The term ‘transition services’ means a coordinated set of activities for a child with a disability to facilitate the child’s pathway from school to post-school activities, including postsecondary education, vocational education, integrated employment (including supported employment), continuing and adult education, adult services, independent living or community participation. Services are provided in collaboration between the district and outside agencies. The plan for such services is updated annually, beginning with the first IEP developed when the child is age 15, but not later than the end of ninth grade, or earlier if deemed appropriate by the IEP team. 

As a part of transition planning, an IEP team may determine that a student with a disability may  benefit from participation in St. Vrain Valley School District’s 18-21 Transition Services Program, designed to support 18-21-year-old students’ movement from school to post-school activities. Services are determined by the IEP team and adapt and align to an individual’s unique needs.

St. Vrain Valley School District’s primary transition program, Life Skills Alternative Cooperative Education or LSACE, provides services for students 18-21 years of age, who continue to require specially designed instruction to work towards post-school goals, but who also benefit from a structured setting offering functional academic and adaptive skill-building opportunities delivered primarily within a group of similarly-situated peers. For students whose needs do not align with LSACE’s structured support, IEP teams can develop Alternative Options designed to meet a student’s unique circumstances. Alternative Options can include a variety of services and supports, including but not limited to: homebound services, self-determination and personal skill engagement, cooperative services across district programming (i.e. PTECH/P-Teach etc.) and other unique circumstances.

Transition services ARE: 

• Designed to serve as a bridge from K-12 education to post-school/adult life.
• Provide services with a focus on connections to adult services, community engagement, supported employment, and/or alternative or inclusive education opportunities. 
• Clearly identify programming with specialized instruction and activity objectives aligned with individual students’ transition needs and goals.
• Build independent living skills by providing flexibility between school and community experiences based on individual preferences, interests, strengths and needs aligned with postsecondary goals.

Transition Services ARE NOT: 

• A continuation of High School 
• Located in the student’s neighborhood school, nor the building/location of parent or student choosing (Parent input will be considered)
• Full day/full-time programming
• Solely designed for leisure and/or social activities.

Colorado school districts, including St. Vrain Valley School District, help all students with a plan for transition from high school to post-school planning through an Individual Career and Academic Plan (iCap). In addition to completing an iCap through the general education curriculum, IDEA-eligible students also engage in Transition Planning through their Transition IEP. A Transition IEP shifts the educational programming lens to target goals, services and supports as they relate to living in the adult community and developing independence. For some students, after exiting high school, complete independence will be possible; others might need support throughout life. St. Vrain will continue to strive to help all students prepare for their own unique transition into adulthood.

Parents have an active role in transition planning and should consider exploring and applying for various outside agency supports and services based on their student’s needs. Linked here are some considerations for families to explore. (Not all resources are appropriate for every student.) 

The decision for a student to receive additional educational services beyond the minimum credits needed for a high school diploma is a team decision based on an overall educational plan that will assist the student to move as close as possible to their identified post-school outcomes. See “Determining if LSACE is Right for Your Student (Process)” below.

St. Vrain Valley School District’s LSACE Program offers information for  students and parents to prepare them for post-school opportunities. Successful transition programming relies heavily on both family engagement and school based services.

Student eligibility for an 18-21 Transition Services Program, such as LSACE or any Alternative Option is an IEP team decision. Parents, Students or the Case Manager can request an IEP team meeting to review assessment data, discuss the student’s needs and determine if the student will continue to require specialized instruction to continue to meaningfully work towards their post-secondary goals following the student’s senior year of high school. 

The 18-21 Transition Services Program discussion should begin during the annual review meeting in a student’s junior year. In any situation in which the team is considering a student’s participation in 18-21 Transition Services Program, the case manager should invite the overseeing district special education assistant director. During the meeting the case manager or school district or transition coordinator may facilitate the team’s discussion using this form.

To access SVVSD’s Transition Services Program: 

• A student must be under age 21, or else, if the student’s 21st birthday occurs after the commencement of the academic year, then the semester in which the 21st birthday occurs has not yet concluded. 
• A student with an IEP must not have exited school and graduated from high school by meeting the grade level standards required to obtain a regular diploma. (Students on modified standards remain eligible for transition services through the conclusion of the semester in which they turn 21).
• A student must be enrolled or transferred  into a St. Vrain Valley school, have an active IEP, and meet criteria for services as determined by the IEP team.
• A student must continue to have unmet goals pertaining to post-secondary outcomes in the areas of education/training, employment, community access, or independent living that require specialized instruction. 
• Have skill deficits impeding fulfillment of attainable post-secondary goals prior to satisfying graduation requirements. 
• Most have a moderate to significant disability and are focused on learning skills to engage in supported employment, community based independent living and/or inclusive education opportunities.

The team can use this transition assessment, as well as this flowchart to support consideration for services.

Graduation Information as it Relates to 18-21 Services

For students whose IEP teams determined the student is working on modified standards, graduation does not terminate a student’s eligibility for 18-21 services. 

Some students may participate in a ‘social graduation’ at the conclusion of their senior year, but their receipt of their diploma will be deferred to receive 18-21 services. A student’s right to receive a free and appropriate public education (“FAPE”) ends once a diploma has been received  by the student. At the end of the academic year when the student exits from transition services, the district will issue the diploma, which will reflect the date that the student exited transition services–not the date of their social graduation ceremony.

Once a team determines that the student is likely to require the district’s 18-21 Transition Services Program, someone from the Program will connect with the IEP team (usually during the student’s senior year IEP meeting or spring semester of their senior year) to help the team refine the initial phases of the student’s pathway and further discuss services and planned continuation date.

St. Vrain Valley Schools offers four pathways for 18-21 Transition Services Program. Pathways are structured to support each student’s individual needs and postsecondary goals. While all students receive instruction tailored to their specific learning needs, each pathway provides a focused emphasis on skill development aligned with its designated area.

1. LSACE-Foundations for Independence
   pathway provides students with classroom and school-based experiences that encourage active participation in their daily routines, decision-making, and personal schedule. They develop foundational independent living skills, including personal care, communication, and social interactions, within a structured, supportive environment. The program also focuses on appropriate behavior and self-advocacy skills, helping students build confidence in expressing preferences and participating meaningfully in their surroundings. Students receive continuous adult supervision to ensure safety and engagement in learning. Instruction is fully supported, with adults guiding all tasks and decisions in a small-group setting. Sessions are offered from 7:45-10:45 or 12:00-3:00, Monday through Friday. Most students participate in either morning or afternoon sessions for 2-3 days per week.
   
2. LSACE-Community Based Education
   Community Based services provide students with classroom and community experiences that invite students to find their talents and gifts and contribute to their environment by giving to others.  Students in the Community-Based Education strand increase their independence, confidence, and self-advocacy in the community.  This strand emphasizes independent living skills, recreation/leisure activities, and an introduction to exploring volunteer and work-based learning opportunities. Students receive ongoing adult supervision and support to build independence. They work in small groups with adult guidance, sometimes completing familiar routines independently while receiving instruction, modeling, and coaching. The program offers sessions from 9:00-2:45, Monday through Friday. Most students participate in partial day sessions for 2-3 days per week.
   
3. LSACE-Career & Vocational Connection
   The Career & Vocational Connections pathway provides students with structured opportunities to explore, prepare for, and gain experience in their chosen career interests with volunteering and training with the goal of fading into paid employment opportunities. Through a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on school-based business experiences, and community-based learning, students develop the skills needed for their next steps—whether in employment, technical training, or postsecondary education. 
   
   Students will engage in classroom-based instructional days focused on career exploration, employability skills, and industry-specific knowledge. They will also participate in a school-based business day to develop workplace habits and gain practical experience through simulated school-based employment experiences. Additionally, students will have at least one day dedicated to volunteering, job shadowing, or work-based learning in the community within their chosen focus area: Retail & Business, Hospitality & Food Service, Human Services (Caregiving, Office, Education), Animals, Plants & Nature, Art, Creativity & Technology.
   
   Students are mostly independent in classroom and community settings, with adults providing direction for new skills and tasks. Support is targeted, focusing on problem-solving, workplace readiness, and increasing self-sufficiency. Sessions are available Monday through Friday from 7:45-10:45 AM or 12:00-3:00 PM. Most first-year LSACE students attend either a morning or afternoon session 3-4 days per week, while most second- and third-year students attend 2-3 days per week. Session times (morning or afternoon) are assigned based on the student’s chosen focus area.
4. Alternative Options-
   Alternative Options are singularly and particularly designed to support students with the most unique particularized needs. Alternative Options target the student’s unique goals and circumstances, which in many cases render participation in a group setting inappropriate and necessitate services to be delivered in a condensed, narrowly targeted manner. Program sessions are likely to range from 30 minutes to 3 hours, and most students pursuing Alternative Options will participate in sessions 2-3 days per week depending on the student’s needs.

Services could be accessed anywhere from one to six semesters depending on when a student meets the exit criteria. The goal of transition services is to bridge towards a student’s goals. Transition Services Programs are thus structured to gradually fade out, and adult services (outside agency services) fade in. While case managers can provide resources and information, it is the parent/family’s responsibility to initiate and engage in adult services. Students are exited from the Transition Services Program when the first of the following occurs: 1.) the student has the skills and abilities to meet their post-secondary goals* or 2.) the student reaches the end of the semester when their 21st birthday occurs, or 3.) the student no longer chooses to participate. (*Students on modified state standards or EEOs, continue to remain eligible for 18-21 services beyond meeting their post-secondary goals.)

Transition Services Program start and end dates follow the St. Vrain Valley School District calendar for 12th graders. Days and times of attendance vary, based on a student’s tailored program designed with individual identified transition needs in mind. Most students receive between 2 hours and 12 hours of services per week. Students who attend more hours generally have more significant needs and are focused on improving community based independent living skills. Hours of support will decrease as students demonstrate proficiency and move toward adulthood. The student’s last day of 18-21 services should look like their first day of adult services.

To this end, it is highly recommended that parents partner with outside agencies to engage in adult services during times when the student is not engaged in the 18-21 Transition Services Program. The district will be as collaborative as possible to support the student’s access to both service models. 

Related services may be necessary to assist the student in accessing the specialized instruction delivered in the Transition Services Program. Over the course of the student’s experience in the Transition Services Program, related services may transition to community providers to establish  continuity with adult services in anticipation of the conclusion of the Transition Services Program. The majority of students in 18-21 Transition Services Program are either connected with or on a wait list with their county’s community center board. 

Transportation is provided by the school district to and from school. When appropriate, students may access public transportation via RTD, Via, or Call-n-Ride for work experiences.

• Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) supports youth and adults with disabilities. It is recommended that St. Vrain Valley students who may need additional support in navigating career exploration, preparation, and on the job support apply for a Youth Services Program.
  • Informational Flyer
  • Informational Video
  • English Application & Forms, Spanish Application & Forms
  • Contact: Christine Fluet, Pre-ETS Technician     christine.fluet@state.co.us
    
• If your student has an Intellectual Disability (ID), The state of Colorado offers single entry points for adult services for students and adults with disabilities called “Community Center Boards”. Case Management Services assist a person in accessing necessary services and supports to meet his or her needs. Services include intake, eligibility determination, service plan development, arrangement for services, delivery of services, service and support coordination, monitoring, any safeguards necessary. Students within St. Vrain Valley School District typically reside in Boulder and Weld Counties. Below, is the information for your particular county:
  • Boulder County: A&I Avenues
    • Intake & Enrollment Process
    • Intake Application
    • Services for Children, Adults & Families
  • Weld County: Weld County Case Management Agency
    • Intake/Case Management Application
    • Apply through Colorado PEAK at www.colorado.gov/PEAK
    • (970) 400-6950 or email WeldCountyCMA@weld.gov

For more information on Adult Services visit our Outside Agencies and Resources webpage.