Independent Living

Independent Living refers to skills a person needs to function independently in life, and may include such areas as cooking, transportation, budgeting, safety, technology, housing, time management, social skills, etc.  While different disabilities and needs may require this to be individualized, each person has opportunity to be as independent as possible in all areas they can be.

Scroll below to learn more about Independent Living.

During the COVID19 Pandemic, much we are doing has shifted to online instruction and resources.  Our Transition Instructional Resources lists on-line learning resources that are available during this time to help.  These resources have been collected primarily through national Transition networks to help during this crisis.  We cannot officially recommend any one resource over another.  They are available at this time, though after this crisis they may require a fee from individuals.  Please take a look.

The term "Transition" will be heard often during the time your student is in secondary special education.  It is the term meant to say, "What instruction, assessment, activities, and outside agencies will be used to help the student transition from being a DSD student to graduating with a diploma or receiving a "Certificate of Completion," and then enter their roles as adults?" 

This is a process.  It's a bridge that we build together to help the student cross over to their adulthood.  The time to start building this bridge is when the student turns 14 years-old.  You, your student's teachers, this Transition to Adulthood website, pertinent adult agencies and organizations, and our annual DSD SpEd and 504 Transition Fair help to make this process as effective as possible.

To learn more, please select this Transition to Adulthood main page and scroll down on that page for topics. Review the specific tabs and topics above, also. The sooner you begin, the better the outcome will be.  

Post-Secondary Education looks at what learning setting a student will participate in after receiving their high school Diploma or a Certificate of Completion.   

Transition planning for Post-Secondary Education refers to skills and preparation needed to attend a variety of post-secondary education settings (universities, community colleges, technical school, military, apprenticeships, on-the-job training, etc.).  A common misconception is that this domain only refers to gong to a 4-year university.  These skills may be in areas such as choosing a major, class selection, assignment completion, test-taking, organization, study skills, following directions, etc.  All students with disabilities can and should attend some form of post-secondary education/training!

For more information about transition planning for Post-Secondary Education, please select the link.

Transition planning for employment covers skills necessary for many levels of employment, such as:

• Competitive Employment
• Self-Employment
• Customized Employment, and
• Supported Employment.

These skills may be in areas such as career exploration, interest inventories, job-matching, applying for jobs, building a portfolio, being on-time, following directions, associating with colleagues, job-specific skills, work-kits, etc. depending on the student's readiness and level of supports needed.

For more information about transition planning for employment, select this link.

Vocational Rehabilitation is often an agency that helps with employment and post-secondary education.  Their information can be found under Help with Transition (Agencies and Organizations).

There are two types of supports involved in helping families with their student's transition to adulthood - those inside of school and those outside of school. 

Inside schools, teachers begin actively working on transition plans when students turn 14 years old.  With parent and student input, teachers update the proposal for the transition plan as they annually develop the proposed IEP/504.  IEP/504 Meetings become a time for the team to review and update them.  

Outside of school, agencies and organizations can become involved with students at different times during a student's education.  However, parents & guardians must reach out and apply for their services.  This is why we maintain our Agencies & Organizations page (with recommended ages to initiate services) in our Transition information.  As students are connected with agencies, parents may even want to have them attend their student's IEP.

To see information on agencies and organizations that can help with transition, please click the link. 

The most successful transitions observed involve the agencies and organizations working with the student before they finish school and engage their supports into employment, post-secondary education, and independent living without any gaps.  This is why Davis School District sponsors an annual 504 & Special Education Transition Fair - a night to come out and meet many agencies and organizations in one place at one time.

Every year, Davis School District (DSD) annually sponsors a free 504 & Special Education Transition Fair to help parents, guardians, and students meet and become familiar with the help different agencies and organizations can provide.  The 2021 Transition Fair will be virtual through our website. For more information, please select this link DSD Transition Fair and pre-register.  Further information will be distributed to teachers and parents during the coming school year.  We invite everyone to attend and meet face-to-face with agencies and organizations to learn what would be helpful for them.

We maintain a list all-year round with those agencies and organizations that participated in the last Transition Fair.  That list is found under the Help with Transition (Agencies and Organizations) link, as well as on our DSD Transition Fair page for convenience.