For parents, families, and caregivers of youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), reaching the age of majority is an important milestone. In most US states, the age of majority is when many legal rights parents have under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) transfer to young adults. The way that transfer of rights discussions between schools and families happen can differ from state to state and school to school. For some, conversations about transfer of rights begin at Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or transition planning meetings; for others, this process begins with a written notification from the school when a student turns 17.

This resource is a product of Guardianship Alternatives and Transfer-of-Rights (GATOR) at the Institute for Community Inclusion at the University of Massachusetts Boston.