Thinking Ahead: Preparing for Life after Graduation

As busy parents and educators, it can be hard to think of anything else other than the present moment.  I spent many years of my career working with students in high school and transition programs, and it can be very overwhelming for families and students to plan for the future when school is done, whether that is after high school graduation or completion of a transition program. However, I have found that when we can start thinking ahead to plans for the future, we can collaboratively support the student to meet that goal.  While we don’t have a crystal ball to accurately predict what the future looks like for our students, there are a few actionable steps we can take as a team to prepare for the future.  

Start the Conversation Early

It can seem crazy to start thinking about the future when your child is young, but if there’s anything I have learned as a parent, it is that time truly does fly!  The sooner you are able to start thinking about your child’s future, the better.  Students will certainly make progress throughout their educational career, but by starting to think about a variety of possible scenarios, you can be prepared to work collaboratively to goals that will support your child’s future plans, even if it changes over time.  

Focus on Independence

No matter what a student’s plan is after high school/transition, any independence the team can foster from a young age will be helpful.  Encourage your team to monitor the amount of assistance provided to students, especially in the form of verbal prompting.  Verbal prompts are some of the hardest to fade away, and if students are continually prompted from a young age they become much more dependent.  It is important to allow students to try to problem solve situations on their own when able.  Try not to jump right in and anticipate their needs before they have a chance to attempt to figure it out themselves or self-advocate.  If your student has a 1:1 paraprofessional, it would be important for the team to continually revisit the need for a high level of adult support and problem solve any ways to pull back, if able.

Get Connected

In the state where I live and work, there are services and supports that are available to students after graduation/transition, but it can be a very complicated and overwhelming process to understand and navigate.  Get connected as soon as you can with agencies and resources that can help you understand and prepare for important decisions and conversations, which may include things like guardianship, financial considerations, medicaid, home supports, work supports, etc.  

 

While it can be difficult to think about what lies ahead for our students, the sooner we can gather information and have open conversations with each other, the better we can support students and families to meet their future goals.

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