New learning lab to help students with special needs transition from high school

This piece is sponsored by South Dakota State University.

There’s not always an obvious path for a student coming out of high school — especially if that student is someone with autism or other special needs.

But starting this school year, a new learning lab will help bridge that life transition, opening a door toward a more traditional college path, the workforce or greater independence.

The Lucas P. Wintrode Learning Lab opened recently on the campus of Southeast Technical College as a partnership among the Sioux Falls School District, South Dakota State University and the Wintrode family, which has fueled resources for students with autism at SDSU for years.

The lab will serve young adults in the Sioux Falls School District’s transition programming, which supports students age 18 through 21 who are eligible for continued education after high school.

About 110 to 115 students are expected to be enrolled in transition programming this fall and nearly all will access the new lab.

For students, it means moving from programs that historically have been housed in separate locations at the Western Mall and Axtell Park into a college-campus setting at Southeast Tech, surrounded by peers and supported by expanded career and life-skills programming.

For SDSU, it creates a learning and research hub for future teachers and graduate assistants while deepening the university’s autism support work.

And for the Sioux Falls School District, it brings long-envisioned career exploration and life-skills programming together in one space.

“The Lucas P. Wintrode Learning Lab will provide hands-on, data-driven vocational experience to provide young adults with broader exposure to job and career exploration,” said Nikki Whiting, the accountability, outcomes and transition supervisor for the Sioux Falls School District.

The goal is to support students as they move from school-based programming into adult services, volunteering, employment or other next steps, she said.

“This will provide vocational and career-focused competencies and a clear path toward independence,” Whiting said.

A hands-on path

The space will include a PAES lab, which stands for Practical Assessment Exploration System, paired with Project Discovery’s evidence-based curriculum.

Together, the tools are designed to help students assess work aptitude, explore job interests and build functional life skills.

Students will move through simulated work environments in areas such as retail, accounting, bookkeeping, information technology and other job-related experiences.

“The lab focuses on experiential learning for not only meeting standards but also equipping students with vital competencies needed to solve complex problems,” said Evan Ortlieb, dean of SDSU’s College of Education and Human Sciences. “The competencies allow you to demonstrate how well you can consistently perform a task  to be successful.”

The lab also connects directly to an apartment-like learning space, allowing students to practice a fuller daily routine.

They can prepare for work, engage in career exploration, return home, cook a meal and build the practical skills that support independence.

“They can become engaged in what it takes to be independent and on the right track, no matter what their career might be,” Ortlieb said.

The transition program can last up to four years, depending on the student. Some students attend a full day, while others attend part time and work in the afternoon.

The PAES assessment itself can take several months, with additional curriculum tailored to each student’s needs afterward.

“Purchasing the PAES lab has been a goal of the district’s transition program for several years,” Whiting said.

The move to the new Learning Lab was part of a renovation funded by existing school district funds to support the growth of transition programming. The Wintrode family, through SDSU, also contributed a major gift to support curriculum, training and technology expenses.

Building on SDSU’s autism support

For SDSU, the new lab builds on a growing ecosystem of autism support connected to the Wintrode family.

The Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Services program at SDSU provides wraparound support for students with autism.

“We’re currently serving approximately 50 students on our campus with a range of services: academic, social, emotional, nutrition, exercise, you name it,” Ortlieb said.

The program began in 2024 and has continued to grow, supporting students as they pursue degrees and campus life.

For some, that support can make the difference between feeling isolated and feeling at home.

Ortlieb describes students in the program as highly competent, often concentrated in STEM fields, but sometimes needing individualized support to thrive in a traditional college setting.

“They’re very capable, especially in conducive learning environments,” he said. “We’re trying to break down those barriers to provide a seamless on-ramp to the highway of success.”

That can include sensory-friendly environments, coaching, academic assistance, exercise support, nutrition programming and opportunities to build social connections.

“We have cultivated an ecosystem where they belong and can be themselves, while fully supported just like any other student,” said Keena Melville, director of the Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Services.

The new Learning Lab extends that spirit of support into Sioux Falls, where many students with disabilities, including autism, are concentrated.

“We’re going where the greatest need is,” Ortlieb said.

Training future teachers

The Learning Lab also creates value for SDSU students preparing to become educators, especially those studying special education.

SDSU graduate assistants and members of the Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Services team are expected to spend time in the lab, while SDSU will partner with the Sioux Falls School District on teacher training.

From SDSU’s perspective, the lab creates a setting where future teachers can see best practices in action.

“It’s a learning and research hub for our preservice teachers, especially those studying special education,” Ortlieb said.

Those students will be able to learn alongside Sioux Falls School District teachers and support staff who work directly with transition-age students.

“It’s a unique opportunity where the incredibly gifted personnel of the Sioux Falls School District and their on-the-ground mission will now be combined with SDSU’s autism expertise,” Ortlieb said.

The partnership will benefit multiple groups, Whiting said.

“This collaborative partnership will serve SFSD transition students, the SDSU graduate assistants, SFSD special education teachers and future special education teachers from SDSU,” she said. “All parties involved will benefit greatly from the SFSD and SDSU sharing a vision of what can be accomplished together for students.”

The lab is “a unique opportunity to leverage each other’s strengths in a way that is framed around our SDSU value of creating opportunities for all,” Ortlieb said.

“We’re super-passionate about not only supporting those students with disabilities but informing our teachers in training through this process. The intent is to continue to refine and research what constitutes best practices for students with disabilities, particularly those on the autistic spectrum.”

Even though the lab just opened, it’s expected to already be near capacity. Leaders at SDSU and the Sioux Falls School District see the partnership as more than a new room or curriculum.

They see it as a new model for helping students build independence and one that could draw interest from other districts and educators.

“It’s truly going to be an exceptional space for these young adults,” Ortlieb said. “I think this is going to show people across the state what is possible.”