The effects of transition impact students in many ways. As students develop and mature, a concerted effort must be made to improve students' transition to high school. The purpose of this study was to identify major issues educators face when working with students transitioning to high school. The following research questions were developed and guided this study: (1) How do the 8th and 9th grade core academic teachers and school counselors perceive informal practices in place to assist students in transitioning successfully to high school? (2) What are the perceived needs of 8th and 9th grade core academic teachers and school counselors that may impact students' transition to high school? (3) What obstacles influence student transition to high school? It is important to understand how educators perceive what transition practices impact students' transition to ninth grade. The researcher believed examining the perceptions of school counselors and teachers would assist the school district in understanding the needs of freshmen, and their input could be valuable to evaluate issues, policies, and obstacles. This study demonstrated that there are practices in place that the school district utilizes to support student transition, but those practices could be enhanced. It is the researcher's wish that the District will continue to provide the summer orientation and implement some of the recommendations to assist students' transition to high school. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]