It is as important for students to start receiving special education services early as it is for them to finish school strong. Supports and resources in adulthood should be no different than the last day of high school. The DEI/SES helps young adults and their families develop a strong, comprehensive transition plan in their IEPs in order to set them up for success in their adult lives.
The Division’s Secondary Transition Imperative provides a seamless transition of programs and services — aligned with evidence-based practices — in order to increase the number of students with disabilities (age 14 to 21) who actively engage in post-secondary activities such as education, technical and career training, and employment after they leave school.
The focus of the DEI/SES is to narrow the gap between students with disabilities and their nondisabled peers by providing specially designed instruction meant to accelerate student progress and allow them to compete with nondisabled peers in the general education curriculum.
To achieve this vision and focus, the DEI/SES has organized itself around three action imperatives: early childhood; access, equity, and progress; and secondary transition.
The vision of the Maryland State Department of Education Division of Early Intervention and Special Education Services (DEI/SES) is that all students, including students with disabilities, will be ready for school, achieve in school, and be prepared for college, career, and community living.