Reports

Cultivating successful transitions: A needs assessment of youth and students with disabilities in Texas.

Researchers at the Texas Institute for Child & Family Wellbeing (TXICFW) collaborated with TWS-VRS to conduct a needs assessment on Texas transition planning for youth and students with disabilities.

The TWC Statewide Disabilities Needs Assessment aimed to understand:

1. What barriers youth and students with disabilities face during transition to employment and/or higher education.
2. How these barriers could be best addressed in Texas.

Researchers used a mixed-methods approach, including stakeholder interviews, 14 focus groups across the state, and online surveys. Study participants included state agency staff, educators, professionals from community organizations, and youth and parents.

Findings suggest inconsistent collaboration between DARS and schools at the local level to be a major barrier faced by youth and students, as Texas has over 1,200 school districts and 17 DARS regions. Families experienced inconsistency regarding realistic vocational goal setting, inaccurate information about services, and the time of first contact with DARS. Major barriers also included lack of public transportation, job opportunities, and vocational training programs, especially in rural areas. Researchers identified students who only receive 504 services and youth outside of the traditional public school system as underserved, as well as those without family support systems. To address barriers, researchers identified specialized service needs including:

1. Increased career exploration
2. Job and social skills training
3. Long-term support
4. Self-advocacy training

DARS staff indicated a need for more transition counselors and policies better tailored to the unique needs of serving youth and students. Find out more about Texas transition planning by reading the full report below.

Read the full report:

Cultivating successful transitions A needs assessment of youth and students with disabilities in Texas.

Suggested Citation: Faulkner, M., Jordanova, T., Gerlach, B. & Sheley, E. (2016). Cultivating successful transitions A needs assessment of youth and students with disabilities in Texas. Austin, TX:  The University of Texas at Austin, Child and Family Research Institute.