Transition Age Rights in Louisiana
What are the transition age rights for IEP students in Louisiana?
Louisiana follows the federal IDEA baseline for transition: transition services must be included in the IEP beginning with the first IEP in effect when the student turns 16 (Bulletin 1706, §320(B)). Louisiana has not adopted a younger mandatory transition age — though LDOE guidance encourages beginning transition planning and course-of-study decisions as early as age 14. At age 18, parental rights transfer to the student unless a legal determination of incapacity has been made (Bulletin 1706, §520; La. Admin. Code tit. 28, §XLIII-520). FAPE is available through graduation with a regular diploma or through the end of the school year in which the student turns 21 (Bulletin 1706, §230; La. R.S. 17:1941).
What Louisiana Requires
Transition services must be in the IEP beginning with the first IEP in effect when the student turns 16 (Bulletin 1706, §320(B)).
Bulletin 1706, §320(B)
At age 18, all educational rights transfer from parents to the student, unless the student has been legally determined to lack capacity (Bulletin 1706, §520; La. Admin. Code tit. 28, §XLIII-520).
Bulletin 1706, §520; La. Admin. Code tit. 28, §XLIII-520
The LEA must notify both the student and parent at least one year before the student's 18th birthday that rights will transfer at age of majority (Bulletin 1706, §520).
Bulletin 1706, §520
FAPE is available through graduation with a regular diploma or through the end of the school year in which the student turns 21 (La. R.S. 17:1941; Bulletin 1706, §230).
La. R.S. 17:1941; Bulletin 1706, §230
Key Timelines
Transition services mandatory in IEP at age 16 — first IEP in effect when student turns 16 (Bulletin 1706, §320(B)).
Age 14 encouraged as best practice for transition planning (LDOE guidance).
Rights transfer at age 18; notification required at age 17 (Bulletin 1706, §520).
FAPE extends through end of school year when student turns 21 (Bulletin 1706, §230).