Our mission
Simplifying the transition into adulthood
To simplify the transition into adulthood for individuals with disabilities by connecting the people, resources, and opportunities that support their future.
How we started
NXTSteps grew out of a long-standing passion for working with students with disabilities, and a frustration with how hard it is for the adults around them to pull in the same direction. Every student deserves a plan for adulthood that reflects who they are, yet the people who care most about them are often coordinating through email threads, paper binders and good intentions.
We started NXTSteps to change that: to give every student a clear, personal path into adulthood, and to give the parents, educators, caregivers and employers around them one place to support it. Our commitment to individual choice, collaboration and accessibility isn’t a marketing line; it’s what we’ve believed since day one.
For many families, navigating education, professional services, employment and community programs is overwhelming. Support is spread across many organizations, making long-term planning hard.
NXTSteps isn’t a job placement agency or a nonprofit. We’re a technology company building the infrastructure that connects existing organizations and resources through one accessible platform.
Built around the student and family, not around one system
Most transition tools are built for one side of the table. We’re dedicated to bringing the whole table together, so families don’t have to piece their support back together themselves.
What families usually find
- Tracking software made for special educators, to evaluate students against post-school goals.
- IEP platforms that write transition plans and track progress for the school team, sometimes with AI.
- Planning tools that map goals and community resources, usually bought by a school district or state agency.
- When school ends, the plan often stays behind with the school, and families start over.
How NXTSteps is different
- The student and family lead. It’s their plan, and they choose who’s on the team and what each person sees.
- One connected network: school, adult services, nonprofits, mentors and employers work from the same plan instead of adding another separate system.
- It goes with the student, across schools, programs and agencies, and into adult life.
- Jobs, programs and community services close to home, with inclusive employers marked.
- No AI reads student records or support information.
What we believe
Individual choice
Meaningful experiences shaped by each person's interests, never one-size-fits-all.
Collaboration
We strengthen the coordinators, caregivers and programs already doing the work.
Accessibility
Designed so every student can use it, communicate preferences and own their goals.