YTP Essential Program Characteristics

  1. Provide a systems-level infrastructure to monitor and guide students to obtain post-school goals. At a minimum:
  • Describe the number of youth in the school who meet the eligibility requirements, the number you anticipate serving in YTP (i.e. “Student Base”), and number of potentially eligible students. Provide the basis for this estimate.
  • Define Local YTP Team membership including their qualifications, roles, and responsibilities- including direct supervision for transition specialist and fiscal management specific to YTP.
  • Describe the physical learning and work space (e.g. at the comprehensive high school; an “off campus” community transition location; shared office) to be utilized by YTP staff and participants.
  • Describe the program start date, schedule for provision of YTP services, Transition Specialist’s schedule (days/hours per days) dedicated to YTP throughout the school year and during summer months.
  • Describe how continuity of activities will be preserved during summer months.
  • Describe how the needs of diverse and underserved student populations will be met within Pre-ETS and other YTP activities.
  1. Provide an integrated instruction in all areas of independent living for all students with disabilities. At a minimum:
  • Describe how instruction related to transportation, self-determination, goal setting, and decision-making will be provided to ensure YTP participants achieve their employment goal.
  • Describe how Pre-ETS activities are or will be integrated into instruction.
  1. Provide an individualized transition-focused curriculum and instruction based on students’ postsecondary goals in postsecondary education, employment, and independent living. For example, describe specific curricula and/or evidence-based instructional practices (e.g., published curricula, motivational interviewing, simulations, prompting) used to support instruction in key areas (e.g., Pre-ETS, core academics, social, or work-related skills).
  1. Provide instruction and training in natural environments supported by classroom instruction. For example, describe how skills taught in the classroom will be connected to real-life, work-based, community living experiences and vise-versa.
  1. Provide individualized transition services based on students’ postsecondary goals in postsecondary education, employment, and independent living. At a minimum:
  2. Describe the proposed YTP scope of activities that will be introduced, continued, or expanded on site.
  • Describe how the proposed YTP scope of activities will provide the necessary support to:
  • Ensure the provision of all five Pre-ETS for students with disabilities within the School/District(s) through existing programs or the development of new YTP services;
  • Facilitate identification and referral of students with disabilities to receive Pre-ETS;
  • Facilitate Identification and referral of students with disabilities to VR for enhanced Core YTP Activities;
  • Assist students in applying and becoming eligible for VR services;
  • Provide individualized Information & Referral to employment and related resources;
  • Individualized Plan for Employment development and implementation in coordination with VR.
  • Describe what and how follow-up services will be provided to ensure participants maintain competitive integrated employment after exiting YTP.
  • Describe what strategies will be used to ensure a Participant’s IEP is aligned to complement and support his IPE.
  1. Provide participants opportunities for engagement with non-disabled peers in the school and community. At a minimum:
  2. Describe existing activities in the school or district that constitute Pre-ETS and work-based learning opportunities.
  • Specify how students with disabilities have access to and are currently participating in existing Pre-ETS activities and work-based learning opportunities (e.g. school business).
  • Describe how YTP will enhance Participants’ participation in Pre-ETS and work-based learning opportunities.
  1. Use interagency collaboration with clearly defined roles and responsibilities to provide coordinated transition servicesto assist students in meeting their postsecondary goals. At a minimum:
  2. Describe how collaboration with Vocational Rehabilitation will be ensured, including how often, when, and where time between the Transition Specialist and Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor will be accomplished.
  • Describe any other collaborations that will be solicited or enhanced to ensure success for participants and/or the program (e.g., TA Providers, local businesses, other adult agencies).
  1. Monitor and assess students’ progress in the domains of academics, daily living, personal and social, and occupational. For example, describe the mechanisms used to assess and monitor participants’ mastery of self-determination/self-advocacy skills, work-related skills, including social skills.
  1. Use multiple strength-based assessments across multiple domains at different points in time to assist student and IEP teams in post-school planning. For example, describe how participants’ individual needs will be assessed to determine needed transition services, shared with VRC to determine Participant’s functional limitations and VR eligibility, and used to develop the IPE.
  1. Provide training and resources to families to involve them in transition planning and connect them to adult agencies and support and information networks. For example, describe how participants’ individual needs will be assessed, using age-appropriate transition assessments, to determine needed transition services; describe how information from the assessments will be shared with VRC and used to determine Participant’s functional limitations and VR eligibility, and to develop the IPE.

11.Conduct program evaluation to assess effectiveness of transition program. At a minimum:

  • Describe how the YTP database will be used to inform program development and implementation.
  • Describe how the YTP will be monitor its progress toward meeting the performance benchmarks, including for consortia, how each participating school/District will contribute to and be accountable for the site’s performance benchmarks.
  • Describeother sources of data that will be used to ensure Participant and program success.

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