Colleges for Everyone, Including Students with Special Needs

At a late-August pool party hosted by a scouting troop for children with special needs, a mother told me she wished FUHSD’s postsecondary transition program for students with disabilities could be based at De Anza College, similar to what West Valley College has done with the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District.

Her comment stayed with me. I kept wondering: Why not De Anza? So I looked more deeply into how these programs work and what might be possible here.

Helping Students Transition into Adult Life

For some students with disabilities, education does not end when their classmates graduate from high school. For eligible students who have not completed high school with a regular diploma, special-education transition services can continue into young adulthood.

Fremont Union High School District operates several postsecondary programs for students ages 18–22, including Bridges, WINGS and LYNCS. These programs help students develop employment skills, greater independence, self-advocacy and fuller participation in their communities.

Bridges and WINGS are based through FUHSD’s Educational Options program in Sunnyvale. LYNCS has used St. Jude and De Anza locations for its extended-school-year program.

Nearby districts offer similar programs. Palo Alto Unified has a postsecondary transition program for young adults ages 18–22, and Mountain View–Los Altos High School District operates an Adult Transition Program.

That made me want to understand what our neighboring districts and colleges are already doing.

A Model Just Down the Road

We do not have to look far for an example.

Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District operates its Post-Secondary Program on the West Valley College campus. It serves young adults with individualized education programs who are not eligible for a traditional high school diploma and helps them build independence and prepare for adulthood.

Students can participate in campus activities and appropriate college courses, join Unified Sports, volunteer in the community and take part in work-training opportunities.

The high school district continues to provide special-education instruction and individualized support while students learn in an age-appropriate college environment alongside other young adults.

West Valley also has its own Disability and Educational Support Program, including specialized counseling, assistive technology, academic accommodations and learning support, as well as Adapted Physical Education.

I think that environment matters. A 20-year-old preparing for adult life should have opportunities to learn in a setting that looks more like the adult world they are preparing to enter.

Foothill-De Anza Already Has Experience to Build On

We would not be starting from scratch.

At De Anza, FUHSD’s LYNCS program already has a campus connection. De Anza also has a substantial Disability Support Programs and Services program, including Disability Support Services, Adapted Physical Education, Hope Services, services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, testing and tutoring support, and assistive technology.

De Anza’s Adapted Physical Education program includes an accessible gym and pool, with courses in fitness, strength development, aquatic exercise and swimming for students with disabilities. Its program brochure provides more detail.

The De Anza–Hope partnership serves adults with developmental disabilities, with a focus on self-determination, career discovery, job readiness, physical wellness and preparation for community-based employment.

Foothill College’s Tools for Transition & Work is a one-year, full-time college program that helps neurodivergent young adults build academic, social, practical and career skills for adult life. Foothill also offers Adaptive Learning: Transition to Work courses.

Together, these programs show that Foothill-De Anza already has considerable experience to build on. The question is whether these resources can be connected more intentionally with the 18–22 transition programs operated by neighboring high school districts.

Could We Do More at De Anza?

Could more FUHSD students spend more of their transition years at De Anza?

Could they participate more fully in campus life, appropriate classes, recreation, job training and other activities? Could De Anza students serve as peer mentors or participate through service learning?

And could a stronger campus connection create a smoother path after age 22?

For many families, that transition can be difficult. The structured support provided through the school system eventually ends. Some students may then be ready for community college courses, noncredit education, workforce training, adult education or other supported opportunities.

Becoming familiar with De Anza before age 22 could make that next step less abrupt.

A Partnership With Clear Roles

Any expanded partnership should preserve the different responsibilities of the two districts.

FUHSD would continue to provide special-education teachers, support staff, individualized services and transition instruction. De Anza could provide what a community college uniquely offers: the college environment, facilities, campus activities, appropriate classes, career pathways and broader community connections.

That is what makes the West Valley model worth studying.

Not every setting is right for every student. The goal is not to move every student onto a college campus. The goal is to create more options for those who would benefit.

Exploring What Is Possible

I would like to explore the feasibility of adapting the West Valley model at Foothill-De Anza, building on the programs and expertise we already have.

That means examining the existing LYNCS relationship, listening to students, families, teachers and support staff, and asking how De Anza and Foothill can provide a stronger bridge from school-based transition services into college, employment and adult life.

Community colleges are meant to serve people at every stage of life.

That should include students with special needs as they take some of their most important steps toward adulthood.