A Transition Program After High School for Students With Learning Disabilities
Many capable students with learning disabilities, ADHD, or executive functioning challenges graduate from high school with strong potential — but without the systems needed to manage college, employment, and daily life independently.
OPTIONS Transitions to Independence is a post-secondary transition program for young adults ages 18–25 designed to help students translate ability into independence through structured academic support, vocational development, communication coaching, and real-world living experience.
Students live in apartments, participate in college or vocational programming, and practice independence in real community environments while support gradually fades as competence grows.
Structured Bridge-to-Adulthood Model • Real College Access • Measurable Independence
When High School Ends, the Real Transition Begins
Many students leave high school understanding their learning differences.
What they often have not yet learned is how to manage those challenges independently.
In high school, structure is built into the environment. Schedules are planned. Assignments are monitored. Teachers and parents provide reminders. Support systems are consistent.
After graduation, those systems often disappear quickly.
College, work, and adult life require planning, organization, communication, and follow-through without constant oversight. This is where many capable young adults begin to struggle.
A transition program after high school for students with learning disabilities helps bridge that gap by providing structured support while independence develops.
Accommodations Are Not Independence
Support in school does not automatically become self-management in adult life.
Ability Is Not the Same as Readiness
Capable students may still need structure to apply skills consistently.
Adult Expectations Increase Quickly
College, work, and independent living demand follow-through without constant oversight.
Practice Builds Independence
Students need repeated real-world experience, not just instruction.
Who OPTIONS Is Designed to Support
OPTIONS serves young adults ages 18–25 who have completed high school but benefit from continued structure while building independence.
Many students entering the program are capable, motivated, and ready for adulthood — but still developing the systems needed to manage college, employment, and daily life independently.
Students in the program may:
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have learning disabilities or learning differences
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experience ADHD or executive functioning challenges
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benefit from speech and language support
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need coaching in self-advocacy and decision-making
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feel overwhelmed by college, employment, or adult expectations
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be ready for growth, but not yet practiced in independence
Capable — but inconsistent.
Motivated — but overwhelmed.
Ready for adulthood — but not yet fully practiced in independence.
Many students do well in structured school environments. The challenge often begins when structure decreases and responsibility increases.
OPTIONS is designed for that stage.
A Structured Bridge Between High School and Adult Life
OPTIONS was founded in 1994 as an extension of Brehm Preparatory School, a nationally recognized school serving students with learning differences.
While Brehm supports students in grades 6–12+, OPTIONS focuses on a different stage of development: the transition from high school into adult life.
For more than three decades, the program has helped young adults build independence across four critical areas:
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academic readiness
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vocational development
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communication and self-advocacy
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independent living
OPTIONS is not designed to recreate high school.
It is designed to help students practice adult responsibility in real environments while support gradually decreases.
Typical Age Range of Participants
Program Phases Toward Greater Independence
Integrated Areas of Development
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Real Apartment-Based Living Model
An Integrated System for Building Independence
Independence does not develop through instruction alone.
Students need opportunities to apply skills in real environments, receive feedback, and repeat those experiences until habits form.
At OPTIONS, independence is built through an integrated support system in which academic development, vocational preparation, communication support, and independent living work together over time.
Students do not simply learn concepts — they practice planning, communicating, decision-making, and follow-through every day.
As competence increases, support gradually fades.
Independence is not assumed. It is built.
Academics
Students strengthen executive functioning, study systems, and learning strategies through a college support program designed to prepare them for college coursework, vocational training, or continued education.
Independence
Academic development, employment preparation, communication skills, cognitive development, and independent living work together to build measurable independence.
Students practice planning, communication, follow-through, and decision-making in real environments while support gradually fades as competence grows.
Vocational Development
Students gain workplace exposure, career direction, and professional habits through internships, job coaching, and employment preparation that support long-term independence.
Independent Living
Students practice routines, organization, budgeting, and responsibility through apartment-based living in real residential environments.
Speech & Language Support
Students strengthen communication, social language, processing, and self-advocacy skills that transfer into classrooms, workplaces, and community life.
Cognitive Development
For students who qualify, the Arrowsmith Program strengthens attention, processing, memory, and learning efficiency.
A Structured Program Model Where Support Fades as Independence Grows
Students at OPTIONS move through a structured progression model that increases responsibility over time. Advancement is based on demonstrated independence, not time alone.
Standard Phase
Students receive structured support across academics, independent living, and vocational development while building foundational routines and self-management skills.
Modified Phase
Students begin functioning with more independence and take increased responsibility in college, employment, and daily living environments.
Extension Phase
Students prepare for life beyond OPTIONS with greater autonomy, targeted support, and a stronger expectation of independent adult functioning.
A College-Connected Environment — Not a Simulated Campus
Located in Carbondale, Illinois, OPTIONS gives students access to real community environments where independence can be practiced in meaningful ways.
Students live and learn in proximity to local colleges, employment settings, transportation systems, and community resources that reflect adult life after graduation.
This is not an isolated campus model. It is a structured entry into real-world independence.
Students have access to:
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community-based internships and employers
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public transportation systems
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a walkable college-town environment
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recreation and community life in Southern Illinois
Students build skills in the same types of environments they will need to navigate after OPTIONS.
Families Remain Important Partners in the Transition Process
Transition to adulthood affects the whole family.
At OPTIONS, families are kept informed while students work toward greater independence. Communication is designed to support growth without undermining adult responsibility.
Throughout the program, families receive:
- regular communication and progress updates
- parent and family conferences
- collaborative planning around goals and growth
- guidance in understanding when support should remain in place and when it should step back
As students gain independence, communication shifts appropriately — but transparency remains consistent.
Why Families Choose OPTIONS
Families across the United States choose OPTIONS because the program offers more than support — it provides a structured pathway to independence.
A Clear Progression Model
A three-phase structure where support fades as students demonstrate readiness and responsibility.
Integrated Development
Academic, vocational, communication, and independent living supports work together rather than in isolation.
Real Adult Environments
Apartment-based living and a college-connected community allow students to practice independence where it truly matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a transition program after high school?
A transition program after high school helps young adults develop the academic, employment, communication, and independent living skills needed for adult life. These programs are designed for students who have completed high school but benefit from continued structure while building greater independence.
Who is a post-secondary transition program designed for?
A post-secondary transition program is designed for students who have completed high school but still benefit from support while developing independence. Many are capable and motivated but need additional practice with executive functioning, college readiness, self-advocacy, employment skills, or daily living responsibilities.
How is OPTIONS different from another year of high school?
OPTIONS is not designed to recreate high school. It is a structured bridge to adulthood where students practice responsibility in real academic, vocational, residential, and community environments. The focus is on measurable independence, not simply continued support.
Does OPTIONS support college-bound students?
Yes. OPTIONS supports students who are preparing for college coursework, vocational pathways, employment, or a combination of goals. Students receive structured support while developing the executive functioning, communication, and independent living skills needed to succeed in adult environments.
Does every student follow the same path?
No. Each student’s path is individualized based on readiness, strengths, goals, and performance. While all students move within a structured program model, the pace and combination of supports vary by student.
Is OPTIONS the Right Next Step After High School?
Choosing the next step after high school can feel overwhelming, especially when a student is capable but still needs structure to build independence.
Admissions conversations are not about pressure or persuasion. They are designed to help families determine whether a structured transition program after high school for students with learning disabilities is the right fit for this stage.
Admissions consultations are confidential and designed to help families understand their options.