Postsecondary Education/Training (PSEd) is a mandated part of the IEP. Every student who has reached or will reach the age of 16 (or younger depending on state regulations) during the course of the IEP year must have a post-school outcome goal and an annual goal with objectives in this area. When people read or hear the term postsecondary education/training, they usually think it means college or trade school, and preparation for attending some type of higher education becomes the goal for many students. So what constitutes PSEd for students who will not be going to college or a trade/vocational school?
PSEd is an all-inclusive term for life-long learning and includes a wide range of opportunities and experiences. While some types of PSEd will take place in a classroom setting, many opportunities will not. Students who will not be going on to higher education can continue their learning in community-based settings like adult day programs that focus on employment and daily living skills. Other more structured opportunities exist in the community as adult/continuing education and include options to learn new things like computer skills, mixology, or a foreign language; others lead to specialty certificates. Special interest and recreational offerings like learning country line dancing, exploring travel destinations, DIY home improvement, yoga, etc. are all examples of PSEd. Brick and mortar aside, don’t leave out the internet which offers almost infinite possibilities for learning. So next time you are stumped when it comes to writing goals for PSEd, think life-long learning.