Valley View's STEP Program Continues to Grow

STEP: It’s the hidden gem in — a "small, but mighty” program helping eligible young adults in Bolingbrook and Romeoville learn vocational and life skills.

“The federal government requires us to address independent living skills and vocational education needs for eligible special needs students in our district who are not yet 22-years-old,” said Erica Ekstrom, principal of the Secondary Transition Experience Program (STEP). “Each district interprets on its own how that is done. They all do what we do, but we do it better. We’re way ahead of the curve.”

Ekstrom, who has been with VVSD for five years, four of them as district coordinator for transition services before becoming STEP principal this year, is an expert on how far VVSD has come in the young adult transition area.

“Our transition services weren’t where they were supposed to be four years ago,” she said, pointing to what were significant non-compliance warnings from the state.

But within a year, the program hit the 80 percent compliance level and, after two years, it was at 100 percent compliance, a level that has been maintained ever since. Last year the STEP moniker was added. And this year the program left locations at both high schools and is now located in the former Phoenix Experience portion of .

“We’ve gone from half-time teachers and no real classroom to 11 certified staff members, including eight at STEP alone,” Ekstrom said, adding that this year’s program serves 50 students, almost twice as many as last year.

“Our ultimate goal is to meet these young adults’ needs so they basically can begin their adult lives,” she said. “Some of them may be ready for college right now in some ways but don’t have their high school diploma yet. Some of them still have a lot to learn and are always going to need help.

“Dr. Mitchem (VVSD Superintendent) says college is for everyone. We’re proving college is possible even for cognitively impaired students,” Ekstrom added. “It looks different. They may not graduate with an associates or bachelors degree. But we’re showing these students can have some type of college-like experience.”

The new facility, which replaces programs located in both VVSD high schools, has proved to be a terrific boost to the program, serving as a central gathering area for classroom lessons as well as the focal point for departures to career and other learning experiences in the community. Students spend roughly 80 percent of their time outside the classroom.

“When you look at student achievement data, achievement at this age level skyrockets when you move them off campus,” Ekstrom said. “Our students are 19, 20, 21 years old. They don’t want to be at the high school.”

All kinds of cool things are going on at STEP. Each month between now and the end of the school year, watch for coverage on what makes STEP such a unique program when compared to other school districts.