Student Services
Our Student Services help students with disabilities gain real-world experience, explore career goals, and prepare for employment, all at no cost with a partner agency referral.
Helping Families and Their Students Plan for What’s Next
The transition from high school to adulthood can feel overwhelming. That’s why Columbia Ability Alliance Student Services offers free, personalized support to help students with disabilities build skills, explore career paths, and move confidently toward employment.
We work closely with school districts, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA), and other partner agencies to make sure every student’s plan is aligned with their strengths, interests, and IEP goals.
Why Starting Early Makes All the Difference
Transition planning doesn’t have to wait until senior year. The earlier a student and their family start thinking about life after high school, the more time there is to build skills, test out interests, and make informed decisions with less pressure.
Students who begin exploring work experience, self-advocacy, and career interests during middle and early high school tend to enter adulthood with a clearer sense of direction and more confidence walking into their first job. Waiting until the last year of school often means rushing through decisions that work best when they unfold gradually, over several years, alongside the student’s IEP team.
That’s why we encourage families to reach out about our Student Services program well before graduation is on the horizon. Early conversations about transition planning give us time to:
- Match students with the right program at the right age
- Build a timeline that lines up with school district and state transition requirements
- Coordinate with DVR and DDA early, since some services have eligibility windows or waitlists
- Give students more chances to try different types of work before deciding what’s next
Our free Transition Timeline guide walks families through what to expect and when, starting in middle school, so nothing catches you by surprise.
Two Programs Built for Student Success
School to Work (Ages 19–22)
Hands-on work experience built into the school year
School to Work gives students real, on-the-job experience while they're still enrolled in school, so the transition into employment feels like a natural next step instead of a leap into the unknown. In partnership with local high schools, we place students in community work settings where they build job skills, workplace habits, and confidence, all while staying connected to the support of their school team.
We coordinate directly with each student's IEP team throughout the program, so the work placement isn't a standalone activity but a piece of their overall transition plan. Students get the chance to try out different tasks and environments, figure out what kind of work suits them, and start building a resume of real experience before they graduate.
What It Offers:
Integrated job experience during the school year, in real community work settings
Ongoing collaboration with school staff and IEP teams to keep placements aligned with each student's goals
Support that fulfills state-mandated transition planning requirements
A structured way to explore strengths and interests before making post-graduation decisions
Job Foundations (Ages 19–20, DDA-Eligible)
Career exploration and readiness assessment
Job Foundations is a focused, five-visit program designed for DDA-eligible students who are still in school and want a clearer picture of what comes next. Rather than a single placement, students take part in a series of real-world job trials across different settings, giving them, and their families, a much fuller picture of their strengths before graduation arrives.
Throughout each visit, one of our employment specialists closely observes how the student communicates, interacts with coworkers and supervisors, and manages job-related tasks. Those observations turn into practical, individualized insight the whole team can use to plan next steps, whether that means continued job exploration, extended school-based services, or a referral into employment support.
What It Offers:
1:1 coaching and observation across multiple real-world work trials
Structured, foundational insight into a student's workplace strengths and support needs
A clear picture to help determine whether a student needs continued employment support, extended school services, or is ready to move toward independent work
A low-pressure way to explore career interests before major post-school decisions are made
Plan Ahead With Our Transition Timeline
Planning early is key. Our free Transition Timeline PDF helps families understand what to expect from middle school through high school graduation. It’s a helpful guide to check off milestones and stay on track with referrals and services.
Columbia Ability Alliance: Employment Services is proud to be accredited by CARF, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities.
Let’s Build a Strong Future Together
Whether you’re a parent, educator, or student, we’re here to support the journey from school to employment. Let’s work together to create a smooth and successful transition.