic picture of life after high school — and it affects which diploma pathway they pursue. Here is how it works under Part 200.

What New York Requires for Transition Planning

Under Part 200.4(d)(2)(ix), beginning at age 15 (and no later than one year before the student reaches the age of eligibility for IDEA services, which ends at age 21), the IEP must include:

• Appropriate measurable postsecondary goals in education or training, employment, and (where appropriate) independent living skills
• Transition services — coordinated activities designed to facilitate movement from school to post-school activities
• A statement of the interagency responsibilities or needed linkages if applicable (e.g., connections to OPWDD, ACCES-VR)
• The student's course of study that supports attainment of the postsecondary goals (which diploma pathway they are working toward)

The student must be invited to their own IEP meeting when transition is on the agenda. If the student cannot or does not attend, the district must take other steps to incorporate the student's preferences and interests.

New York's Diploma Pathways

Which diploma a student with an IEP works toward has major implications for transition planning. New York has several options:

Regents Diploma (Standard): Requires passing scores of 65 or above on five Regents exams (English Language Arts, Math, Science, US History, and a Global elective) and meeting credit requirements. This is the diploma most colleges and employers recognize as a standard credential.

Regents Diploma with Advanced Designation: Higher Regents scores and additional exams. Relevant only for students pursuing competitive college admission.

Local Diploma (Safety Net): For students who score 55–64 on one or more Regents exams, a local diploma may be awarded — but only if the student meets additional criteria. Students with IEPs have access to the safety net that allows a score of 55–64 to count toward graduation. An appeal process exists for scores of 52–54. A superintendent determination can apply in some cases. The local diploma looks the same on paper but does not always satisfy college admission requirements.

Skills and Achievement Commencement Credential (SACC): For students participating in alternate assessment (the NYSAA — New York State Alternate Assessment), typically students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. Not a diploma but a credential.

CDOS Commencement Credential: The Career Development and Occupational Studies credential recognizes career readiness. It is awarded in addition to a diploma (local or Regents) or on its own for students who do not complete diploma requirements. To earn the CDOS Commencement Credential, a student must:

• Complete at least 216 hours of career and technical education or work-based learning
• Demonstrate employability skills
• Complete a Career Plan

The CDOS credential can be combined with a local diploma for students who would not otherwise meet all diploma requirements. It is not a replacement for a diploma in most employment and college admission contexts.

Writing Transition IEP Goals That Actually Work

Transition goals are postsecondary goals — they describe where the student will be after leaving high school, not during. This distinction confuses many IEP teams. The format is:

"After completing high school, [student] will [enroll in / be employed in / live independently in]..."

The goal then drives the transition services — what the school does during high school to prepare the student for that outcome.

Example: A student planning two-year college

• Postsecondary education goal: "After completing high school, [student] will enroll in a community college or two-year program in a field related to technology."
• Supporting transition services: Academic support for Regents diploma completion, self-advocacy skill-building, college campus visits, tutoring in reading and writing to address processing speed deficits
• Course of study: Standard academic track with IEP accommodations, working toward Regents diploma

Example: A student with autism planning supported employment

• Employment goal: "After completing high school, [student] will work in a supported employment setting in food service or retail."
• Supporting transition services: Vocational assessment, job sampling, work-based learning, social skills instruction, referral to ACCES-VR (New York's vocational rehabilitation agency) and OPWDD (for students with intellectual/developmental disabilities)
• Course of study: 12:1 or 8:1:1 class, CDOS-eligible CTE coursework, functional academics

Key New York Agencies for Transition

ACCES-VR (Adult Career and Continuing Education Services – Vocational Rehabilitation): New York's vocational rehabilitation agency. Students can apply at age 14, but services begin when they exit school. Pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) are available during the school years for eligible students with disabilities — job exploration, workplace readiness, and self-advocacy training. Request a referral from the CSE.

OPWDD (Office for People with Developmental Disabilities): For students with intellectual or developmental disabilities, OPWDD provides supports for adult life including day programs, supported employment, and residential services. The eligibility and waitlist process can take years — start the OPWDD application process no later than age 17–18.

OMH (Office of Mental Health): For students with significant mental health diagnoses, OMH-funded adult services can provide transition supports. Case management and community mental health connections should be on the IEP transition plan.

Starting Earlier Than 15

Part 200 requires transition at 15; IDEA recommends starting earlier when appropriate. For students with significant disabilities, transition planning that starts at 15 is too late. Goals around daily living skills, community navigation, and vocational interests should appear in IEPs as early as age 12–13.

At every annual review from 8th grade on, ask the CSE directly: "What diploma pathway is my child working toward? What credits have been earned? What Regents exams are planned and when? Are there transition-related services we should be adding now?"

The New York IEP & 504 Blueprint includes a transition planning worksheet, a diploma pathway comparison for New York students with disabilities, ACCES-VR and OPWDD referral guides, and transition goal templates for common postsecondary scenarios — employment, community college, and supported living.

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