Shared by Covina Valley Unified School District:
Covina Valley Unified School District
– Covina Valley Unified School District’s Adult Transition Program (ATP) is designed to unlock the potential of young adults with disabilities and help them achieve independence in their post-high school lives.
ATP serves students from ages 18 to 22 with moderate to severe disabilities, aiming to support them in their transition to adulthood through classes in financial literacy, healthy lifestyle choices, vocational skills, self-advocacy, and community awareness.
Dr. Rene Valdes, Covina Valley Unified School District Director of Special Education said,
“The program is tailored to continue our students’ education with a focus on life skills. Our aim is to help them become as independent as possible.”
ATP Classes
ATP classes through Covina Valley School District focus on teaching functional academic skills that students can apply directly to the real world, such as rounding up money for purchases and reading menus at restaurants. The program also has a classroom that serves as a fully functioning, on-site apartment with amenities so that students can learn life activities such as making a bed, doing laundry, cooking, and more. A classroom designed as an office space further helps introduce students to the professional world. Students learn soft skills such as answering phones, transferring calls, filing, organizing, and other office etiquette. Job coaches accompany students to businesses in the community and help them practice basic employability skills in a real-world setting.
This year, 38 Covina Valley Unified School District students graduated from ATP. The program holds a graduation ceremony every year that includes a talent show performance, where students sing, dance, and tell jokes. Staff, faculty, family, and friends come to the graduation to show their immense support for their students and for the program.
A Real Difference
Valdes said,
“It’s really the best graduation in the District. Nothing else is quite like it.”
Depending on their levels of abilities, students have different options after they graduate or leave ATP. Some students move into Regional Adult Programs, which helps them move into group homes and assists them in finding a job, while others continue to live with their families.
Covina Valley Unified School District Superintendent Elizabeth Eminhizer said,
“ATP is truly a life-changing program. We teach, encourage, and support our students in their journey from high school to their new roles as contributing adults in our community.”
