When your child becomes a teenager, you'll need to start planning for his or her future after high school. Where will your child live as an adult? Is college or vocational school an option? What about employment?

It's a lot to consider, but transition planning can help. With some careful thought and help from your child's school, doctors, and your state's government agencies, you can make the move to adulthood as smooth as possible for you and your child.

Here are 6 steps to consider.

Step 1: Start the Transition Plan

Some schools start planning for a teen's future at age 13 or 14; by federal law, a transition individualized education program (IEP) must be started by age 16. The transition IEP addresses whether a teen is able to:

• remain in high school until the end of the year that he or she turns 21. This extra time can allow your child to complete graduation requirements, or attend vocational rehabilitation to learn job skills and try jobs of interest. Students also may focus on developing independent living skills, including how to get around on public transportation and handle money.
• complete the requirements for a high school diploma. If your teen is not on the diploma track, what will it take for him or her to earn a certificate of completion or attendance?
• go to college or trade school, and if so, how to get there.

If higher education is not a good fit, maybe:

• employment with or without support from a job coach; or
• a day program, in which your teen engages in the arts and other activities.

The IEP team will talk with you and your teen about goals for the future.

YOUNG ADULTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS TRACK

New Directions was originally created to help young adults with special needs transition into independence. With the proper and appropriate clinical support, unique programming, guidance, family atmosphere, and strong academic and vocational programing, we are confident that our young adults with learning challenges can overcome their obstacles and achieve their goals. New Directions is a state of the art multi-disciplinary clinical program that integrates expertise in cognitive behavioral therapy, developmental theory, and neuropsychology, into an evidenced-based treatment approach that is both empathic and based on the current scientific literature.

New Directions specializes in serving students with:

• Anxiety and/or Depression
• ASD
• Executive functioning deficits
• Learning Challenges
• Social Skill difficulties/deficits

Our purpose is to change the way the world defines and views disabilities by making profound, positive differences in people’s lives.

With the help of our supporters we are “taking on disability together” and working to enrich the lives of people living with disabilities and special needs by providing opportunities to live, learn, work, and play in their communities!

What's New

The Midland School Mission

The Midland School is a comprehensive special education program dedicated to the academic, social, emotional, and career education needs of children with developmental disabilities. Its mission is to provide quality programs that enable its students to reach their highest level of achievement and independence allowing them to become contributing members of their communities.

participate in school programs. These include activities that involve them directly with their child’s academic, social and recreational growth, to services that support the family, and projects that involve them in the support and growth of the School.

We welcome and encourage parent participation at any level that makes sense for the entire family. We also recognize that parents may have busy lives and other responsibilities and try to offer parent programs that are flexible enough for everyone.