The difficult transitions of adolescence combined with the challenges of learning a new language and culture can be overwhelming for immigrant secondary school students. This Digest highlights three ways educators can help students through these critical transitions and provides brief descriptions of three programs that are working to facilitate…

This paper offers a structured framework for the transition of students with disabilities from middle or junior high school to high school. First, it outlines a transition decision tree to help decide whether a formal transition plan is needed. Next, the paper offers a 10-step set of practices appropriate for all students with disabilities in the…

This paper discusses the impact of Follow Through, a comprehensive program for low-income children in grades 1-3 and their parents previously enrolled in Head Start programs. The program was designed to help families make the transition from preschool to early elementary school. The paper notes that the longevity of Follow Through (over 25 years)…

This congressional hearing reviews the continuing implementation of sections 1142, 1143, and 1144 of Title 10, United States Code, and section 1418(a) of Title 38, the Transition Assistance Program to assist servicemembers separating from the Armed Forces as a result of downsizing. Testimony includes statements, prepared statements, and written…

Project RETAIN (Retention in Education Technical Assistance and Information Network) is a Florida project that assists school districts through identification and dissemination of effective practices that keep students with mild disabilities in school. One part of the project was the development of a database of school district efforts in the area…

This manual is a guide for facilitating a 3-hour community interagency planning workshop on the transition of young children with disabilities and is comprised of a facilitator's manual, a participant's manual, and a preconference packet. The facilitator's manual provides a listing of necessary materials, a general workshop process checklist, a…

This paper explores the transition from school to young adulthood of youth with disabilities from the first wave (n=939) of the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS). Two popular sociological perspectives which explain the postschool success of youth with disabilities were examined: human capital in the form of education and training, and…

This transition policy update presents regulatory language associated with key provisions of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act Amendments of 1990, as set forth in the August 14, 1992 issue of the "Federal Register." The discussion focuses on: the inclusion of youth with disabilities within the term…

This policy update provides an overview of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program as it applies to youth with disabilities at the time of their transition from high school. The paper defines "disabled individual" and "substantial gainful work," outlines how income and resources are identified for determining…

The transfer to a new school or grade has been identified as a typical transition period for students that is usually characterized by declining academic performance and increased absences. At the close of the 1991-92 academic year 26% of 9th-grade students in a large urban high school were failing 50% or more of their courses. A preventive…

Many colleges and universities have designed summer transition programs for students entering their schools. The goal of these programs is to ease the transitional processes students encounter, and to enable the student to feel more acclimated to campus life. Summer transitional programs have been particularly important because they operate at a…

These four conference papers from the Biennial Conference on Postsecondary Education for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing focus on transitioning from high school to college. The first paper, "Transitioning Collaboration with Schools and Vocational Rehabilitation" (Catherine Wilson and Wayne Giese), describes the North Carolina…

Designed for school personnel and any other individuals involved in the transition planning process for students with disabilities, this handbook describes the potential benefits of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) work incentives for students with disabilities in transition and provides specific guidelines as to how school personnel can…

The School Readiness Act of 1991 (S. 911) amends the Head Start Act to expand the availability of the comprehensive health, educational, nutritional, and social services of Head Start to all eligible children and their families by 1997. This senate report on S. 911 begins by affirming the effectiveness of high quality early childhood development…

This paper suggests a framework for analyzing needs of students with disabilities in dealing with transition services in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). It outlines procedures to follow to ensure adequate service delivery. The framework and procedures are intended to result in IEPs that not only will survive legal challenges but…