en español

 The main goal of the program is to provide participating students with a successful transition from the educational community to the adult-work community through the collaboration of appropriate agencies and significant people in students' lives.  Transition training is provided to students with severe disabilities ages 18-22.  Since students usually leave the high school setting by the age of 18, this transition program is located in a community site that is easily accessible for many hands-on experiences in public transportation, work locations and recreation-leisure environments.

Each student has an individualized schedule based on his or her Individualized education Plan (IEP).  Student input is sought in developing the IEP, and parent/care provider input is sought through a parent/provider survey.  For example, a daily schedule could include 1 to 4 hours of work experience and 1 to 2 hours of functional life skills training in the classroom and/or the community.  Identified need would determine a student's schedule.

The students work usually one school year at a job site, with time variations based on student need.  This ensures a variety of work experiences by the time a student reaches maximum age.

Individual schedules might include:

1. Work experience:  Individual or in small group with job coach supervision.  Typically, students may work as individuals if they are nearing independence or if they require much more intensive supervision.
2. Community skills:  Training and experiences with adult supervision in groups of 1-3 students.  It can include such areas as accessing public transportation, shopping and ordering and eating in restaurants.
3. Functional life skills training:  Usually done at the classroom in areas such as meal preparation and other domestic skills, recreation-leisure skills, survival reading and money math skills.
4. Other areas:  These are determined as appropriate by the IEP team.  They may include health/hygiene, stranger awareness, communication, etc.

In keeping with the program's major goal, a smooth transition for the student to an adult program is emphasized.  Staff will work with each student and family to insure that eligible students are enrolled first as clients of Valley Mountain Regional Center (VMRC), CA Department of Rehabilitation, or whatever is appropriate.  It is hoped that each student will be enrolled in an adult program, supported employment, employment in their home community or any other adult service, before he or she leaves the public school system.

A smooth, successful transition to an adult program is the result of everyone working together for several years-student, parents, school, agency and adult program.