After Graduation, What Comes Next?
High school graduation is a time of excitement and anticipation. After years of studying, learning, struggles, successes and failures, the gates are suddenly wide open and the whole world awaits on the other side. For most high school students, even if they have not decided on the exact thing they want to pursue next, there are clear pathways laid out to begin a journey. Graduating students with disabilities however, may face a more uncertain path. Parents often express dismay or confusion about what comes next – and where to even find the resources to begin making a plan. Progress offers several programs that are a great option for graduating high school students with disabilities, including Project SEARCH.
Project SEARCH is an internationally established program with sites across the globe. The goal of Project SEARCH is to fill a business need with qualified individuals with developmental disabilities. Progress offers two Project SEARCH program sites in Middle Tennessee. Project SEARCH is a 9-month internship in a specific industry setting, offering tuition-free job training and educational, developmental and employment opportunities. Interns spend 9 months rotating through various departments and roles at the site, gaining valuable real-world experience. Following completion of the 9-month program, graduates are employment-ready. Graduating classes consistently achieve over 90% employment at graduation time.
The two Project SEARCH locations that Progress manages are located at Embassy Suites (hospitality industry training) and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (healthcare industry training). Project SEARCH at Embassy Suites is designed for Metro Nashville Public School students (current or graduating out of the school system during the current year) with a developmental disability, age 22 years or younger. Project SEARCH at Vanderbilt University Medical Center is for anyone with a disability who has exited the Metro school system (or any school system), and there is no age limit to participate.
There are 17 Project SEARCH locations in Tennessee, and all can be viewed at the Vocational Rehabilitation site here.
According to the National School Boards Association, “The bad news is that students with disabilities graduate on time, with regular diplomas, at a much lower rate than for all students. The average graduation rate for students with disabilities–those served by IDEA–was 67.1 percent, according to the latest data. That’s 17.5 percentage points lower than the 84.6 percent rate at which all students graduated. In other words, roughly only two of every three students with disabilities graduated with a regular high school diploma and within four years of starting ninth grade. The other one of three took longer to graduate with a regular diploma, graduated with an alternate diploma, or didn’t graduate at all.”
It is well documented that navigating high school and reaching graduation can be more challenging for students with disabilities, but reaching their potential after graduation should not be lost due to lack of awareness of options available. To make transitioning easier, Tennessee Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) offers several resources. In Tennessee, VR currently offers three pathways for transition to work after high school. These are Transition School to Work program (TSW), Pre-Employment Transition Services, and Project SEARCH. To learn more about these programs, visit the TN Vocational Rehabilitation Transition Services website.
For a comprehensive guide on all disability service providers in Tennessee, visit the Tennessee Disability Pathfinder website. The site allows you to start your “journey” by choosing the resources you are looking for, the stage of life (you can choose “transition/young adult” as an option), the diagnosis and the county. From there, you can access a list of providers that meet your chosen criteria, including contact information for each. The Tennessee Disability Pathfinder also offers a helpline to further help you access the information you need.
There are countless other programs available for young adults with disabilities transitioning out of high school. Transition Tennessee is a must-visit resource, and is a partnership between the Tennessee Department of Education, Tennessee Department of Human Services, Vanderbilt University, and the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service (UCEDD). Through these collaborations, Transition Tennessee offers tip sheets, resources, a monthly newsletter, live and recorded webcasts, and much, much more to help navigate the transition out of high school in Tennessee.
The great news is that graduation rates for students with disabilities continues to climb, according to a recent article in Disability Scoop. Navigating a path after graduation can be challenging when you don’t know where to start, but there are many great resources to help make things clearer. Progress is a proud partner of Vocational Rehabilitation and is a provider of two Project SEARCH programs, as well as several other employment programs for people with disabilities. Don’t be overwhelmed by what comes next after graduation; let these resources and programs help you plan and achieve your goals.