NHCS

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TRANSITION SERVICES

Cindy Sniffen

Transition Coordinator

910-254-4449

Transition describes the process by which a student moves

from school to adult life in the community.

What are Transition Services?

Transition services are defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as a coordinated set of activities for students, designed with an outcome-oriented process which promotes smooth movement from school to adult services. This requires planning long before students leave the educational setting.

What is Transition Planning?

Transition planning is the decision-making process and resulting plan of action outlining how a student should move smoothly from school to work, post-secondary education, residential independence, and community living. Basic transition components of the IEP are:

 A statement of interest, wants and needs addressing instruction, employment/adult living, community experiences, related services, and daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation, if appropriate

 A post-school outcome statement

 Coordinated activities to achieve goals/outcomes

Who should be involved in Transition Planning?

 Students

 Parents

 School support personnel

 Adult agency personnel

When does Transition Planning take place?

Beginning at age 14 and updated annually, a statement of transition service needs must be included in the student's IEP. At age 14, the focus is on the student's course of study and at age 16, when appropriate, a statement of interagency responsibilities or any needed linkages is included.

The Transition component is reviewed annually as part of the IEP.

Some Benefits of Transition Planning

 Linkages to adult service agencies are created prior to high school exit.

 Focus is on preparation for employment, adult day programs, training programs, post-secondary education, or whatever is necessary to provide meaningful and worthwhile activities to satisfy the need to be contributing members of society.

 Students are given support to fulfill dreams and visions about who they are, what they want in life and where and how to achieve their goals.

Transition Program for Young Adults (TPYA)

The Transition Program for Young Adults serves 19-22 year old young adults with special needs. Their classroom has moved from traditional high school settings to adult sites in the community. One of those sites is an apartment near the University of NC at Wilmington. Another site is in an office complex and a future site will be located on the UNCW campus in their new education building.

Since most students graduate by age 18, older students who continue to need special education services might be better served in typical adult environments rather than an adolescent high school environment. This change, now going into its seventh year, has had a significant impact on the self-esteem and motivation of these young adults, as well as their abilities to generalize skills to the real world.

The Transition Program for Young Adults (TPYA) focuses on exploring the many facets of living and working within our local community.

Program goals include:

 Exposure to as many real-life hands-on experiences as possible

Learning to make decisions, solve problems, set goals, make personal choices, and advocate for themselves

 Focusing on strengths, gifts, and talents

 Providing individuals with the resources to create a lifestyle of their own choosing

 Making appropriate connections to adult service providers

 Achieving maximum independence

Teachers

Terry Johns
Kim Stokes
Janet Hughes