Virginia Department of Education

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Information on this page is provided by the Department of Special Education and Student Services.

Special Education

Transition Services for Students with Disabilities

VDOE's Transition Services website provides support, information and resources designed to improve the outcomes of students with disabilities in transition from middle / secondary education to postsecondary education and employment.

The key to successful transition is careful planning. Students must be actively involved in the planning process.

• Fast Facts: Secondary Transition: Why it is important to plan early (PDF)

What is Transition?

Transition is the process students and their families use to think about life after high school, to identify their desired outcomes, and to plan their community and school experiences to assure that the students acquire the knowledge and skills to achieve their goals.

Why is Transition Important?

Steven Covey says to "begin with the end in mind." That idea is the heart of transition planning. If the "end" we have in mind is "educated employees," then the transition planning is the "beginning." It sets the education course for middle and secondary students with disabilities that leads to access to adult services, postsecondary education and the world of work. The idea of transition is simple, but actually carrying out the process can be daunting as we try to weave together the appropriate combination of educational and social services. The legislators who developed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA PL 101-476) included transition components in the legislation with the goal of preparing students with disabilities to access the supports and services they need to become as independent as possible.

How Do We Do Transition?

The transition planning process should enable the student to move successfully from school to postsecondary education and training, employment, independent living, and community participation based on the student's preferences, interests, and abilities.

• To secondary education
  • Transition: School to Work by Nancy B. Mizelle from LDOnline
  • GED Program (General Educational Development)
• To postsecondary education, school to work and community life
• From special education to adult services
  
  • Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services
  • Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired

Olmstead Act

On June 22, 1999, the United States Supreme Court determined that unjustified segregation of persons with disabilities constitutes discrimination under title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Court held that public entities must provide community-based services to persons with disabilities when (1) the services are appropriate; (2) the persons affected do not oppose community-based treatment; and (3) community-based services can be reasonably accommodated. The Court explained that its holding "reflects two evident judgments." First, "institutional placement of persons who can handle and benefit from community settings perpetuates unwarranted assumptions that persons so isolated are incapable of or unworthy of participating in community life." Second, "confinement in an institution severely diminishes the everyday life activities of individuals, including family relations, social contacts, work options, economic independence, educational advancement, and cultural enrichment."

• Olmstead Initiative: One Community  – The Commonwealth has an obligation under the U.S. Supreme Court’s Olmstead v. L.C  ( hyperlink  Olmstead v. L.C.decision, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Virginians with Disabilities Act to provide appropriate opportunities for people with disabilities to become fully integrated into the community if they choose to do so.
• Virginia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services – On July 1, 2016, the DBHDS Office of Mental Health (OMH) and Office of Substance Abuse Services (OSAS) merged to create the Office of Adult Community Behavioral Health (ACBH). The mission of ACBH is to work toward achieving the DBHDS vision of A Life of Possibility for All Virginians through system-level collaboration and promotion of a person-centered, recovery-oriented system of care that provides access to high-quality behavioral health services to citizens of the Commonwealth.

How Do We Know We Are Doing It Right?

• Helping Students Become Self Determined
  • Promoting Self-Determination-This is a PDF document. (PDF)
• Regulations & Legal Requirements
  • Implementation of the Regulations Governing Special Education Programs for Children with Disabilities in Virginia
  • Transfer of Rights For Students with Disabilities Upon Reaching The Age of Majority In Virginia (PDF) Also available in Spanish (PDF)
  • Writing a Standards Based Individualized Education Program
• It starts with transition assessment!
  • Transition Assessment Toolkit
  • Transition Assessment Booklet-This is a Word document. (Word)
  • Transition Assessment Matrix
  • Tennessee TN - You will need to register to use the Transition Assessment Tool.  The Assessment database is under Resources.
• Developing Postsecondary Goals 
  • Guidance for the Development of Postsecondary Goals-This is a Word document. (Word)

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