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Lighting the Path to Independence
While all students and their families need to plan for life after high school, it is especially important for students with disabilities who may need additional support to transition successfully.
The HTES Extended Transition Program provides a stepped-down support structure beyond High School. Here, young adults can begin seizing control of their life, education, and career, while maintaining access to experienced advisors, peer relationships, and predictable daily schedules.
Our focus is to provide tools that young adults with disabilities can use to live as independently as they would like. We firmly believe that a productive, fulfilling livelihood can be an option for everybody, regardless of ability, and it is our job to bring out the unique strengths of every student in our program to that end.
A Day In the Life:
Our students start their day with an hour of physical activity outdoors. This can be as low- or high-impact as each person desires. Some choose to run laps, others just walk and talk together. This helps to build social skills, regulate nervous systems, and create an understanding of active and healthy lifestyles.
After morning active time, we settle into an office-style space. Each student has a personal desk and computer with access to a variety of skill-building and learning resources. This learning time is unique for each student, as they are all investigating their own areas of interest and expertise.​​
At noon, everyone breaks for lunch together. Then it's time to pack up and go to work!
Real Jobs. Real Skills. Real Pay.
Afternoons are spent with on-the-job learning. We partner with programs who help us organize real jobs with real paychecks for our students to get hands-on experience and skill-building.
Students work through a rotation of jobs in a variety of fields and work types. A Career Counselor helps them develop a directional goal for employment planning, and then curates a job rotation to help refine the goal, gain experience, or try something entirely new.
Transportation is provided from campus to each jobsite, and then parents pickup their young working professional from their job at the end of the day.
Dual Enrollment and Higher Education.
HTES maintains Dual Enrollment agreements with a few local colleges, and we are able to assist our young adults in exploring their higher education options.
Dual Enrollment allows our students to pursue an AA degree or employable technical certificates at little- to no-cost to parents, while keeping the supportive structure of high school. Our instructors work with these students to build self-sufficient skills for managing assignments, due dates, independent learning, and self-advocacy in a higher education setting.
Extended Enrollment, Scholarships, and Aid
In the State of Florida, students with a 504 Plan or an IEP qualify for extended enrollment in grade school through the year in which they turn 22 years old. Students with this documentation also qualify for the Unique Abilities scholarship from Step Up for Students for the same extended timeframe.
We also receive support from community partners like the Lake Sumter Lions Club and the Jacobson Foundation. These partners provide essential support in areas like Financial Aid funding and educational technology costs.
Application and Enrollment
Space is limited! Application priority is being given to current 12th grade students enrolled at HTES. If your student is not yet in 12th grade, and is interested in joining our program, we strongly encourage transferring to HTES to complete their high school courses and gain priority application status.
Applications for the 25-26 Extended Transition Program are closed. However, HTES 6th-12th grade is currently still accepting applications. Click Here for more information.
If you have any questions, please call or email Seth Trees, Program Director:
