A student tells the team he wants to cook for a living. His schedule for next year has no kitchen class, no work period, and three electives chosen because they fit the timetable. At the meeting, someone mentions the course of study. Everyone nods. Nobody can say where it is written down.
The course of study is the part of a transition IEP that links the student's classes to the student's goals. It is easy to treat it as a formality, and a good one can make the difference between a goal that lives on paper and one that gets built. This guide explains what the rule says, shows an invented four-year example, and lists what to check. It is general information, not legal advice, and states add rules and forms.
What the rule says
Section 300.320(b) says that the IEP must include the transition services, including courses of study, needed to assist the child in reaching the postsecondary goals. Courses of study are named as one kind of transition service, alongside the other activities that section 300.43 lists: instruction, related services, community experiences, the development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, where appropriate, daily living skills and a functional vocational evaluation.
The rule does not define a course of study further. States and districts fill that in, and their forms vary.
What one state's manual says
The Connecticut IEP Manual describes the course of study as a multi-year list of coursework and activities from the current year to the anticipated exit year, tied to the student's postsecondary goals. It adds a point that matters for some families: if a student has completed graduation requirements and needs only transition services, the manual says no academic course of study is required.
That is Connecticut's rule. Another state may describe it differently or require more. The idea to carry over is the one in the manual: a course of study is a plan that runs forward over several years and is tied to the goals.
Four years, one invented example
An example shows what "tied to the goals" can look like. The student, Marcus, has the postsecondary goals used in other guides on this site: enroll in a one-year culinary certificate program, work in a restaurant kitchen, and use public transit.
| Grade | Core classes | Career or elective | Experiences and transition services |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | English 9, Algebra 1, Biology | Intro to culinary arts | Career interest survey, kitchen tour |
| 10 | English 10, Geometry, World history | Culinary arts 2 | Job shadowing day in a restaurant, travel training on the bus |
| 11 | English 11, Algebra 2 or applied math, U.S. history | Food service program at the career center | Part-time work experience in the school cafeteria, meeting with the vocational rehabilitation counselor |
| 12 | English 12, Economics, Government | Culinary capstone, work-study period | Paid work experience, application to the community college program, review of the summary of performance |
Notice the pattern. Each year has core classes that count toward graduation, a step in the culinary pathway, and experiences that build the other two goals. The classes lead somewhere.
Building one
A course of study gets built in a few steps.
- Start with the goals. Read the measurable postsecondary goals. See postsecondary goals examples.
- List what the state requires. Ask for the graduation requirements and diploma options that apply to your child. They differ by state. See diploma versus certificate.
- Find the classes that serve the goals. Career and technical programs, dual enrollment, electives, and work-study may all help.
- Add experiences. Work experience, job shadowing, community-based instruction, and travel training can go in the same plan.
- Check with the student. Does each year look like something the student wants?
- Write it down for each year, and revisit it annually.
Red flags in a draft
| What you see | What to ask |
|---|---|
| A list of this year's classes only | Where is the plan for the later years? |
| Classes that have no link to any goal | Which goal does this class serve? |
| No graduation credits shown | Which credits will my child have each year, and by when? |
| Electives chosen only because they fit the schedule | Which option fits the goal better, and can the schedule change? |
| No experiences outside the classroom | Where does work or community learning fit? |
| A plan that has not changed in three years | Has the student's goal changed, and does the plan still fit it? |
Diploma pathways and the course of study
The classes that count toward a standard diploma are set by the state and often by the district. In some states there are other exits, such as a certificate of completion or an alternate diploma. The choice can affect which classes the student takes and what is open afterward, so raise it early. Diploma versus certificate: an overview explains how to ask. Ask each year which pathway your child is on, how many credits are earned, and what that means for the plans after graduation.
Questions to bring
What can be part of it beyond classes
A course of study is not limited to what appears on a high school transcript, though the details depend on the state and the district. Ideas teams often consider, depending on the goal, include:
- Career and technical education at the school or a regional career center, which can lead to industry certificates.
- Dual enrollment in a community college course while still in high school, where the district allows it.
- Work-study periods that give school credit for supervised work.
- Community-based instruction in stores, transit, and workplaces, described in community-based instruction, explained.
- Self-determination and career classes, where offered.
- Courses that teach daily living skills, such as cooking or personal finance.
Ask whether each option is available, whether it counts for credit, and how a student gets in. Some programs have deadlines in the spring before the school year, so a late question can lose a year.
Keeping the course of study alive
Many plans are written in the fall and not read again until the next meeting. A simple habit helps: each term, put the course of study beside the student's actual schedule and report card. Are the planned classes being taken? Are the credits adding up? Is the student still interested? If a class was dropped or a program was full, tell the case manager and ask how the plan will be repaired. A short note kept with the IEP is enough, and it makes the next meeting more concrete.
Course-of-study slips
- Treating it as a schedule. A schedule is for one term, and a course of study looks ahead.
- Letting the timetable pick the electives. The goals should drive the choice where possible.
- Skipping the credit count. A plan that does not reach the credits needed may close doors.
- Never revisiting it. Update it yearly as the goals change.
For the larger picture, see what is an IEP transition plan. Terms are in the glossary.