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Summit County’s TOPS Program Prepares Students with Autism for Independent Living After Graduation

Posted: 3/12/2015

March 3, 2015—On a routine Wednesday in a traditional school building, a passing glance behind a classroom door appears to see a group of teens hanging out in a kitchen at the Transition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS), a program for students with autism. In reality, these teens are students who have been diagnosed with autism, are of the transitional high school age, and are learning about real-world independent living in the apartment-style classroom, also known as an independent living lab. The TOPS program, sponsored by the Summit County Educational Service Center, provides these students from several school districts with academic, vocational and life skills education necessary for the transition into adulthood. 

“These kids are smart. I want to prove to the world these students can learn independent living and social skills and be productive citizens,” said classroom teacher Kim Fuller, about her high-school age students.

TOPS, which is located in Tallmadge, uses a functional life skills approach while incorporating the State core curriculum. Students learn a variety of living skills, from running a vacuum to appropriately caring for a family pet, so they can ultimately become independent, productive members of society. The program began a year ago with one student and has grown to full capacity and serves six teens from Summit, Wayne and Portage counties.

“My son has developmental delays, and I realized that once he reached a certain age there was nowhere for him to go, so I decided to become a teacher and help provide a future for the students,” added Fuller, who holds a master’s degree in education and an MBA.

Students explore various job opportunities during daily vocational lab. As they progress, they transition into internships throughout the community at local businesses. Ultimately the internships can lead to paid positions.

“We provide a unique learning opportunity for students across the region. TOPS is a program where students can celebrate their differences by developing their own unique skills. We have a wide variety of community experiences for students to participate in – from developing a budget and grocery shopping to providing services at a local church where the kids learn banquet prep and janitorial skills,” said Director of Services N’ecole Ast.

About Summit County ESC

The Summit County Educational Service Center provides local school districts with services to support students including in-service teacher training, professional development, technology support, student programs, community partnerships, special education services, homeschool support and more. The ESC also implements state and federally funded initiatives assigned by the General Assembly of the Ohio Department of Education. To learn more about the Summit County ESC, visit www.cybersummit.org or call 330.945.5600.

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