ETP Frequently Asked Questions

The Evergreen Transition Program serves young adults with disabilities, ages 18-22. Young adult learning is met through specially designed instruction that helps support IEP goals in the following areas: vocational training, community safety, life skills, adaptive skills, communication & social skills, self-advocacy, and metro
training. Many of these skills are practiced in the community so that young adults can generalize what they have learned in a “real-world” setting. We try our best to emulate an adult work setting as much as possible to get students out of “high school mode” and to start helping them think of themselves as a young self-determined adult (to the most extent possible).

The decision to attend Evergreen is an IEP team decision during a student’s time in high school.  If the IEP team, including the student and family, determines that a student would benefit from extended services past senior year to make progress toward their post-secondary goals, then ETP is usually considered. This is usually discussed early on during the high school years. If it is determined that Evergreen is needed to best meet students FAPE (Free and Appropriate Public Education) then it must be clearly documented in the student's IEP.

Evergreen is largely a community-based program, as the young adults are generally out several days a week applying what they have learned in the classroom in a real-life setting (jobsites, shopping, and other community trips). While in Evergreen, young adults do not join the high school assemblies nor follow a high school bell schedule. For the most part, community experiences dictate schedules.

Students may participate in their high school graduation ceremony during their senior year, however, they do not receive their official diploma or certificate of completion until they graduate or exit the Evergreen Transition Program. Students who are working toward traditional graduation requirements will earn a standard high school diploma, while those not meeting those requirements will receive a certificate of completion.

Students are eligible to continue in the program through the school year in which they turn 22, as determined by the IEP team, though some may exit earlier based on individual goals and pathways. Evergreen holds its own graduation ceremony each June, and students receive their diploma from the high school they last attended. For students completing graduation requirements while at Evergreen, their official graduation date reflects the year they exit Evergreen—not the year they left high school. 

If your child is absent, please contact the classroom teacher directly via phone or email. If your child can communicate this directly to the teacher themselves, we encourage them to do so as this is what they would need to do at a paid job or attending a college class.

Primarily no-most young adults have already participated in all mandated testing while in high school. However, if a student still needs testing, they can participate in the appropriate testing while attending the Transition Program as designated on their IEP.

While a large portion of instruction in Evergreen occurs hands-on in the community, there is instruction that takes place within the classroom and is highly individualized to meet the needs of students per their IEP and based on their post-secondary goals. This instruction works around student work schedules, college class schedules, and participation in day programs part-time. Some of the curriculum/instructional programs that teachers use include: Skills to Pay the Bills, Unique Learning, Consumer Math, News-2-You Current Events, as well as supplemental materials/resources such as Student CNN new videos, Attainment, Everyday Communication, and a variety of other social, vocational & functional academic supplemental materials. Teachers also work closely with related service provides (ie: SLPs, Ots, PTs) in the program to create meaningful teacher-made coursework that supports student IEP goals both in the classroom and in the
community. Since we are not a one-size-fits-all program, there is no one set curriculum that works for all learners.

The overall focus in the Evergreen program is ultimately to gain meaningful employment as well as to gain independence with Adaptive, Communication, & Social Skills that will allow young adults to generalize skills in the community. While young adults still work on academics, these goals are typically geared in a very functional direction. For example, a writing goal may include working on a resume, and a reading goal may include reading a bus schedule or shopping list. A math goal may include a budgeting or computing tax and tip. These are just some examples.  Besides employment, some students go onto college or even social/recreational day habilitative programs and have coursework designed to support those paths as well. For students who are working on a college-bound path, since there are a variety of college programs with different structures/goals, their instruction to prepare for these paths is highly individualized.

This completely depends on the student. Most new young adults spend the first few weeks at Evergreen participating in vocational assessments. Once teachers are familiar with student’s skills, and have had input from families and most importantly the student, they are then placed at a jobsite. Some young adults may
even take longer to be placed at jobsites if the IEP team believes that they are not yet ready to participate safely in a community outing. Depending on the jobsite availability and the student’s work stamina, they may work anywhere from 1 day a week to 4 days a week. Some students work longer shifts than others. Again, it is individualized based upon the young adult’s level of performance & need.

Again, this depends. Young adults whom are eligible for DDA services (Developmental Disabilities Administration) can participate in King County’s School-To-Work Program during their last year. During this time, they work with our embedded employment vendor, the At-Work! Agency. After several assessments and work trials, the goal is to eventually be placed in a paid supported-employment position. For some young adults, this happens early on in the school year. For others it takes some time. The goal is for young adults to graduate with a paid job (this is not a guarantee, but a goal). DDA will provide long-term job support funding.

Young adults whom are not eligible for DDA can still access short-term job support through DVR services (Department of Vocational Rehabilitation). If a student can work independently and is ready to get a paid job during their 1st year, we will absolutely support and encourage that as well!

Most do (as even if college is the path…jobs occur after college typically so it’s purposeful training) but not all. We do have a few individuals who do not participate in vocational training or participate in a hybrid of services deemed appropriate by the IEP team. Some young adults participate in recreational/social activities with their peers during the school day, as well as go to the Bellevue Aquatic Center as part of their school day. Some students participate in WANIC or CTE programs within Bellevue as part of their coursework instead of a jobsite if the IEP team determines that it will effectively support their post-secondary goals such as the Culinary Program at Newport, or the Horticulture Program at Interlake. You can find a full list of those options here: Career & Technical Education – Bellevue School District (bsd405.org)

This is a complicated one! Overall, we follow these start/end times-7:45-2:45 on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and 7:45-12:40 on Wednesday. It is common for students to attend full time at first, and move to part-time schedule to accommodate their work, college schedule, or day program schedule. This gradual transition to a part-time schedule is highly encouraged and very natural. Our goal is to provide a seamless transition into adulthood and avoid a gap in services as students exit. Regarding day-to-day activities, the schedule is built together per the student, family and IEP needs. See the Course Schedule page for an example of the schedule. 

If they took the school bus to high school, then those services can continue. We also encourage young adults to take metro or walk to school if possible! Some young adults can take the King County Access bus as well. Evergreen staff can help train students become independent on metro. King County also has FREE metro training services available-click here for more info on either Access or transit training on metro.

ETP Staff works very closely with families to ensure that young adults are connected to agencies as appropriate and have all available services as applicable (DDA, DVR, Guardianship, Medicaid, SSI, etc). Parents are invited to several meetings throughout their time in Evergreen with the teacher and program coordinator to check in and discuss status of services, plan next steps for post-secondary goal discussions, etc. It is our goal that we help not only transition young adults to a successful post-secondary future but help transition the families as well. Our ultimate goal is for young adults to have a solid plan in place when they graduate that involves participation in a paid job, recreational activities, continued learning (college, day programs, etc), and a meaningful future.

No.  This is an IEP team decision. If your young adult is ready to exit based upon their IEP goal progress and fulfillment toward their post-secondary goals, they can graduate or exit early if deemed appropriate by the IEP team.