The transition to kindergarten is an important time in the young life of a preschooler. Research has shown that the quality of children's kindergarten transition processes has implications for their future academic and social outcomes, and the level of family engagement in kindergarten. Research further indicates that children living in families…

This report provides initial results of Illinois' Shifting Gears Initiative that operated between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2009. This mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) evaluation sought to accomplish three goals: (1) to assess program and student outcomes for two models (adult education and developmental education) for two target groups…

A project is described to develop a model system by which local education agencies (LEAs) can form successful working relationships with other human service providers to better serve special education students. The models (both process and content) designate LEAs as the central access point to the service continuum. The project's efforts to devise…

The availability of trainees, service providers, private employers, and low effective costs attest to the success of the Massachusetts Supported Work model, a state-funded transitional employment program for mentally retarded persons, featuring graduated stress and performance requirements, intensive supervision, supportive services, easy…

The handbook was developed by the 3-year Valley Transitional School Project, serving Augusta, Staunton, and Waynesboro schools, all located in Augusta County, Virginia. The purpose of the project was to develop and validate a model which would assist school youth with severe disabilities to make the transition from school to employment, in the…

This final report discusses the outcomes of Project STEPS (Sequenced Transition to Education in the Public Schools), an outreach project designed to provide training and technical assistance to states and territories in the development of a statewide transition system for children with disabilities, birth through 5 years of age. The focus of the…

The goal of Project VAST (Virginia's Approach to Services for Transitioning) is to develop, implement, and evaluate a model at both state and local levels which ensures that students with disabilities who move through Virginia's public school programs and into the community will receive transitional services focusing on career preparation,…

The Secondary Education Transition Model project at Colorado State University-Fort Collins represents a local and state commitment to serve students with severe handicaps who are moving into community work and living roles. These comprehensive transition services begin at the secondary education level and extend into the adult service system. The…

The Community Transition Team Model guides the process of systematic program change in secondary special education and transition programs in Oregon. The model uses a management-by-objectives paradigm for implementing its principles, which include local control, a developmental perspective on change, a focus on program capacity, and networking…

Many barriers exist in the transition of disabled students from the educational system to postsecondary life. Transition systems have been developed to overcome these barriers, focusing on the needs of the individual, the role of parents, and the role of the state education agency. Several cooperative interagency models have been created by states…

This article describes the continuum of treatment/education interventions developed to address the needs of Kentucky adjudicated and other at-risk and delinquent youth, ranging from school-based alternative education programs to long-term stays in residential programs. The interagency collaborative approach emphasizes transition planning to less…

This newsletter theme issue describes a state-local team partnership model for interagency transition efforts for young adults with deaf-blindness. Excepts from a presentation by Jane M. Everson identify key aspects and characteristics of effective state and local interagency partnerships. These include: (1) strategies for initiating and…

This publication addresses basic issues related to the concept of transition as it is applied to students with disabilities in California. Following a pretest (and its answer key), the document uses a question and answer format to discuss common concerns about transition, normalization, the school role, the "Bridges" model developed by…

These two newsletter issues of the National Transition Alliance (NTA) for Youth with Disabilities present articles concerning the transition of youth with disabilities from school-to-work (STW) and related informational items. The first issue contains the following articles: "Bringing a Complicated System into Harmony" (focus on the…

A prerelease program was developed to provide job training to persons who were within 90 to 120 days of their scheduled release date from a Washington State prison. The Geiger program was sponsored and operated jointly by Spokane County and State agencies. Because it was determined that the 84-bed unit would handle approximately 30 arrivals and 30…