Congratulations to SWAT!
(Students Working at Transition) The program has been recommended to be identified as a Missouri Transition Model of Success and listed with the BASE project. The reviewers liked that the program is a successful replication of an existing Model of Success program.
The passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) in 1990 and the subsequent reauthorization in 1997 mandate school districts to provide transition services for students with disabilities in order to improve post-school outcomes for these youth. To help meet the requirements for transition, many school districts have developed community-based transition programs. These programs, sometimes referred to as 18-21 programs because of the age-range of students involved, are designed to support students with disabilities who may have met the requirements for graduation, but who may need to continue to work on their transition goals.
Community-based transition programs are alternative special education opportunities, developed by public school systems, in age-appropriate settings. They are located around the United States at four-year or community colleges and in other community settings such as vocational-technical schools, houses, offices, and businesses. Grigal, Neubert, and Moon, (2002) identify specific program goals for community-based transition programs which may include one or more of the following objectives:
· Obtaining employment in a full- or part-time paid position in the community.
· Participating in college classes.
· Increasing mobility in the community.
· Engaging the support of adult service agencies.
· Improving social and communication skills.
· Improving self determination skills.
· Developing friendships with other people of similar ages.
· Developing age-appropriate leisure and recreation pursuits.
"These are goals of Transition Coalition and the school districts of Missouri under the guidance of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). All students served by this initiative have an IEP (Individual Educational Plan)," says Joe Davis, Director of the SWAT Program.
