VDOE :: Special Education & Student Services :: Transition Services for Students with Disabilities

Virginia Intercommunity Transition Council

Planning for Success!

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

Student and Family Empowerment

Leaving high school and entering adult life presents opportunities, challenges and major changes for all young people. This transition time can be especially complex for youths with disabilities. Virginia's Intercommunity Transition Council is committed to assuring that all young people with disabilities successfully move from secondary school environments into real-life, functional, and productive roles. Families (including foster parents, guardians, and extended family members) and youths with disabilities play the primary role in making decisions and plans about the future. Thus, it becomes essential to create communities that promote youth and family empowerment. Virginia's Intercommunity Transition Council believes that transition efforts can be most effective when...

...individuals are empowered to make decisions about their lives, assume personal responsibility, and experience choice and control in their lives...

Communities that have the following features could be described as encouraging the empowerment of youth with disabilities and their families in the transition process.

How does your community rank in promoting youth and family empowerment?

Youths with disabilities lead or actively participate in their transition planning at an early age.
Youths say that their opinions were respected while they were involved in transition planning.
Youths understand, accept, and can describe their disabilities, abilities, interests, and preferences.
Youths know their legal rights and also accept personal responsibility.
Youths have a variety of transition preparation experiences in integrated settings.
Family members confirm the availability, accessibility, and quality of resources for transition.
Family members confirm that they encouraged their sons or daughters to lead or participate in making transition planning decisions.
Youths and family members know about transition and use this information in planning for transition and promoting services within the community.
Youths and family members participate in local and regional transition service planning.
Youths and family members confirm that their cultural values were respected and reflected in the transition planning process.
Youths and family members access leadership training opportunities for transition planning and service.
Youths, family members, and transition service providers identify realistic and attainable goals.
Youths, Family members, and transition service providers state high expectations and work to achieve them.
Transition service providers prepare, include, and promote active participation of family members and youths.
Administrators encourage, facilitate, and expect transition service providers to promote the active participation of families and youths in the transition planning process.
Community members know about and support transition efforts.

For more information, contact your local Special Education Director, local Rehabilitative Services Office, or the Virginia Department of Education

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