South Dakota Special Education Transition Planning Checklist

Ages 14–15: Laying the Groundwork

Transition planning officially begins by age 16 in South Dakota, but the smartest move families make is starting earlier. The Division of Rehabilitation Services offers Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) to students with disabilities as young as 14 who are enrolled in secondary education, and those early work experiences shape the transition goals that go into the IEP at 16.

• [ ] Contact the school about connecting with the assigned VR counselor for Pre-ETS referral
• [ ] Begin informal transition discussions with the IEP team about your child's strengths, interests, and post-school vision
• [ ] Research diploma pathway options — understand the difference between a standard diploma (ends FAPE) and a modified pathway (FAPE continues through age 21)
• [ ] Start documenting your child's daily living skills, work interests, and support needs at home — this information feeds directly into the transition assessment at 16

Age 16: The Formal Transition IEP

This is the IEP meeting where transition planning becomes a legal requirement. The IEP must include age-appropriate transition assessments, measurable postsecondary goals, a course of study, and transition services — all linked together under Indicator 13 compliance standards.

• [ ] Confirm that the school conducted age-appropriate transition assessments covering employment, education/training, and independent living (where appropriate)
• [ ] Review measurable postsecondary goals in all required domains — each must be based on assessment data and written to take effect after school exit
• [ ] Verify that every postsecondary goal has at least one linked annual IEP goal and one transition service
• [ ] Confirm the course of study aligns with postsecondary goals — classes should support the career or training pathway, not just fill a schedule
• [ ] Sign the Consent to Invite form so DRS/VR representatives can attend IEP meetings
• [ ] If independent living assessment data shows needs, confirm that independent living goals are included

Age 17: Transfer of Rights and Legal Planning

The school must notify both you and your child that educational and legal rights will transfer to the student on their 18th birthday, unless a court has formally determined that the young adult is incompetent and appointed a guardian. This is also the year to begin legal planning.

• [ ] Confirm receipt of the formal written Transfer of Rights notice from the school (required at least one year before the student turns 18)
• [ ] Evaluate decision-making alternatives: Supported Decision-Making arrangements, durable financial power of attorney, healthcare power of attorney
• [ ] If guardianship may be necessary, consult with a family attorney or begin researching the circuit court petition process ($72 filing fee + $43.25 background check)
• [ ] Draft and execute durable financial and healthcare powers of attorney while the student still has capacity to sign
• [ ] Begin conversations with your child about self-advocacy and their role in future IEP and adult service decisions

Age 18: Adult Intake and Benefits Applications

At 18, your child is legally an adult. Parental income is no longer counted for means-tested benefits, which opens doors to SSI and Medicaid that may not have been available before.

• [ ] Apply for adult Supplemental Security Income (SSI) — the SSA evaluates under the adult disability standard using only the student's own income and resources ($2,000 asset limit, $994/month maximum federal benefit in 2026)
• [ ] Complete Selective Service registration (required for males)
• [ ] Contact Dakota at Home (1-833-663-9673, Option 2) to begin the DDD intake process for CHOICES or Family Support 360 waiver services
• [ ] Submit the DDD Application for Services with required clinical documentation including a psychological evaluation
• [ ] Complete the ICAP assessment when scheduled by DDD (within 7 days of receiving a completed application)
• [ ] If SSI is approved, confirm that South Dakota Medicaid activated automatically under South Dakota's Section 1634 agreement; separately follow DSS's financial-eligibility steps for the waiver
• [ ] Consider opening an ABLE account to save beyond the $2,000 SSI resource limit (up to $100,000 excluded from SSI calculations; $20,000 annual contribution limit in 2026)
• [ ] Sign FERPA releases if you want continued access to the student's educational records

Ages 18–21: The Active Transition Window

If the student is in an 18–21 transition program (modified diploma pathway or not yet aged out), this is the period for intensive adult service coordination.

• [ ] Annual IEP review: update transition goals, verify progress, adjust the course of study and transition services
• [ ] Draft and sign the Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) with the VR counselor
• [ ] Explore work-based learning placements: Project Skills, Project SEARCH, on-the-job training through DRS
• [ ] Monitor the DDD interest list status and follow up regularly with the case manager or Family Support Coordinator
• [ ] If waiver services are approved, connect with the assigned Community Support Provider and begin services before school exit
• [ ] Ensure the school completes the Summary of Performance (SOP) before the student's final exit — required for students who graduate or age out

Graduation or Aging Out: The Handoff

• [ ] If the student receives a regular diploma: confirm the school provided prior written notice of the change of placement
• [ ] Verify that the SOP is complete and includes recommendations for adult service providers and postsecondary accommodations
• [ ] Confirm that DRS enrollment, DDD waiver services, and SSI are active or pending — there should be no gap between school exit and adult supports
• [ ] If guardianship or conservatorship is in place, file the required annual report with the circuit court
• [ ] Transition all communication from school contacts to adult service contacts: VR counselor, case manager, CSP coordinator

This timeline compresses years of cross-agency coordination into one sequence, and the details matter. The South Dakota IEP Transition to Adulthood Guide provides the complete framework with deadline trackers, agency communication logs, and decision worksheets for every milestone on this checklist.

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