Vocational Independence Program

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to revisit a program I had first seen a number of years ago. The Vocational Independence Program at the New York Institute of Technology - VIP at NYIT - is now located on the campus of NYIT in Old Westbury, New York. This marks a new location from its original home in Central Islip, Long Island, when VIP first started in 1987.

VIP is one of only a limited number of programs nation-wide that provide a college-like experience for students who would not be able to manage the demands of a typical college program, but who can benefit from the post-secondary opportunity to improve their executive function, communication, social, independent living, and employment skills. It is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Transition and Postsecondary Program for Students with Intellectual Disabilities.  This status makes it possible for students to apply for federal financial aid, although the cost of the program (similar to a private college) means that even if a student qualifies for some aid, the program may be beyond the means of many families.

VIP students typically have autism spectrum disorders, mild cognitive impairment, or significant learning differences. Some students take credit courses at NYIT, leading to an associates degree after three years and some take a course or two on a non-matriculated basis, but most focus on building the skills that will help them to function as independent adults. There is also a summer program for students considering VIP or planning to enter the following fall.

As noted by Walter Mayer, Associate Director of Admissions and Development, every student has a job coach, academic advisor, social counselor, independent living coach, and banking coach. By the third year of the three-year program, students are typically working three days per week at a VIP-sponsored internship with employers such as hotel chains, restaurants, retailers, hospitals, animal hospitals, and other businesses. Job placement support is also provided to graduates of the program. VIP notes that students finishing the program in 2017 had an 80 percent post graduation employment rate.

Students live on campus, in a dorm located at the adjacent State University of New York at Old Westbury campus, and move back and forth between the SUNY and NYIT campuses via shuttle buses. The residential aspect of the program is an important part of the skills-building that each student works on during their time at VIP.

While improved preparation and support programs at colleges have made college accessible to many students who might not otherwise be able to handle its social and academic demands, there are still many students whose disabilities make it difficult or impractical for them to be successful in a college program. Families want to give these students every opportunity to be successful in their personal and work lives and to give them the skills that will stay them them throughout their lives. The VIP Program is designed to help achieve these goals.

Newsday Webinar on "Selecting the Right College"

Susan Yellin, Esq., the Director of Advocacy and Transition Services at The Yellin Center for Mind, Brain, and Education (and frequent contributor to this blog) has been invited to serve as a panelist for a free webinar on "Selecting the Right College."

The Newsday College PrepTalk webinar will take place on Monday, October 22, at 8:00 PM (Eastern).

Topics that will be discussed include: Student Life, Academic Reputation, Campus Size and Faculty, Special Circumstances, and Students with Disabilities.

The free event is sponsored by Hofstra University.

Register for the event here.


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For more information about upcoming Yellin Center events, please visit our Events page.

High (School) Anxiety

Your blogger has had the opportunity recently to visit two local private high schools whose missions are to educate students with learning and related difficulties. Both The Churchill School in Manhattan and the Community School in Teaneck, New Jersey had invited me to speak to parents about the issues addressed in my book Life After High School.

In both schools, parents shared a very palpable concern about how their children would manage the transition from a specialized, supportive high school to post secondary education -- college or another kind of program -- and eventually to adulthood. These parents had all been through the special education process with their children, having emerged with spots in coveted, state approved (and publicly funded) schools where their children are taught in small classes by teachers with expertise in remediating learning difficulties. Many of these parents had provided their children with significant levels of support with tasks like organization, advocacy, and academics, beyond that customary for more typical learners.

The parents that I met at these presentations are far from unique in their concerns. Parenting any child is a complex process, but parenting a child who struggles in school is even more so. So what can parents of teens do now, while their child is still at home, to help foster independence beyond high school? Some helpful steps include:

Help your child understand how he or she learns. By really understanding their strengths and weaknesses and knowing what learning strategies work for them, students will be better able to arrange their academic accomodations and supports and to ask for the right kind of help.

Foster Affinties. Studies have shown that children who build on their interests and who pursue special skills, tend to be more resilient as adults. Students who may struggle with academics can have many areas where they are successful and should have opportunities to pursue their interests -- sports, hobbies, or the arts.

Build Self Advocacy Skill. By the time a student graduates from high school he or she should have attended one or more of the meetings where their IEP is developed, and certainly should have an understanding of the services they receive in school and why they receive them. It is not easy to get a teenager to deal with this aspect of their lives, but it is important to enable them to work towards independence.

Fall Events for New York Parents

Autumn begins next week and here in New York that means that fall programming is beginning at the city's cultural, educational, and other institutions. We want to let you know about some of the programs we think can be helpful for parents and students.

A new program for parents begins tomorrow evening at The American Museum of Natural History in New York. The Wired Child: How 21st Century Technology Affects the Brain will look at how the technology which our children and teens are using impacts their brains and development. The program is in four parts, each on a Thursday evening, and features presentations by such speakers as Dr. Pamela Rutledge of The Media Psychology Research Center, Dr. Douglas Gentile, Director of the Media Research Lab at Iowa State University, and Dr. Kirk Erickson, Professor of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. The fee for the four sessions is $240 and registration is available online.

The JCC in Manhattan is beginning its fall season with programs for parents, children, and teens dealing with learning and related issues. Among their offerings are separate programs for teens (Transitions) and for young adults (Adaptations) with learning and social difficulties, groups for which services are often limited. There are fees for all JCC programs.

Everyone Reading (formerly the New York Branch of the International Dyslexia Association) has several upcoming workshops for parents and teachers scheduled for this fall. These workshops cover topics from an overview of dyslexia, to spelling, to teaching social studies. There is a full list of workshops, all of which charge a fee, on their website.

Another New York City group gearing up for its fall programs is Resources for Children with Special Needs, whose free programs take place in locations throughout all areas of New York City's boroughs. The topics range from "Understanding Your Child's IEP", to "Special Education Made Simple," to "Getting Ready for High School." The programs are geared for parents and groups. Schools and organizations can request specific topics or arrange for presentations in Spanish.

Last, but not least, our own Susan Yellin, Esq. will be speaking at Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn, New York on Getting Ready for College: A Guide for Students with Learning Differences and Their Families on Thursday, October 13th from 6:30pm – 7:30pm. There is no fee for this program but pre-registration is required. Contact jane@plattjohnson.com to register. Mrs. Yellin is the co-author of the award winning book, Life After High School: A Guide for Students with Disabilities and Their Families (Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2010).

High School Diplomas

As graduations loom, the issue of high school diplomas has come up in several forums. Our colleagues at Wrightslaw have dedicated their latest newsletter to reminding families to be mindful of the kind of diploma their child is on track to receive. They discuss the importance of obtaining a regular high school diploma if a student will want to attend any level of college. They also include a link to a terrific review of national policy and practice on this issue which appeared in a recent issue of the National PTA Magazine.

Meanwhile, here in New York, the New York State Board of Regents, which sets the rules state-wide for education policy, has just issued new rules clarifying diploma options for students at all ability levels.

As far back as we can remember, New York has offered an academic high school diploma, the Regents diploma, which signified that a student graduating high school met particular standards in a specific roster of courses. Students who did not pass the required number of Regents examinations (and passing the exam was a required part of passing the Regents course itself) could still graduate with a local diploma, but would not be eligible for Regents scholarships, which could offset some of the tuition in colleges located within the State and which signified that the student met a high standard of academic performance.

For the past number of years, in a laudable effort to raise the academic standards of high school students throughout the State, a push has been on to require ALL high school graduates from New York State public schools to receive a Regents diploma in order to graduate. The problem is that such a "one size fits all" standard doesn't recognize the realities of the State's diverse student population. For high achieving students, the Regents curriculum and accompanying exams are secondary challenges to the Advanced Placement coursework and exams. These high achieving students can earn a Regents Diploma with Advanced Standing or Honors. For students with very profound cognitive or other disabilities, an IEP "diploma" -- in reality a certificate of completion of the goals set out on the student's IEP -- may be a reasonable goal. But for a number of students with mild to moderate learning challenges that make Regents level courses and exams a real barrier, needing to pass these exams has been a significant hurdle.

New York has responded by postponing the implementation of an across-the-board Regents exam requirement, and permitting Regents Competency Tests (RCTs) for students with disabilities who could not pass the regular Regents exams. Now, the New York State Board of Regents has just announced that "the option to take the RCTs will not be available for any student entering grade 9 beginning in September 2011 and thereafter." After this cut off date, students with disabilities who pass Regents exams with a grade of 55-64 can receive a local diploma and all students will have the option to appeal their Regents scores and re-take Regents exams, with some limits.

Families and students in all states need to start planning early to consider what kind of diploma a student will seek to obtain, and what the options are if some of the courses or exams required for such a diploma are problematic for such students. Since an IEP "diploma" can limit post high school options, like admission to colleges and some tuition loans, students need to work towards the highest level diploma that they are capable of reaching.

Resources for IEP Season

Students who receive special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act  (IDEA) must have their Individual Education Program (IEP) reviewed at least annually. Schools tend to do this in the spring, as the academic year comes to a close and all parties can see how the student did during the school year. At this point in the year, schools are pushing to get all their students' IEP's reviewed and often have meetings scheduled back-to-back-to-back each day.


For parents, the annual IEP meeting provides an important opportunity to sit down with the key players in their child's education and to help shape their education for the next school year. It is a process that should not be rushed, and parents should make sure that the school gives them adequate time to take a serious look at their child's performance and goals and to carefully consider plans for the coming year.


The Wrightslaw website recently devoted an issue of its newsletter to tools and suggestions for parents as they prepare for and attend IEP meetings. While these tips are helpful, there are other things we suggest that parents do when attending an IEP meeting. They include:

• Bring your child. This will depend, of course, on your child's age and level of understanding, but even children in late elementary school -- and certainly those in high school -- should become knowledgeable and comfortable with the nature of their differences and what the school plans to do to to help them. Don't let your school discourage you if you believe your child has the understanding and maturity to handle this kind of meeting. 
• Whether or not you bring your child, you should also bring another adult. If you are attending as a husband/wife or partner team, that may be sufficient. But even the least contentious IEP meeting can be stressful for parents and it can help to have someone with you to take notes, kick you under the table, or to help you to express your views. You are entitled by law to bring with you anyone you want, although schools should be notified in advance if you plan to have a physician or other professional attend (in person or by phone or webcam) because the school may want to have someone there who can understand and discuss the professional's recommendations and will seek to adjourn the meeting if they do not have notice.
• Learn and use the vocabulary that governs your child's entitlement to services. Your child is entitled to be educated in the least restrictive environment. Her education should provide FAPE - be appropriate to her needs and publicly funded. He is entitled by law to a sufficient transition plan if he is 15 or 16 (this varies under state laws). 

You probably would not shop for an important dinner without a list. The lists suggested by the Wrightslaw newsletter and the tips included here should help you and your child to obtain an IEP that meets his or her needs. And if you are dissatisfied with the services, setting or other aspect of your child's IEP, you have the right to seek a hearing before a State Hearing Officer. Sometimes, just mentioning that you hope you don't have to "go to a hearing" on a sticking point may be enough to get the school's attention and push them towards a compromise. On the other hand, in tough economic times some districts, like the New York City Public Schools, are taking a tough stance against IEPs that contain services or settings that can be expensive to implement.



Photo used under Creative Commons from Voka - Kamer van Koophandel Limburg

Children from China

I had the opportunity to speak to an amazing group of parents and teens yesterday and came away energized and, as always when I have the opportunity to talk to families or educators, with new insights and information.

It was my third presentation in a week about the subjects covered in my book, Life After High School, and the second Sunday in a row that I had spoken. I was not previously familiar with the group that had invited me -- Families of Children from China. The meeting room was filled with both parents and students and I have seldom spoken to a more engaged, knowledgeable audience. My co-presenters had much to share and the interaction among us and the audience made for an exchange of information that covered every aspect of transition from high school and college readiness.

Families of Children from China is a national network of local groups that "support families who have adopted in China through post-adoption and Chinese culture programs, that encourage adoption from China and support waiting families, and advocate and support children waiting in orphanages in China." As noted by Kacy Ames Heron, LCSW, herself an adoptee from Korea, children of adoption with learning differences deal with issues of identity, control, loss, and multiculturalism in addition to all of the other issues that teens with learning differences need to navigate. Ms. Heron only spoke to the adults in the group for a little while, moving to another room with the teens in attendance to explore emotional issues and strategies for success with these students. I would have liked to have sat in on this discussion, which one student reported as "actually fun."

My co-presenters also included the Director of Admissions at Landmark College, Rachel Masson, who is herself a graduate of Landmark's two year program for students with learning disabilities, as well as Diana Nash, who runs the very supportive program for students with learning disabilities at Marymount Manhattan College. For all in attendance it was a day well spent.

Failing Grades for Transition Services

A disturbing report, released this month by the the Arise Coalition, points out the continuing failure of the New York City Department of Education to meet the transition needs of students with disabilities (including learning disabilities) who are completing high school.

The Arise Coalition is a group of organizations and individuals who are committed to improving education for all students in New York City public schools. The new report is essentially a follow-up to a 2007 report issued under the auspices of Advocates for Children, entitled "Transitioning to Nowhere." The new report, entitled "Out of School and Unprepared: The Need to Improve Support for Students with Disabilities Transitioning to Adulthood" includes an examination of students with a wide variety of disabilities -- and thus a wide variety of needs and plans as high school education comes to an end.

The report highlights such grim statistics as the fact that only one in four students with disabilities in the class of 2009 graduated from high school in 4 years and that less than 17% of students with disabilities are "college and career ready" when they graduate.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has expanded its requirements for transition planning in its most recent revision and requires that schools undertake a meaningful transition process that is designed to be "coordinated," "results oriented," and "based on the individual child's needs, taking into account the child's strengths, preferences, and interests." The failure of New York City to make transition a meaningful experience for too many students includes such recurring issues as not including outside agencies (upon which the student may be relying for services after high school) in the post-secondary planning process and not addressing students' diploma status and goals. As alternatives to New York's Regents examinations are being slowly cut back, students who find it problematic to pass the required number of Regents exams need careful guidance so they are not relegated unnecessarily to what is called an IEP diploma, but is really just a certificate and does not have the same status as a high school diploma.

Transition to adulthood is not an easy process for most young people and for those who have struggled in school, it is even more complex. The legal scaffolding is in place to provide meaningful guidance for this process, to begin here in New York at age 14 (age 15 in other states). What is needed is for the New York City Department of Education and those charged with implementing its policies to understand that failure to provide meaningful transition services is setting vulnerable students up for future difficulties.

Broadening Post High School Options

A federal grant, announced earlier this month, will provide almost $10.9 million for grants to 27 two and four year colleges in 23 different states to transition students with "cognitive" or "intellectual" disabilities to higher education. The grants are aimed at creating new programs or expanding existing programs  that focus on "academics and instruction, social activities, employment experiences through work-based learning and internships, and independent living. Grantees will provide individualized supports for students and opportunities to be involved in college experiences with their peers without disabilities. Evaluating what works and does not work is a key component of each grant."

It is not clear from the grant announcement if these students will be on track to get a college degree, or if they will obtain an alternate certificate or credential. We think this program is a terrific idea, but wish it went further. Students with learning differences, attention difficulties, executive function issues, and high functioning forms of autism all can need significant support to become successful members of a college community and to graduate with a degree. These students would not qualify for this program because they have average or above average intelligence.

We know that all students with any kind of disability are entitled to the protections of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). But those protections only "level the playing field." They don't require individual supports, employment preparation, or assistance with independent living skills. We'd love to see all students who need them get this level of support. In our increasingly complex world, helping students to broaden their experiences and education, with the goal of making them more productive individuals, can only help us all.

Ramapo: A Special Program

We are often reluctant to write about a program that is very small, or hasn't been around very long. But we are making an exception for a unique program for young people 18 and up who are struggling to take the next step to college or the workplace.

The Staff Assistant Program at Ramapo for Children is only a couple of years old, although Ramapo for Children  was founded in 1922. The mission of the larger organization is  "to serve children with a wide range of emotional, behavioral and learning disabilities in a dynamic and stimulating outdoor environment ... with adventure-based, experiential learning programs that promote positive character values, build social and learning competencies, and enhance self-esteem." During the summer, the camp program has several sessions of one, two, and three week programs. During much of the school year the camp is used by a variety of schools, public and private, for retreats that teach skill building and leadership skills to students of all ability levels.


The Staff Assistant Program operates from March through November on a rolling admissions basis. Young people and their families need to make a minimum 12 week commitment. The Staff Assistants function as assistants to counselors and other employees of Ramapo, all the time being mentored on a one-to-one basis by a skilled professional staff that really "gets it". The Staff Assistants are paid a weekly stipend (which comes out of the fees paid by their families; the only drawback to this program is that it is expensive, with annualized costs similar to attendance at a top college). They learn the nuts and bolts of managing their lives, working on everything that has tripped them up in their past endeavors -- time management, social interactions, budgeting, working skills -- yet they also have the chance to work with youngsters whose needs generally exceed their own. When the summer program is not in session, the Staff Assistants have more time to work on additional skills -- taking a course at the local community college, learning to drive, working at a part-time job in town, or participating in a community based organization, such as community theater. 


This all sounds pretty basic, but for young people who have graduated from high school and haven't been able to succeed in college or in the workplace choices can be very limited. And a place where these young adults can work with extraordinary staff and learn to help themselves by helping others can be a key step to their future success. 

A New Book

We're delighted to announce that a new book, co-authored by Susan Yellin, Esq.,our own Director of Advocacy and Transition Services,  is now available for pre-order at Amazon.com .

Life After High School: A Guide for Students with Disabilities and Their Families, by Susan Yellin and Christina Cacioppo Bertsch will be published in August by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.Hear what the publisher has to say:
Graduating high school and moving on to further education or the workplace brings with it a whole new set of challenges, and this is especially true for students with disabilities -- from learning difficulties, to attention problems, to physical, medical, and neurological disabilities. In Life After High School authors Susan Yellin and Christina Cacioppo Bertsch provide a complete overview of the issues such students and their families will need to consider, and outline the key skills they will need in order to succeed once they get there, using the experiences of students they have encountered in their work. “We hope to help students better understand their rights, responsibilities, and options as they move on to further education or the workplace—and help provide the tools they will need to succeed once they get there.”


The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides that every high school student with disabilities is entitled to a free appropriate public education. So it can come as a real shock for students and families to learn that IDEA and its rights and protections no longer apply once a student has graduated. Yellin, an attorney, and Bertsch, a former College Disability Services Director, understand this dilemma and sympathize with parents who face it. “Imagine always taking a trip by car, then suddenly being told you can no longer travel by car. All travel must be by air or train—with new rules, restrictions and fares. Frustrating? Confusing? Absolutely. This is what many families of students with disabilities feel when they leave behind the legal protections and procedures of high school.”


In their exceptional new book, Life After High School: A Guide for Students with Disabilities and Their Families [August 2010, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 272 pages, paperback, 978-1-84905-828-5, $19.95] Yellin and Bertsch, provide an unparalleled informative guide, complete with extensive information about resources for students and parents who may be confused, worried and unsure of what to do next. They have written an essential handbook for students with disabilities and their families, designed to make the transition to life after high school as easy and painless as possible. “There is no single correct path for an effective transition, but the steps we have outlined can make the process smoother and can land students at their next destination with the skills and knowledge to be successful.”


“We’ve written this book to help answer the many questions that students, families, and their advisors have asked us over the years,” write Yellin and Bertsch. “We hope to give the reader a unique perspective on transitioning to life after high school, and we aim to make this book a good, useful reading experience.”

Susan Yellin is an attorney and founder of The Center for Learning Differences, a New York-based nonprofit organization that runs an annual Life After High School program for students with disabilities. She is also head of the Advocacy and Transition team at the Yellin Center for Student Success, which provides educational evaluations and support for students of all ages. She and her husband, Dr. Paul Yellin, have three sons, one of whom has complex learning and medical issues, and all of whom have made the transition from high school. Christina Cacioppo Bertsch is the former Director of Disability Services for Fordham University in New York and the founder of CCB Educational Consulting Corp. where she works as a college counselor to students with a wide range of disabilities. In her private practice, Christina helps to identify supportive college settings and assists students with standardized test accommodations, applications, interview preparation, and self advocacy training. Christina and her husband, a high school administrator and supervisor of guidance, have two daughters.



For further information or for a review copy, please contact:


Katelynn Bartleson, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA. Tel: (215) 922-1161; Fax: (215) 922-1474; email: katelynn.bartleson@jkp.com

Transition Program for High School Students

Long Island parents may want to attend a talk by our Director of Advocacy and Transition Services, Susan Yellin, Esq.at Hicksville High School on Thursday, March 25th at 7 p.m. Sponsored by the Hicksville SEPTA (Special Education PTA), the talk will feature material from Mrs. Yellin's upcoming book, Life After High School: A Guide for Students with Disabilities and Their Families, written with Christina Bertsch and due out from Jessica Kingsley Publishers this summer.

Topics to be addressed include how laws change as students move from high school to college or the workplace; steps that high schools should be taking to pave the way for transition; considerations in selecting a college program; standardized testing; and how to obtain accommodations for various learning and other disabilities in college. There will be a question and answer period following the presentation. Admission is free and open to the public (use custodian’s entrance on side of building).


Questions? Contact Lori Pietrafesa (516-827-7692) or Cathy Ardito (516-938-5210).

Financial Aid Resources

It's the season when high school seniors have completed their college applications and (except for those who have their next few years set via early acceptance) are anxiously awaiting for word from their chosen schools. For many students, the thick envelope with enrollment forms is not going to be enough; they will also need substantial financial aid to pay their way through their college education.

For any student even considering applying for financial aid, the first stop after submitting your applications for admission should be the website of FAFSA - the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Since FAFSA forms can be submitted any time after January 1st, you should waste no time in getting moving on your financial aid application. Families should be aware that the form requests information that may not be fully available to you -- or fully calculated -- until you prepare your 2009 tax returns, for submission by April, 2010. Try to pull your financial information together as soon as possible. Even when parents will not be paying for college, students will generally need to include information on their parents' income and assets.

For students with learning differences, there is another important stop on the web. The Heath Resource Center at George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development, in Washington, D.C. is a rich source of information for students with disabilities moving from high school to college. Their work extends to all kinds of disabilities, not just learning difficulties, but their depth of information on transition, financial aid, and other issues makes them a valuable resource for all students. They explain all different kinds of financial aid and include lists of scholarship resources. It's definitely worth a visit.

Resilience and College Success

Yesterday almost 100 parents and high school students braved strong winds and a steady downpour to hear Dr. Yellin speak about "How to Help Struggling Students Make a Successful Transition to College and Adulthood: Resiliency, Neuroplasticity and Overcoming Early Challenges". This keynote talk was part of a conference sponsored by The Center for Learning Differences and the Compass Project and held on the campus of C.W. Post College.

Using information about recent studies in the fields of neuroscience and education, Dr. Yellin discussed how early struggles with learning can be overcome and that students who have the right kind of adult support, and who understand how they learn, can go on to successful adult lives even if they started out with substantial difficulties.


The conference then broke into separate sessions for the high school students, who meet college students with learning issues for a frank conversation about what they could expect as they move on to college, and a presentation for parents by Dr. Lisa Korman about the transition process from high school to college.

Finally, the entire group heard from representatives of local and national colleges who discussed their programs and the learning supports they offered. Students and parents had an opportunity to speak one-on-one with all of the college representatives and lingered to ask questions long after the program had concluded.

"It was just great," one parent reported. "Dr. Yellin's talk was terrific and we feel so much better informed about the kinds of college programs out there. It wasn't easy getting my kid up early on a Sunday morning but it was really worth it!"