Connecting Schoolwork to Life Work: Students Practice Setting Their Own Educational Goals

As educators working with high school students, the author's face questions such as: (1)" How can students become better self-advocates?" (2) "Are students sufficiently prepared for life after graduation?" (3) "How can students become more motivated in planning their future?" (4) "What can be done to encourage students to actively participate in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings?" At the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD), a committee faced the task of exploring these questions. The goal was to increase student participation in transition planning and foster student involvement during meetings in which their IEPs were discussed, updated, and written. Hawbaker (2007), who studied what happened when high school students led their IEP meetings, showed that these students demonstrated more involvement in their academic work and transition planning than those who participated in staff-led IEP meetings. Through leading IEP meetings, students develop a firmer understanding of their need for services and supports and grasp more clearly how accommodations help them to access the curriculum. This understanding might prepare them not only for their coming years in high school but for their years in university or postsecondary school--and for the world of work beyond.