Secondary Transition Programs for Special Education Students, Ages 18-22 in CA
Program 
Components and
Considerations

Contact Person
Description
COMMUNITY BASED ProgramSeverely Disabled
DISTRICT SCHOOL Program
District Program
Community College
Community College
NONPUBLIC
MCOE, ATP Program on Apollo
Campus
Madera County Office of Education
Madera, CA
“Keys to Success”
Clovis Unified
Transition Resources for Adult
Community Education
(TRACE)
San Diego City Schools
San Diego, CA 92126
Cuyamaca Community College
Grossmont Union High School
District, La Mesa, CA
Santa Barbara City College
Santa Barbara School Districts
Santa Barbara, CA
Diamond Learning Center
Centers for Lifelong Learning.Inc
1901 E. Shields Ave., Ste. 169
Fresno, CA 93726
Diane Lingo, Program Director
Madera County Office of Education
djlingo@maderacoe.k12.ca.us
(559) 662-4673
Andrea Reed, Program Specialist
AndreaReed@clovisusd.k12.ca.us
(559) 327-9385
Robert Morris Ed.D., Principal
bmorris@sandi.net
Phone -(858) 693-5500
Kathy Mack-Burton, ATP
Teacher
kmackburton@guhsd.net
(619) 666-9937
JoAnne Pulley, Director Special
Education and Student Services
jpulley@sbsdk12.org
(805) 963-4331x252
Jami and Dan delaCerda, Owners
jami@dlclife.org
(559) 241-0580
An Adult Transition Program
operated by Grossmont Union
High School District and housed
on the campus of Cuyamaca
Community College. Grossmont
High School District is located in
the east county of San Diego and
has an enrollment of nearly
24,000 students.
This Adult Transition Program
(ATP) has been in existence for
more than 10 years. The program is
located on the campus of Santa
Barbara City College. Santa
Barbara School Districts has an
enrollment of 5,500 students at the
elementary level, and 10,500 in the
secondary level. Currently, there
are 30 students participating in the
ATP.
Diamond Learning Center serves
approximately 96 adult clients (ages
22 and above) from Central Valley
Regional Center. They also accept
students under age 18 on a
nonpublic agency basis from public
school districts. The program is
housed in Manchester Mall. The
facility is designed to resemble a
school. The classrooms are set-up
for the various content being taught
(art, PE, music, English language
arts, etc.). The program is
academic in nature and center
based. The students spend the
majority of the day in classrooms,
with some community based
activities in the mall. There is no
formal vocational component to the
program.
The Madera County Office of
Education’s Adult Transition
Program serves students ages 18-22
who qualify for the severely
handicapped programs run by the
MCOE. The students matriculate
into this program after attending
special day classes through grade 12
in the MCOE special education
programs in the greater Madera area.
The county also has an Adult
Transition Program on the campus of
Madera High, South. The
determination of the appropriate
program is made by the IEP team.
The program is based out of a home
located adjacent to the MCOE main
office.
http://www.sandi.net/depts/specia
led/trace.htm
The Keys to Success program serves Transition Resources for Adult
students ages 18-22 and serves as a
Community Education (TRACE)
link between the public school
is a community-based program
system and the world of post-school for young adults with disabilities,
activities and services. Many of the
18-22 years of age, as they
students will transition into paid
transition from public school to
employment and live independently
adult life as mandated by the
in the community. Others may
Individuals with Disabilities
transition to an adult service program Education Act (IDEA).
and participate with support of
others. The goal for all students is to The purpose of TRACE is to
have the opportunity to make
ensure that every student,
informed choices and become active regardless of the severity of his or
participants within their community. her disability, is capable of living,
working, and participating in their
The focus of the program is to
community. TRACE was
provide a continuum of services to
developed in cooperation with
students with IEPs who have
nationally recognized scholars in
completed high school but do not
the field of transition services and
have a diploma. Determination of
uses a person-centered planning
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The program was developed to
provide students ages 18-22 an
education in an environment with
their age level peers. The
students transition into this
program after completing four
years in the mildly handicapped
program at Granite Hills High
School. “Mildly Handicapped” is
a designation used by GUHSD
The students include Regional
Center clients (nearly 50%) who
have not been enrolled in county
programs for the more severely
disabled, and students who will
receive a certificate of completion
upon exiting the high school
district. The majority of the
Secondary Transition Programs for Special Education Students, Ages 18-22 in CA
this placement takes place during the
IEP meeting which occurs during the
student’s senior year.
- Program will be 3 to 6 hours per day
- Same calendar as district for school
year and extended school year.
- Follow district’s attendance policies
- Taught by a credentialed special
education teacher
- Curriculum based on stated
objectives tailored to meet
individual student needs
- Participation based on a levels
system, mastery of SCANS
competencies
- Student performance measured by:
attendance and participation in
activities; student portfolios; student
self-evaluation of IEP and personal
goals; and, acquisition and use of
SCANS competencies.
- Students will master use of public
transportation and/or receive
assistance in written portion for CA
driver’s license.
- Students may also be concurrently
participating in classes at adult
school and/or community college to
achieve a high school diploma
and/or specific vocational training.
Assistance/supported classroom will
be provided in these areas as
determined by the IEP team.
- Referral to other agencies such as
Department of Rehabilitation,
approach, which enables the
student to be more involved in
planning their future.
A key component of the program
is development of transition goals
across multiple "life domains",
including Adult Education,
Vocational, Recreation/Leisure,
Self-Advocacy, Community and
Domestic Skills. Each domain
area utilizes a number of local
and national resources.
for students who are mildly
retarded, and most qualify for
Regional Center Services. Since
they are still enrolled in GUHSD,
the district collects ADA for this
program.
students will transition into
unsubsidized employment at age
22. The IEP team determines the
appropriateness of the placement.
The staff includes:
3 certificated teachers
6 instructional assistants
6-8 academic tutors*
1 job coach 60% (through Dept. of
Rehabilitation)
*The salary for the academic tutors
is paid through a grant established
by the community and renewed
annually.
The program hours are typically
8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The students are enrolled in the
high school district. They enroll
as city college students and take a
minimum of one class per semester.
Some of the classes have included
astronomy, geography. All students
participate in a PE class. The
students enroll on a credit/no credit
basis.
By enrolling at the college, the
students qualify for use of public
transportation at no cost in Santa
Barbara.
The college is also set up to grant
high school diplomas through its
2
Secondary Transition Programs for Special Education Students, Ages 18-22 in CA
Central Valley Regional Center,
Mental Health, upon completion of
program or as needed.
Adult Ed. Center. Although there is
no CAHSEE requirement, the
students must pass the High School
Proficiency Exam.
The students have not had access to
the DSPS office on campus, as this
college has a requirement that
students must be able to advocate
for themselves.
Education/
Instruction
The program is designed to include
community based instruction. The
curriculum also includes an
emphasis on independent living
skills which are taught in the house
(cooking, etc). The students spend a
portion of their school day in the
community learning functional living
skills and/or in a vocational setting
learning job skills. The WorkAbility
1 program subsidizes the students’
wages. During the current year, the
students may work 62 hours at
minimum wage.
The curriculum focuses on
acquisition of functional academics,
vocational, recreation, leisure,
community participation, domestic
and self-help, social and behavioral,
communication and mobility skills.
The Transition Curriculum
(Stanfield) forms the basis for much
of the instructional program.
The primary goal of the program is
to assist each student to achieve
independence in living in the
community and gaining competitive
employment.
TRACE provides two general
levels of support based on
student's needs:
TRACE Transition Services
Provides support to students who
require daily, on-going
assistance while implementing
their transition activities
(mobility support, community
support, job-coaching, etc.)
Under the direction of the
TRACE teacher, students are
supported in the community in
small groups or independently to
conduct their transition activities.
District staff directly support the
students.
TRACE Transition Case
Management (TCM)
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The instructional program focuses
on transition skills in the areas of
functional academics, vocational
(employment), independent living
skills and community
participation. The students enroll
in college courses as appropriate
and receive credit/no credit (Child
development, music, art, physical
education, etc).
When students are dually enrolled
receive credit on high school
transcript for Adult Transition
classes and college credit for
those offered by the college.
Approximately 6 months before a
student exits, the IEP team meets
with CVRC to develop plans for the
student’s adult program.
The program includes an array of
options.
All students enroll in one or more
college classes per semester on a
credit/no credit basis. Instructional
assistants accompany the students
to class as needed.
They participate in the ATP
curriculum to develop independent
living skills.
The job coach provided by the
Dept. of Rehabiliiation provides
instruction on development of
vocational skills. The students
work in a variety of settings on the
college campus or community. The
district employs students in the HR
office and the mailroom. Some
The students attend classes
throughout the school day. The
curriculum include classes in basic
skills (reading, writing and math),
independent living skills, music,
physical education, etc.
The majority of the students are
clients of CVRC and do not have
IEPs. The students ages 18-22 have
IEPs which determine the
educational program.
Secondary Transition Programs for Special Education Students, Ages 18-22 in CA
Provides support to students who
are able to move and
communicate independently
while implementing their
transition activities in the
community. Students conduct
their activities independently
with the level of support that is
needed in their own
neighborhood and the
community at large.
(See information on final page
regarding the scope of
curriculum available to students
in the trace program).
All TRACE students participate
in job training and have a
minimum of one job experience
per semester. A major focus for
TRACE is to have students
successfully placed in
competitive employment by the
time they leave the program.
Youth pre-employment
programs utilized by the TRACE
program include: Workforce
Investment Act (WIA),
Enterprise Zone (EZ) Programs,
and WorkAbility Programs.
Some of the vocational training
available for TRACE includes
Regional Occupational Program
(ROP), also known as the
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students’ wages are subsidized
through WorkAbility 1, others are
unsubsidized. There are also
opportunities for students to learn
prerequisite job skills in unpaid
positions.
Secondary Transition Programs for Special Education Students, Ages 18-22 in CA
School-to-Career program,
community college,
WorkAbility, WIA programs and
private training.
Point of Transition
During the final year of public
school, TRACE students may
participate in the Point of
Transition Program. This
program facilitates a smooth
transition to the most appropriate
adult support agency for a
student and their family.
During this year, direct support
is provided by adult agencies that
share the responsibility for
implementing the student's
Transition Plan along with their
educational plan.
Facility/
Location
Criteria for
Consideration
The MCOE has purchased a house
adjacent to the County Office of
Education. This facility serves as
a base of operations for the
program and provides the
opportunity for students to learn
many “life skills.”
- IEP team decision
Clovis Unified purchased a house
that serves as the facility for this
program.
-
Eligible for Special Education
services
Resident of the district
Between the ages of 18 and 21
Does not qualify for other
programs such as the Adult
Transition Program offered by
Fresno County Office of
The program has access to a
classroom on the community
college campus. They also
complete much of their education
in the community.
Placement in TRACE is made
after an Individualized Education
Program (IEP) team determines
eligibility. Each student's IEP
specifies goals and objectives that
provide optimum access to the
district's core curriculum. The
IEP team is responsible for the
5
-
Eligible for Special
Education services
Resident of the district
Between the ages of 18 and
21
Most typically qualifies for
Regional Center services
The students meet in a college
classroom for group activities. The
program has an office on campus
which is used by the teaching staff.
Diamond Learning Center is located
in Manchester Mall in Fresno.
The IEP team determines the
The district and Diamond Learning
appropriateness of the placement in Center develop a contract.
the student’s junior or senior year of
high school.
Hours of operation =8:30 a.m. to
2:30 p.m.
Secondary Transition Programs for Special Education Students, Ages 18-22 in CA
-
Fiscal Impact
The MCOE collects ADA.
The program is staffed by a
certificated teacher and two aides.
The costs of purchasing and
maintaining an off-site facility.
The MCOE provides the curriculum,
materials and supplies.
Transportation costs include to and
from school, maintenance of a van,
and some use of public
transportation.
Transportation
Students are transported to and
from school via MCOE
transportation. The program has
access to a van which is used to
transport the students to community
locations throughout the school day.
In an effort to teach the students
orientation and mobility skills
within the community, the public
Education
Able to or will be able to use
public transportation
IEP team recommendation to
the KEYS Program
development of specifically
designed instruction addressing
the unique needs of the student.
TRACE provides services in or
near the student's neighborhood
school and community or through
the district's Enrollment Options
Choice program.
The ADA collected by this program
is currently reduced as the house
which is being used as the classroom
is not “Field Act” compliant. The
district may move the class to the
adult school location in the near
future to maximize ADA.
The district collects ADA as the
program is operated by the high
school district.
The district collects ADA as the
program is operated by the school
district.
The program is staffed with one
certificated teacher and one
instructional aide.
There are currently 28 students
enrolled in the program. Staffing
includes a teacher and two aides.
The district provides curriculum
materials and supplies.
Costs to the district include:
District would continue to collect
Salaries for 3 certificated staff and 6 ADA.
instructional aides.
The program operates throughout
The district reimburses staff for
the year, with 10 holidays.
mileage. (See Transportation,
below).
The district provides curriculum
materials and supplies.
In Fall 2007, the daily rate for
districts was $104 per day (includes
$8 for transportation).
The district bears the cost of student
tuition, books and supplies at the
city college.
The program operates from a house
which was purchased by the district.
There are costs to maintain the
facility.
Students are expected to master the
use of public transportation
The district provides curriculum
materials and supplies for the high
school portion of the program.
District transportation to and from Very few of the students enrolled in
school and to community based
this program use the district
job sites.
transportation. Some students use
public transportation. Many are
Public transportation is used for
transported by their parents.
community based experiences.
Due to the agreement in Santa
Barbara, the students are able to use
public transportation at no cost
6
Provided by Diamond Learning
Center
Secondary Transition Programs for Special Education Students, Ages 18-22 in CA
transportation system is used at
times.
when enrolled at the college.
The district reimburses staff for
mileage to transport students to job
sites or for community based
experiences.
A collaborative partnership was
already formed between the
college and high school district
prior to the formation of this
class; the college conducted
classes on the high school
campuses and the college had an
existing program for high school
age students. Due to this
partnership, there were no issues
or concerns regarding liability
insurance.
Other factors
to consider
The teacher submits a facility use
request form to the college each
semester to determine which
room which be assigned to this
program.
A unique feature of this
7
In some cases, while teaching a
student to use public transportation
independently, the district
reimburses an aide to meet the
student at his/her home and ride the
public transit with the student to
and from school. This support is
faded as the student gains
independence.
There is a history of college classes
and adult ed. classes being taught
on the college campus. This
alleviates concerns about the
liability factor.
The ATP program hopes to
eventually have “dedicated” space
on the college campus. This would
remove need relocate to different
classrooms each semester.
The parents of seniors are invited to
an orientation meeting each fall to
inform them about the program.
They are also invited to visit the
program on the college campus.
The teachers are keenly aware of
the parents’ sensitivities about
Secondary Transition Programs for Special Education Students, Ages 18-22 in CA
program—the students receive
their speech and language
services through the community
college’s DSPS office.
“I have found that the students
rise to the occasion, and, while
certainly not perfect behaviorally,
they are overall more mature and
appropriate when surrounded by
college students rather than high
school students.”
8
letting go and allowing their
students to develop independence in
this less sheltered environment.