The passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) in 1990 and the subsequent reauthorizations, including the latest in 2007, mandates 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 options. These service options are designed to support students who need to continue to work on their transition goals and who have completed academic requirements/credits for graduation.  They are often referred to as "18-21 year old programs".


Definition
18-21 year old transition services are developed by local school districts. They provide opportunities for students to gain independent living skills, social skills, employment and self-advocacy in real-life settings and to participate in age-appropriate activities in their communities. These services ideally are located outside of the high school setting, in community settings such as vocational-technical schools, houses, offices, and businesses.

Materials from Community Services Option Presentations
CSO Presentation
Community Services Option Guide
Community-based Education and Learning
Worksheet for Community-Based Learning
Registration form for 18-21 Programs
18-21 Program Elements Summary
18-21 Program Elements Summary--BLANK FORM
Parent Survey of 18-21 Program Elements