The 18-21 Transition Program
Boulder, Colorado
Contact
R. Lorraine Wilson
Case Manager
Boulder Valley School District
Special Education Department
6600 East Arapahoe Road
Boulder, Colorado 80303
Phone: 303-447-5215
Fax: 303-447-5258
E-mail: wilsonl@bvsd.k12.co.us
Mission
The 18-21 Transition Program provides individualized support, which allows students in special education to transition successfully from their role of high school students to their new role as adults in the community. The program provides support in any or all transition domains as requested by the student and family.
Organization
Organization Type: Education Agency, School
Geographical Area: Urban Area
Primary Setting: Community
Funding: No special external funding source
Consumers
Target Population: Secondary education students with disabilities
Disability Areas: All disabilities
NTA Framework Categories
Description
Any students between the ages of 18 and 21 eligible for special education services and who have finished their high school academic classes are eligible for the 18-21 Transition Program, as long as they have at least one goal in one of the transition domains.
The student and his/her family determine priorities and generate his/her own transition goals at an IEP review meeting. Programming is individualized, often in the range of 5 to 12 hours a week (and often more than that amount in indirect service). Usually one staff person works directly with one student. There is no classroom nor school; activities occur in the community, as they will when the student no longer has school support.
Since programming is developed individually for each student, there is no generic "program" that every student enters. Instead, students and their team identify needs and goals. Then program staff implement training experiences to help the student reach those goals. While job development, work experiences, job coaching and paid employment support comprise a major component of the program, support is also available to investigate postsecondary education, locate recreation/leisure opportunities, develop independent living skills, connect to community resources, and develop social/interpersonal skills. Working collaboratively with adult service agencies is a significant aspect of the program.
Examples of programming include:
The program serves students referred from any of the six towns and nine high schools in the district. Services are provided in the students' own community.
Evidence of Success
Transition Outcomes for the First Eight Students Completing the 18-21 Transition Program
Six requested support in this domain; 6 received support; 5 achieved their targeted goals; 4 became independent in utilizing public transportation; 5 participated in daily living skills training; 2 developed a personal budget or money-management system; and 1 lived in his/her own apartment.
Seven requested support in this domain; 7 received support; 7 achieved their targeted goals; 5 participated in career exploration job visits; 4 participated in on-the-job-training; 6 participated in post-secondary training; 4 received job coaching and job follow-along; 6 worked in paid employment; and 7 were in paid employment the year after they completed the program.
Three requested support in this domain; 3 received support; 3 achieved their targeted goals; 3 explored community recreation centers; 3 planned and set up activities with peers; and 2 regularly participated in recreation activities of their own choosing.
Four requested support in this domain; 4 received support; 4 achieved their targeted goals; 3 participated in group activities; 4 explored community resources for social connections; and 4 practiced social skills at the workplace.
Two requested support in this domain; 7 received support; 2 achieved their targeted goals; 7 became independent with transportation within their community; 4 utilized community resources for social and recreation activities; 3 volunteered in their community; 2 connected with a community college; 7 connected with adult service agencies, SWAP/vocational rehabilitation; 3 connected with developmental disabilities center/CCB; 4 connected with mental health; 3 connected with housing assistance; 1 connected with transportation services; 2 connected with social services; 1 connected with recreation services; and 1 connected with teen parent services.
Success Story
"ER"
A student with multiple needs (developmental disabilities with autism, frontal lobe syndrome, limited communication, cognitive impairment, balance & coordination difficulty, difficult behavior), "ER's" primary problems were behavior, limited communication and low cognition. Before entering the Transition Program, "ER" had attended two different high schools, each for ½ day, because neither was completely successful for him. His behaviors including hurting other students with disabilities, grabbing staff by the hair and yanking their head down, punching an employer, pulling fire alarms, breaking a windshield with a rock, knocking a staff person down in a parking lot, and poking his finger into the eyes of horses at a riding center.
Using two staff members for safety and utilizing systematic instruction (task analyses, data sheets, behavior plan with reinforcements) program staff developed two non-paid worksites for "ER," both in clerical jobs where he could sit down, work in a room away from others whom he might injure and assemble papers for mailings and for medical folders. By incorporating breaks, reinforcements and structured routines, staff was able to provide "ER" with successful daily work experience with a minimum of negative behavior.
During his last two months of program support, staff instructed his adult service agency provider in how to collect work data and how to be proactive in managing "ER's" behavior. The adult agency picked up all support for the last month, with school staff on-call if needed, so that after his last day of school support, there was no change in "ER's" weekly routine.
With one-to-one support from his adult service agency, "ER" successfully continues assembling medical folders at the clinic three days a week. In addition, with the same support, he works twice a week delivering baked goods for pay.
"NE"
A student with learning disabilities (with possible pervasive developmental disability; much lower performance than verbal IQ; slow processing time for verbal communication); asthma and tremor, "NE" lived at home with his parents and completed an academic program in high school. He had not received specific independent living training and had never ridden public transportation. His teacher placed him in a part-time job straightening shelves at K-Mart and expected that was the most he could do there. His parents wanted "NE" to move into his own apartment. They had obtained social security benefits for him and had connected him to the state support agency (Developmental Disabilities Center) for services.
Most programming occurred in "NE's" first year. Program staff redeveloped jobs for him at K-Mart, trained him at the new jobs, and developed co-worker mentors to support him. He learned to stock and eventually worked in five different departments. Staff taught him how to ride the public bus independently and helped him connect with Access-a-Ride and Access-a-Cab, programs that he could use in emergencies. He also attended a twice-weekly group with two other students in which he explored community recreation activities, visited apartments and participated in shopping and cooking. With support from home and the adult agency, he moved into his own apartment in the spring. His adult service agency provided individual budgeting and cooking assistance.
During the second year, "NE" lived and worked independently and did not want additional support from the Transition Program or from his adult agency. Program staff kept in contact with his parents, his employer and his adult service providers, checked in with him at this job and monitored his programming for any problems. In addition, when he was dissatisfied with his job, staff developed job shadows in warehouses where he thought he wanted to work. He decided he did not like the work and kept his job at K-Mart.
However, two months before school services ended, staff discovered several problems. "NE's" employer reported that he was often late for work, his appearance had changed, and his productivity was less. Staff began meeting weekly with "NE" to help him organize and prioritize his weekly commitments, such as which nights he had to go to bed early because of his work schedule, how to plan and schedule a time to wash clothes for work and how to juggle two commitments, such as working and filing income taxes at the same time. Staff also connected his parents with his employer for ongoing support and convened meetings with his parents and adult service provider. His parents learned that "NE" was drinking and partying at his apartment. His service provider thought he was just "being a normal young man" and did not want to intervene. Staff persuaded his adult agency to meet with him regularly to continue support with his weekly schedule and commitments and to maintain contact with his employer. Staff also met with "NE" and his parents regarding these same needs and supports. When he left the school program, he was effectively connected to adult supports.
"NE" has maintained his job at K-Mart and lives in his own apartment. However, it has been a difficult year. He was evicted from his apartment and went into drug rehabilitation for alcoholism. With support from his parents and adult service agency, he obtained a new apartment and maintained his job. Because the Transition Program staff communicated closely with his adult service agency to stay actively involved in supporting him, "NE" had support when he needed it.
Updated 11/3/00