In Rhode Island, students can receive special-education services until age 22, but the process of planning for transition starts long before that. Here are five things to do to help you prepare for your child's transition to adulthood in Rhode Island and make sure there's something waiting after school is done.

1. Expect transition planning to be a part of your child's IEP by his or her fourteenth birthday if not before.

To start thinking about what your child will need to get ready for life after school, read "Here’s to Your Student’s Future!: A Parent’s Guide to Transition Planning," downloadable from the Rhode Island Parent Information Network site, and "Rhode Island Transition Resource Directory," downloadable from the Rhode Island College site. There are also videos on the Rhode Island Parent Information Network's transition page that may be of interest. Your child should be involved in IEP meetings at this point if at all possible, even if it's a brief appearance to talk about work or post-high-school educational goals.

2. Prepare for the transfer of rights to your child at age 18, the age of majority in Rhode Island. You should receive a notification of transfer of rights from your child's case manager, and your child will receive a similar document to sign. If your child will need you to continue to be in charge of his or her educational program, you will need to consult with a lawyer to look into guardianship or power of attorney.

Your school district may continue to include you and consult with you, depending on how your relationship has been, but legally they only have to get your child's approval from this point on unless you have created a legal standing for yourself.

3. Work with your child's IEP team and the school's transition coordinator to determine whether your student should graduate with his or her age peers or stay in school additional years or all the way until eligibility ends at age 22. Be sure to ask what sorts of work programs are available, what your child would be doing in the classroom with those extra years, and what your child's options will be after leaving school. Wondering what a transition IEP looks like? You can download a blank form from the Rhode Island Technical Assistance Project site.

4. Investigate state organizations that can help your child transition to work and independent living when school is over. These may include the Office of Rehabilitation Services of the Rhode Island Department of Human Services; the Division of Developmental Disabilities of the state Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals; and the Regional Transition Centers listed under Secondary Transition Services on the Rhode Island Department of Education site.

5. Contact the Rhode Island Parent Information Network, a parent advocacy organization that offers support and services for families of children with special needs, for advice on helping your child through this transition. Another resource to investigate is the Parent Support Network of Rhode Island, "an organization of families supporting families with children, youth, and young adults who experience or are at risk for serious behavioral, emotional, and/or mental health challenges."