CHOICE Program
CHOICE Transition Education Specialists
Lareina Rodriguez | [email protected]
Bonnieann Pioch | [email protected]
CHOICE is the MBUSD Special Education Transition program for individuals ages 18-22. CHOICE provides teachers, job mentors, and other support services that ensure our young adults learn all the skills necessary to improve long-term outcomes. CHOICE stands for community, healthy living, opportunity, independence, career, and emotional social well-being.
The CHOICE program incorporates the following skills into its weekly schedule:
- Group and independent living skills
- Vocational supports that promote access to viable employment options post 22
- Adaptive academic skills in the areas of math, English Language Arts, and current events information to support living and life skills
- Career Exploration
- Social skills and expectations at work, including hierarchy in the workplace
- Self-management of emotions and behaviors
- Workplace demands such as productivity, communication skills, problem-solving, and initiation
- Building self-advocacy, confidence, and self-esteem
- Professionalism
- Time management and organization
- Healthy living
- Technology use
- Community-Based Instruction
- Travel Training
We work collaboratively with service providers who specialize in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language/Augmentative communication, and behavior intervention. CHOICE incorporates elective-type classes in its weekly schedule. These include music, art, fitness activities (track, yoga), and working cooperatively with others during group games. Vocationally students may elect to participate in workability.
The workability program may provide:
- Career awareness and exploration
- Pre-employment skills training
- Employment placement and follow-up for high school students in special education
- Independent living training
- Life After High School education options
- Paid and non-paid work experience
- Support and guidance from vocational staff
Additionally, students in the CHOICE program can participate in volunteer nonpaid work experience set up through community-based instructional outings taught and guided by the Special Education Adult Transition Teachers and job coaches.
These locations have included MB Creamery, Fish Bar Restaurant, MB Parks and Recreation, Loyola Marymount University, and MBUSD school worksites. Students can volunteer at these sites pending student interest/readiness, staffing, transportation access, and job site hours of availability.
The Made by CHOICE Pop-Up Store provides work experiences for the students of the CHOICE program while promoting inclusion in our community and workplace. The Pop-Up Store products are designed, created, and sold by CHOICE students with the guidance of support staff.