Hamden Transition Academy

The Hamden Transition Academy (HTA) is a unique partnership between Hamden Public Schools and Southern Connecticut State University. HTA provides educational opportunities and workforce skills and experiences for 18-22 year old students. 

Hamden Transition Academy Logo

The development and implementation of the Hamden Transition Academy have been partially supported by the Connecticut State Department of Education and the Grace Donahue and Doris Feldman Funds of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.

Mission Statement

The overarching goal of the Hamden Transition Academy is to facilitate our students' continuous growth and independence, self-confidence, and self-esteem "while they are entrusted to our care," and to support our students and their parents as they exit from the school system and transition to appropriate adult agencies in the community.

Program Description

The Hamden Transition Academy is a multi-faceted, community-based program which serves students with intellectual and other disabilities, ages 18 - 22, in an age-appropriate natural environment.

The program serves as a bridge between school and adult life by involving these students in a variety of vocational, social, cultural, recreational, and independent living activities on the campus of Southern Connecticut State University.

The unique features of the Hamden Transition Academy include:

  • plans and daily schedules tailored to each student;
  • individualized and small group instruction in a Life Skills Curriculum taught by a certified special education teacher on campus;
  • individualized instruction in computer skills, including word processing, graphic arts, and educational/practical uses of the Internet;
  • computer-assisted instruction tailored to the academic needs of each student (e.g., making correct change, telling time);
  • opportunities for socialization and recreation with college student mentors from the SCSU Special Education/Reading, Department of Recreation, Tourism, and Sport Management, and Department of Exercise Science;
  • exposure to a variety of vocational work sites on campus and – when ready – in the community with one-on-one job coaches, as needed;
  • periodic situational assessments in community job sites;
  • with the support of the consulting HTA Speech and Language Pathologist, the facilitation of appropriate social and pragmatic language skills by all HTA staff throughout the day;
  • participation in worthwhile and rewarding community service experiences;
  • a daily “Transition Seminar” on a variety of relevant topics;
  • individual counseling with the HTA School Psychologist;
  • a collaborative home-based approach to developing daily living skills, involving the use of HTA Daily Living Skills Rating Scale to identify priority areas and to set individualized action plans;
  • opportunities for students and parents to network with each other and with representatives from the Department of Developmental Disabilities, the Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, and other adult agencies in the community.