Young Adult Program (18+ Program)

Mission

The mission of the 18+ Young Adult Program is to ensure student's have a meaningful and fulfilling life after high school. We prepare students and families for the day that school services end. The program is designed to assist students and their families to build an adult schedule and begin putting it in place while still having support from the school. This includes focusing on Employment, Education/Training, Social Recreation & Leisure, and Independent Living. While slowly fading school supports, we identify needs of the student and help families connect with agencies to provide supports after high school. Our dream is for the student's last day of school to be a day of celebration, not a day of fear and uncertainty for parents and families. There are many differences between high school and an 18+ program. This guide will help explain the differences and outline the overall process and the program itself. Special Education Acronyms used in this guide: ARD - Admission, Review, Dismissal TAC - Texas Administrative Code IEP - Individualized Education Plan FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions TEKS - Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills PLAAFP - Present Levels of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance HS - High School

Eligibility

Students with disabilities who receive modified content in one or more courses for state graduation credit are eligible for 18+ services if they : - have met credit and assessment requirements for graduation - have been on their home campus for 4 years - have not reached age 22 by September 1 of the school year (Danner, 2018) Further, the ARD Committee must determine the needed educational services upon the request of the child or parent to resume services. (TAC 89.1070.k)

18+ Assessment

In order to assess and determine educational need, an 18+ Assessment will be given for students potentially attending the Young Adult Program located at Carrigan. This assessment will be given by the Diagnostician at Carrigan This assessment includes: - Review of previous IEP information - Transition assessment given to the student - 18+ Parent Survey - Decision-Making Matrix for 18+ students filled out by classroom teacher - Other additional sources of information as needed This assessment will conclude with recommendations of potential skills that need to be addressed and classes and supports that the student may need. These recommendations will be reviewed and considered by the ARD committee to create IEP goals and schedule.

ARD Meeting

Initial ARD meetings to move the student into the program will be held at the student's home campus. However, all ARD meetings after that will be held at Carrigan. While attending the ARD, you may notice there is not a General Education Teacher attending the meeting. General Education teachers are required at High School ARDs, but according to the Region 13 FAQ page, Gen Ed teachers are not required to attend an ARD for a student accessing 18+ services ONLY: "While it is a local decision whether to invite a general education teacher to an ARD meeting, there are several citations to support the determination that it is not appropriate for any teacher who will not be implementing the IEP to attend," (Region 13 FAQ Page).

Instruction

Students accessing 18+ have completed high school credits, so the TEKS are not required. IEP Goals for 18+ are not based on TEKS but based on PLAAFP and the skills identified by transition assessments: - Academic goals to address the skills needed for continued education and employment - Functional goals to address skills needed for Independent Living, Employment, and Social Recreation & Leisure (Danner, 2018).

Transportation

According to the Quality Indicators for 18+ Services, "The least restrictive environment for transportation in an adult schedule is not the yellow school bus but rather the use of adult transportation options, both public and private. The student/parent/18+ team identify the post-school transportation options and partner with the parent to conduct travel training." With this in mind, the mode of transportation for every student will be an individual determination by the ARD committee. Graduation While in 18+ services, graduation will be reviewed annually to determine if the student has mastered their IEP and should graduate, or if the student has more need for educational services. While student's are eligible to stay until age 22, the ARD committee should always be trying to help the student become more independent as soon as possible. Cell Phone Policy In order to mimic a real employment setting, cell phones will be put away in a safe place during instruction. Students may use their phone to contact the parent/guardian in an emergency, and parent/guardians are able to contact the school if they wish to communicate with their child (contact info is at the end of this manual).

Program Overview

The 18+ Young Adult Program focuses on instruction in the four main areas of transition:

1. Employment

2. Education/Training

3. Social Recreation & Leisure

4. Independent Living Each student's schedule will look different depending on the needs determined by the 18+ Assessment.

The following services are available to assist in implementing each student's IEP, as appropriate: - Direct classroom instruction - Community Based Instruction - Lunch Program - Career Skills Workstations - Job Connection Skills

The 18+ Young Adult Program is housed at Carrigan Center. According to the Quality Indicators for 18+ Services, "18+ Students do not go back to the high school campuses to take classes as they have completed high school requirements. The students are members of the adult community and community education options are investigated and accessed, if appropriate," (Garrett Center, 2017). The Quality Indicators also address activities on the high school campus, "18+ students do not participate in activities that are limited to enrolled HS students. 18+ students participate in adult and community activities," (Garrett Center, 2017).

Schedule

One major difference between High school and an 18+ program is the schedule. According to the Region 13 FAQ Page, students do not have to maintain a typical school day within 18+ programming. Ultimately, it is up to the ARD committee to determine the amount of time needed for the student to meet their goals.

Carrigan Bell Schedule:

1st - 7:45 am - 8:32 am

2nd - 8:36 am- 9:23 am

3rd - 9:27 am - 10:14 am

4th - 10:18 am - 11:05 am

Lunch: 11:10 am - 11:40 5th - 11:45 am -

12:32 pm 6th - 12:36 pm - 1:23 pm

7th - 1:27 pm - 2:14 pm (Dismissal)

Teacher Conference - 2:18 pm - 3:05 pm Note: Breakfast will be served starting at 7:15 am.

Resources 

13 FAQ about 18+: https://www4.esc13.net/18-plus/faq/

For a copy of the following two resources, please contact David Hamilton: 18+ Programs & Services for students with disabilities (Danner, 2018). Quality Indicators for 18+ Services (Garrett Center, 2017).

Young Adult Program Pop Up Shops