For nearly fifty years, the Transition School (TS) has offered an alternative to the one-size-fits-all model of education. It is a place where young, advanced learners can grow in ways traditional schools often struggle to support. TS students benefit from a rich legacy of advocacy and dedication that began with Halbert and Nancy Robinson, the founders and early leaders of the Robinson Center. Their vision, along with the contributions of university scholars, administrators, TS staff, instructors, students, and alumni, has shaped a program recognized internationally as a model of excellence in specialized education for advanced learners.
That commitment to innovation and individualized learning continues today. TS remains the only program of its kind, challenging students to think differently and reach beyond what they thought possible. Located on the University of Washington’s world-class campus, TS serves as both a community and a laboratory for educational innovation, creating a pathway to higher education for young students ready for university-level scholarship. From the beginning, TS has been more than a bridge to college. It is a place where learning is active, reflective, and deeply personal. TSers take ownership of their education, developing the independence and resilience needed to thrive at the university and beyond. Rather than relying on rigid hierarchies, we work in partnership with students, giving them an active role in shaping their learning experience.
It is easy to focus on the destination, but at TS, the journey itself is what matters most. Growth rarely follows a straight line. There are challenges, setbacks, and moments of discovery that shape not only what students know but who they are becoming. Our students are not simply mastering material; they are learning how to learn, uncovering new ways of thinking, and redefining what success means to them.
Eleanor Duckworth, in The Having of Wonderful Ideas, captures the spirit of this kind of learning:
“The more we help children to have their wonderful ideas and feel good about having them, the more likely it is that they will someday happen upon wonderful ideas that no one else has happened upon before.”
At TS, students are invited to explore their own limits and possibilities, gaining new perspectives on learning and growth. By the time they leave, we hope they have moved beyond conventional definitions of success. True readiness for university is not measured by a checklist of achievements but by an expanding awareness of what they can do, how they think, and what they imagine for themselves and others.
Welcome to the Transition School. Welcome to a reimagining of what is possible.
Chance Sims
Head of School