SWAP is collaborating with Longmont HS special education teachers on their new Transition to Independence class for 11th and 12th grade students.
There are currently 15 students enrolled in the year-long class designed for 11th and 12th grade students on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), who need additional instruction and practice in pre-employment skills, functional independent living skills, and post-secondary readiness skills. Students will receive instruction on a variety of topics, including: advocacy, career exploration, professionalism, workplace readiness skills, financial literacy, and post-secondary exploration. Swap has assisted by providing information on the course content for the lesson plans and assignments.
Generally, students receive career information in Longmont High School’s Personal Financial Literacy class, but it is condensed into one unit. The Transition to Independence class was created because special education students need more explicit instruction on topics and need more time to explore and do research on topics. “Our students need to visualize and experience in order to make decisions,” said Nicole Weiss, special education teacher at Longmont High School.
Special education students should enroll in the class if they need help with post-secondary planning since this class can be more individualized than a general education class could be.