Transition from Early Intervention Services

Families whose children have received Early Intervention services will begin to think about the supports and services that will be available to their children when they transition from Early Intervention into preschool programming at age three. Our goal is to support schools and families to have a smooth transition as they leave Part C so they have timely access to appropriate services. There are many ways to achieve this goal and the resources below are offered to support children's access and participation.

Transition Data

Schools annually report the percentage of children who were receiving Arizona Early Intervention Services (AzEIP) and were determined eligible for preschool special education services. The Five Year Preschool Transition Data Chart shows the percentage of children who transitioned by the time they were three years old, a compliance requirement of the IDEA. ESS Data Management has provided guidance on data entry for Preschool Transition to reflect general instructions and the reasons for delay that are deductible or not deductible.

Transition Policies and Procedures

Arizona's IDEA Policy and Procedures for Preschool Transitions The primary goal of this Policies and Procedures document is to enhance outcomes for young children with disabilities who transition from IDEA Part C to Part B services by monitoring compliance with the requirements of IDEA through general supervisory authority and by providing training and technical assistance to PEAs statewide in order to enhance PEA capacity and systems.
Frequently Asked Questions About Preschool Transition from Data Management
The Arizona Early Intervention Program Policies and Procedures, in alignment with federal and state regulations and Department policies
Programmatic Monitoring Alert (May 2021)

Transition Conference

Service Coordination- IDEA Part C requires that each infant or toddler with a disability must be provided with a service coordinator who will facilitate the development of a transition plan to preschool, school, or other services (34 CFR §303.34).
The Local Education Agency must participate in transition planning conferences arranged by Arizona's Early Intervention Program, the Part C lead agency.
Review of Existing Documentation Best Practices This document can be used as a checklist during transition planning to gather key Part C information for consideration during the Part B evaluation and eligibility determination process.
Transition Conference Summary form (sample) The Transition Conference Summary helps the team to document attendance and record needed next steps prior to evaluation and IEP development.

In By Three Support and Best Practices

The Early Childhood Special Education unit supports AzEIP and Public Education Agencies (PEA) through its alerts and technical assistance system to ensure that children receiving Early Intervention services have an IEP by the time they are three years old. For support, contact the C2B Inbox.

Cover of AZ Early Intervention Program's Transition Guide for Families Small child on Cover

Page revised 06/22/2026