Transition Services
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 defines Secondary Transition as a coordinated set of activities for a student receiving special education services which are designed as an outcome-oriented process, that promotes movement from school to post-school activities to begin no later than age 16 which may include:
- Post-Secondary Education
- Vocational Education
- Integrated Employment
- Continuing/Adult Education
- Adult Services
- Independent Living
- Community Participation
Virginia Regulations Governing Special Education Programs for Children with Disabilities states that secondary transition services will be addressed prior to the child entering secondary school, but not later than when the child turns 14 or eighth grade, and updated annually thereafter.
The IEP shall include age-appropriate measurable postsecondary goals based upon age-appropriate transition assessments related to training, education, employment, and, where appropriate, independent living skills. The IEP must include transition services and courses of study, which are activities needed to assist the student in reaching postsecondary goals.
Transition Planning is based upon:
- Student’s needs
- Student’s strengths
- Student’s preferences
- Student’s interests
Special Education Transition Team
Transition Specialist
Monica Bowles
Transition Lead Teachers
Sarah Porter, King’s Fork High School
Deborah Franklin, Nansemond River High School
Karen Perkerson, Lakeland High School
Job Coaches
Richard Hite, King’s Fork High School
Valentina Lawrence, Nansemond River High School
Myrtle Bell, Lakeland High School
Transition Activities in Suffolk Public Schools
School-Based Enterprises
- The Koffee Kennel, King’s Fork High School
- Warrior Brew, Nansemond River High School
- The Cavalier Cafe, Lakeland High School
Student Employment Experiences Under Supervision (SEE/US)
- SEE/US is a community based school-to-work program that provides students with disabilities the opportunity to develop workplace readiness skills and explore postsecondary career opportunities through work-based learning experiences in the classroom, in a school-based enterprise, and on the workplace.
- SEE/US highlights the importance of collaborative partnerships with students, families, schools, community agencies, and employers in preparing students for the transition to post-school activities. Students are under the direct supervision of our high school job coaches while participating in this program.
Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)
- Pre-ETS services are available to high school students who have completed a referral with the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS)
- Pre-ETS services include training and activities in the following areas:
- Job exploration counseling
- Work-based learning experiences
- Postsecondary education counseling
- Workplace readiness training
- Instruction in self-advocacy
Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition (PERT)
- The PERT Program is a highly effective school-to-work transition initiative supported by the Virginia Department of Education and administered through the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) at Wilson Workforce and Rehabilitation Center (WWRC). PERT Program services are provided on the WWRC Campus where students complete a 5 day vocational evaluation while having the experience of residing in a dormitory.
- Suffolk Public Schools has been given slots for 3 students to attend this 5 day comprehensive vocational evaluation at WWRC. The purpose of this vocational evaluation is to help students learn more about themselves and the world of work so they can make more informed decisions about their future. Program components include:
- Vocational Exploration
- Independent Living Skills Exploration
- Residential and Leisure Skills Experience
Transition Information for Parents and Students (T.I.P.S.)
Resources for Transition: