For many young adults their 18th birthday is a stepping stone to their future life and it is so for our transitioning students in BISD’s Learning for Life Program. The Brazosport ISD’s Transition Center is designed to teach independent living skills, including vocational skills, to students receiving special education services, ages 18-22. The goals of the Center are to help students become as independent as possible, including securing competitive integrated employment and life skills.
Transition students learn to budget earnings, make purchases, interact appropriately in different settings, follow directions, and more. This is a tiered program and students have the opportunity to advance through various levels of instruction for their needs and interests, with a focus on life and work after the school setting.
The Transition Center opened in BISD, known as ‘The Cottage,’ in 2009 and has served numerous students in transitioning into their adult lives. The program offers unique opportunities for real-world learning including on-site, job-skill training at Family Life Church, Kroger, and the Lake Jackson Museum for possible future placement in the workforce. In these programs their training includes experience in skills such as material preparation, inventory management, event preparation, clerical and office support, and maintenance service. The development and expansion of the Transition Center Program provides every student a quality education through outstanding learning experiences.Special Education Teacher, Sara Evans explains, “This program provides a wonderful opportunity for our students to discover everything that they are capable of and skills they never realize they had.”
The Texas Education Agency provides secondary transition guidance that includes integrated employment, including supported employment as well as independent living and community participation. In addition to the job skills training within the community, the Transition Center prepares these young adults for possible independent living through home skills such as food preparation, personal finance management, and access to community services and community transportation.
“The Transition program has been great for Thomas,” mother Norma Hernadez shared. “He has opened up more and interacted more with others outside of the family. He does more work on his own and has more direction and self- initiative, and not as timid approaching others and work as before.”
This successful program, supported by BISD and our surrounding community partners, is the next step in the lives of these valuable citizens; Learning for Life.