Services for High
School Students
School to Work Transition
Read Student Success
Stories
 VESID works with students, families and school districts to
coordinate appropriate services for students with disabilities who are leaving secondary
education and entering adult vocational rehabilitation and related services. These efforts
are crucial to enable students to achieve maximum success in post-school activities
consisting of integrated employment (including supported employment), post-secondary
education, independent living, and community participation. Students who are expected to
exit school within two years should be referred to VESID when:
The school, student and/or parents jointly recognize
that the student's disability will interfere with his/her ability to work in the community
and that VESID services are necessary to help the student successfully achieve employment;
and
-
The vocational rehabilitation services needed are not among
the continuum of mandated school district programs.
Transition services are a coordinated set of activities for
secondary students with disabilities, designed to achieve specific outcomes, which promote
movement from school to post-school activities. The coordination is carried out by the
school district, with the active participation of the student, his or her family and
appropriate community service agencies, including VESID.
The coordinated set of activities is based upon the
individual student's needs, taking into account the student's preferences, potential,
abilities and interests. These activities include instruction, community experiences, the
development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives, and, when
appropriate, acquisition of daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation. The
goal of transition services is not simply a referral to VESID, but rather post-secondary
education, adult education and training, adult services, independent living, community
participation, a specific job or career, and/or integrated community living.
Service Planning
The goal of transition services is to ensure that students
with disabilities are prepared for employment, post-secondary education, or community
living when they leave school. As a participant in this process, the VESID counselor can:
Contribute knowledge of rehabilitation services and
outcomes;
-
Identify the need for involvement by other state agencies,
adult service programs, independent living centers and community based services whose
resources can assist students with disabilities, their families and educational personnel
during the transition planning and service delivery process;
-
Provide information to assist in the selection of suitable
vocational goals that are consistent with labor market needs and integrated community
living opportunities, including providing information about:
- work site accommodations;
- employer expectations;
- labor trends and occupational outlooks;
- job entry qualifications;
- job placement analysis;
- and other vocational-related issues.
A process should be in place in each school district to
assure that students with disabilities have a formal transition plan if needed, in
collaboration with the VESID district office. If a referral to VESID is needed, it
should be initiated by school staff. With the permission of the student and/or family,
VESID will be given copies of relevant referral materials from the school record in order
to help establish the student's eligibility for services.
If you need additional information about transition
planning, contact the Principal at your high school.
Other questions may be answered by our two VESID
publications:
Access to VESID Vocational Rehabilitation Services for High School Students:
Questions and Answers for Parents
(Spanish) Questions and Answers for
Students
(Spanish)
Learn more about:
Transition Planning
Services and
VESID Special Education Services
x |
