Transition

Transition planning for a student’s future begins as early as elementary school with career awareness and exploration activities. Formal transition planning begins through the IEP process the year the student turns 14 and drives the development of the IEP. Students, with support from parents and educators, identify postsecondary goals in the areas of employment, postsecondary education or employment training; and if appropriate, independent living. These postsecondary goals are based upon the results of age appropriate transition assessments.

The goal of transition planning is to support students with disabilities as they progress through school and prepare for life as an adult. This includes planning for college, work, transportation, living arrangements, health care, and daily living.

Transition Planning

Transition Activities

The transition activities could be a combination of any of the following:

Self-Determination and Advocacy
Work-based learning activities and internships
Community participation
Postsecondary education
Employment training
Competitive employment
Independent living
Outside agency service linkages

Transition Planning Process

An Effective Transition Planning Process Includes:

Provides awareness to students, families, educators, community and adult service providers about what each system and person does.
Facilitates communication between schools, families and community and adult service providers about students who need services.
Develops a planning process that identifies a clear path for students to follow from school to adult living.
Refocuses the school curriculum to include applied academics, career development and daily living skills.
Utilizes assessment information across agencies, reducing duplication and streamlining the referral and eligibility determination process.
Establishes a consistent referral system so students can more easily access agency support.
Effectively coordinates services between the school and other agencies leading to a successful transition.
Successfully utilizes the available resources across agencies.
Creates networking opportunities and expertise across agencies.
Provides a support system for professionals, families, and students.

Who can Participate in Transition Planning?

Transition Programs

Work Experience Program Richmond Public Schools

Work Experience Program at a Glance Within this work experience program, students will work as a cohort of no more than 8 students, on skills that are needed for life after high school. They will work on components pertaining to time management, communication skills, building relationships, self-advocacy. Students will gain entry-level skills for employment while working through those competencies pertaining to career exploration, decision making, and preparation for employment. This will be done within a model that is a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on work experiences. Students will participate in work experiences within the school or community work experiences.

Start of Success Program

George Wythe High school

Start on Success (SOS) is a school-to-work model for high school seniors with disabilities earning a regular diploma. The SOS model is a two-semester experience where students are enrolled in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) class the first semester and a paid internship in a community business during the second semester.

Virtual Job-Shadow

Career exploration curriculum program

Overview: Career exploration is enhanced by self-discovery, soft skills development, and the understanding and practice of job-readiness skills.

The Virtual Job-Shadow mini lessons are a series of short, instructor-led lessons on critical topics for postsecondary education and career preparation. The lessons explore self-discovery and goal-setting, employability, soft skills, time management, team building, college & career research, and the process of landing the job! Each mini lesson is aligned to Common Core Standards and available in PDF format, with handouts conveniently attached to make teaching each lesson a snap!

Virtual Job Shadow Junior:

Overview: VJSJunior.com is an interactive career exploration platform that engages, inspires, and empowers K-5 students. It was created to capture and foster a child’s imagination and curiosity about the world of work. The platform features a variety of engaging career cluster lessons, which are the heart and soul of VJSJunior.com.

Each lesson is built around cross-curricular content, introducing students to career clusters and careers while also reinforcing what students are learning in the classroom. Throughout the lessons, our entertaining cast of characters guides students on their career exploration adventures.

Students will join them as they meet different professionals across the globe, watch exciting job shadowing videos, and complete activities that reinforce the material they are learning in the classroom and on VJSJunior.com. As a reminder, each lesson includes entertaining video content as well as interactive games and activities, and they link back to the Next Gen Science Standards, ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors, national standards, and more!

The platform also offers a kid-friendly interest assessment and an array of administrative tools. These tools allow you to support students’ career development. Together, with you, VJSJunior.com prepares, inspires, and empowers students for the journey of their lives.

Agency Partners

Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services:

8004 Franklin Farms Drive

Henrico, VA 23229-5019

Pre-Ets Program: The Division of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) works together with students, youth, families, schools and community agencies and organizations to provide services that promote successful transitions from school to work and adult life. DRS offers two sets of services to help students with disabilities move from school to post-school life: pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS) and vocational rehabilitation (VR) transition services. Learn more about these services by clicking on the links below.

Division of Rehabilitative Services Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)

Division of Rehabilitative Services Transition Services

Voice: 804.662.7000

Toll Free Numbers: 800.552.5019 or 711

Videophone: 804.325.1316

E-mail: dars@dars.virginia.gov

Richmond SOAR365:

Chris Martin

Director, Workforce Development

3600 Saunders Avenue, Richmond, VA 23227

Office (804) 381-5405 Mobile (804) 316-0454 Fax (804) 358-7595

In partnership with families, SOAR365 creates life-fulfilling opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Enrolling in any of SOAR365’s Human Services programs begins with contacting Consumer Intake. This is the only point of contact you’ll need to register and arrange for your initial screening. You can call (804) (804) 358-1874 or email intake@soar365.org

Our Intake staff will then assign you to your very own Case Manager—and this person will be your go-to person once your loved one is enrolled at SOAR365. Your case manager will be responsible for service planning, service monitoring & reporting, and advocating for you and your loved one—whether you decide your loved one will benefit from the Children & Youth Program, our Adult Programs, Respite, Summer Camp or Workforce Development.

Resources for Independent Living:

Resources for Independent Living Inc. serves persons with disabilities in the counties of Charles City, Dinwiddie, Chesterfield, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, Powhatan, Prince George and the cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg and Richmond.

Address: 4009 Fitzhugh Ave., Suite 100 Richmond, VA 23230

Phone: (804) 353-6503 Fax: (804) 358-5606 E-Mail: info@ril-va.org

The Next Move Program:

The Next Move Program, a 501 (c)(3) organization, partners with businesses to create guided internship experiences for young adults with disabilities.

(804) 482-1175

VCU Center on Transition Innovations:

It is the vision of the Virginia Department of Education to create a centralized statewide portal for information, resources, demonstration, and research for educators and other stakeholders in the transition of youth with disabilities. The Center on Transition Innovations (CTI) at Virginia Commonwealth University provides evidence-based resources and information along with emerging practices in the field. The results of research studies and demonstration projects conducted here in Virginia help us shape the ongoing work of CTI.

Wilson Workforce & Rehabilitation Center

As a leader in the field of medical and vocational rehabilitation, WWRC is proud of its record and proud that its successes have served as a template for establishment of eight other comprehensive rehabilitation centers across America. Today, as through its history, the Center is dedicated to returning people with disabilities to an autonomous life in their communities. Vision, Mission and Values

804-337-7634

Betsy.Elwood@wwrc.virginia.gov

Autism Speaks:

Autism Speaks is enhancing lives today and accelerating a spectrum of solutions for tomorrow. We are dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the life span, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.

Through the years, we’ve worked tirelessly to provide crucial autism research, advocacy, services and support to help people with autism and those who support them thrive. Here are some of our proudest accomplishments to-date.

Espanol: https://www.autismspeaks.org/espanol

Autism Speaks Resource Guide

Autism Speaks Covid-19 Information and Resources

Vision: To be the preferred provider of comprehensive Vocational Rehabilitation for Virginians with Disabilities.
Mission: Wilson Workforce and Rehabilitation Center provides people with disabilities comprehensive, individualized services to realize personal independence through employment.
Values: We are committed to professional standards, good stewardship of resources, full accountability and the well-being and dignity of others