The Adult Transition Center is a Cactus High School satellite program designed to help students with disabilities prepare for employment and a successful transition into adult life.

Mission Statement

In an effort to improve the overall quality of post-graduation life for students with special needs, the Adult Transition Center provides a comprehensive program designed to facilitate students' successful transition to the most appropriate work and/or living placement after high school. This is accomplished by helping the students achieve the Peoria Unified's three goals for special education:

• Increase student employability skills, 
• Increase student independent living skills, 
• Increase student community integration.

What is the Adult Transition Center? 

Making the transition from school to life is a very complicated one. It can be more difficult for a student with a disability. There are so many things to consider: What are my strengths? What are my interests? What do I prefer? What type of job will I be able to get? Where will I live? How do I begin to access the community services that I will need?

Peoria Unified’s Adult Transition Center was designed specifically to address these questions. Established primarily for students 18-21 years old, the Center focuses on helping its students acquire competitive core employability skills based upon each student’s interests, strengths and abilities. At the same time, students are provided the instruction they need to improve their work related academic skills and to learn needed independent living skills. The Center also assists its students with all aspects of community integration to make the transition to adult life as smooth and successful as possible.

Core Employability Skills

While the opportunity to train for specific jobs in the future may be difficult, there are certain foundation skills needed for any job:

• Reliability: attendance, punctuality, time on task, working with minimum supervision and being trustworthy. 
• Productivity: maintaining one's work station, accuracy/efficiency, and maintaining production levels. 
• Social coping: maintaining self-control, proper dress and hygiene, accepting supervision, resolving conflicts, and working cooperatively with others. 
• Organizational coping: learning new skills, adapting to or implementing change, solving problems, and communicating appropriately. 
• Safety: following safety policies and procedures, minimizing risk, protecting physical well-being, and preventing injuries. 
• At the Adult Transition Center, skills are developed using both simulated and actual work activities.

Community Linkages

Of equal importance to skill development are the links made with adult community services as needed for each participant. Current contacts include the Department of Economic Security, the Division of Developmental Disabilities (Intake and Resource Coordination), and the Rehabilitation Services Administration.