Tips

All Tuesday Tips

The Transition Portfolio and Transition IEP should work together to provide information about a student’s strengths, preferences, interests, and needs in relation to employment, education, and independent living. The portfolio is a presentation document positively demonstrating a student’s abilities in Student Information, Student Learning Characteristics, Academic Skills, and Employability Skills. We have created the Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Crosswalk to explain how each component of the Transition IEP aligns with and can be used within the Transition Portfolio domains.

The Transition Services and Activities section of the IEP, aligned with each postsecondary goal, guides students in choosing, maintaining, or adjusting their chosen path. Transition Services and Activities are individualized, meaningful, and coordinated experiences supporting the direction students want to pursue in employment, education, and independent living.

Some activities may include: 

  • Internships
  • Job shadowing 
  • Community job experiences
  • In-school jobs

Experiences expose students to a variety of new and unique career possibilities that are culturally sensitive and individualized. These experiences also include needed supports and services.

Transition Portfolio Artifacts highlight successful transition services and activities. These artifacts may be appropriate for multiple portfolio domain areas.

Any service or activity with supporting documentation IS AN ARTIFACT that can be used across the 4 portfolio domains:

Student InformationAcademic SkillsStudent Learning & CharacteristicsEmployability Skills

Some of these artifacts may include:

Learn more about the ways you can showcase elements of IEP progress in Transition Portfolios in our upcoming IEP/Portfolio training series.

Upcoming dates:

  • February 5: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Intersections – Present Levels
  • February 12: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Intersections – Transition Assessments and Postsecondary Goals
  • February 19: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Intersections – Transition Services and Activities
  • February 26: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Intersections – Annual Goal Statements
  • March 5: Quality Transition Portfolio Format, Uses, and Examples
  • March 12: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Work Session Breakout Rooms

To register for these upcoming sessions, visit the INSTRC Training and Technical Assistance webpage.

The virtual Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) starts January 28 and runs through March 4, 2025. These sessions are offered in both Spanish and English. To learn more, visit the English FEAT registration and Spanish FEAT registration webpages.

The Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center (INSTRC) has created valuable resources to help you support students and families throughout the transition process. The Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Crosswalk explains how each component of the Transition IEP aligns with and can be used within the Transition Portfolio. Today’s tip highlights two sections within the Transition IEP and the Transition Portfolio: Student Information and Present Levels and Progress Monitoring.

Student information is personally identifiable information on a student such as their home address, phone number, and email address. Student information is pertinent to the Transition Portfolio as it is a way for employers to reach the student via mail, phone, or email. Any information or documentation shared in the Transition Portfolio is considered an artifact, or evidence.

The Present Levels of Academic Performance and Progress Monitoring within the IEP is a rich story describing the student's strengths and needs. Data provided in this section explains how the student’s disability affects their progress in all environments. Information from this section is valuable within the Transition Portfolio as it communicates the student’s progress on IEP goals, and any supports the student needs to be successful academically and on the job.

By using the Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Crosswalk, you can easily identify how the IEP fulfills many of the information needs of the Transition Portfolio.

Bonus Tips

INSTRC is excited to offer 2025 intensive Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Trainings, “From Transition IEP Knowledge to Portfolio Application.” These trainings consist of 6 separate one and a half hour sessions focusing on quality aspects of each section of the transition IEP and how these sections intersect with a quality transition portfolio. All sessions will include breakout room work sessions where you can ask questions and access additional support.

Each session will cost $35 and run from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm ET.

Upcoming dates:

  • February 5: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Intersections – Present Levels
  • February 12: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Intersections – Transition Assessments and Postsecondary Goals
  • February 19: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Intersections – Transition Services and Activities
  • February 26: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Intersections – Annual Goal Statements
  • March 5: Quality Transition Portfolio Format, Uses, and Examples
  • March 12: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Work Session Breakout Rooms

To register for these upcoming webinars, visit the INSTRC Training and Technical Assistance webpage.

Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) provides free instruction to parents, young adults with disabilities, families, educators, and transition and employment professionals. FEAT attendees learn about local, state, and federal resources that help young adults with disabilities who want to work.

In addition to the information about high expectations for employment, there is also:

  • an opportunity to hear from individuals with disabilities who are successfully employed,
  • the chance to meet people from agencies providing support to transitioning individuals, and
  • much, much more!

Delivered by the Center on Community Living and Careers (CCLC) at Indiana University and funded by Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation, FEAT is expanding its offerings in 2025. This year, CCLC is excited to provide virtual FEATs in both English and Spanish. English language FEAT will take place every Tuesday from January 28th through March 4th. Spanish language FEAT will take place every Thursday from January 30th through March 6th. Participants are encouraged to attend each FEAT session for unique and valuable topics and information. State agencies that provide related support and services will also attend the trainings.
  
Upcoming Family Employment Awareness Trainings: 

For more FEAT information and to register for these and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage. 

 

Bonus Tips

February and March are packed with learning opportunities. We are excited to offer the “From Transition IEP Knowledge to Portfolio Application” webinar series. All sessions will include breakout room work sessions where you can ask questions and access additional support. Each session will cost $35 and run from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm ET.

Upcoming dates:

  • February 5: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Intersections – Present Levels
  • February 12: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Intersections – Transition Assessments and Postsecondary Goals
  • February 19: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Intersections – Transition Services and Activities
  • February 26: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Intersections – Annual Goal Statements
  • March 5: Quality Transition Portfolio Format, Uses, and Examples
  • March 12: Transition IEP and Transition Portfolio Work Session Breakout Rooms

To register for these upcoming webinars, visit the INSTRC Training and Technical Assistance webpage.

Planning daily activities is a personal experience. Students should choose activities based on their preferences, interests, and needs. With your guidance, they can prioritize skill development, exercise independence, and live a fulfilling life. These daily activities also empower individuals with disabilities to transition from sheltered employment.

To help students develop a well-rounded routine, use the Evansville Resources Wellness Chart. This tool incorporates all wellness domains and can be adapted to any community.

Use the following steps to guide students toward planning a meaningful day:

  1. Connect to Personal Goals: Outline what a student wishes to accomplish in all areas of life. Include goals for employment, education and training, and independent living.
  2. Design a Daily Schedule: Create a routine that includes work-life balance. This means striking a balance between work and free time. Be sure to include personal care activities.
  3. Focus on Health and Wellness: Schedule daily physical activities like meditation, journaling, exercise, and counseling sessions.
  4. Promote Independence: Prioritize learning and participation in skills that can be done alone such as cooking, shopping, and financial planning.
  5. Participate in Social Events: Join or volunteer for clubs and community events. Building meaningful relationships and social connections improves well-being.
  6. Seek Available Resources: Utilize online tools such as the “Building A Meaningful Day: A Step-By-Step Guide” to design personalized activities.

Continue to reference the steps above to help students create a daily routine that supports their personal growth and goals.

Bonus Tips:

We're excited to offer the Transition Educators Facilitating Employment course, starting January 13, 2025! This 10-week, comprehensive online training gives educators, specialists, Pre-ETS providers, transition coordinators, and other professionals the foundation, techniques, and effective strategies necessary for successful adult vocational transition.

Course modules include:

  • Developing Transition Programs within the Traditional School Environment
  • The Evolution of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Principles of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Roles, Responsibilities, and Expectations
  • Discovery and Customized Employment
  • Marketing for Employment Services
  • Job Development, Training, and Workplace Supports
  • Assistive Technology
  • Federal Programs for Businesses and People with Disabilities
  • Criminal Justice Involvement

This online, self-paced course costs $250. For more information and to register, visit the CCLC Transition Educators Training webpage.

Students with disabilities in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs can be certified for specific skills through microcredentials. The Center on Community Living and Careers (CCLC) has partnered with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and select Indiana secondary school Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs to develop microcredentials in Early Childhood Education and Auto Mechanics.

Microcredentials are competency-based certifications that focus on skills developed and demonstrated to show proficiency in a particular area. They should be related to the student’s postsecondary goals and are earned through:

  1. Personalized learning experiences
  2. Specific skill development
  3. Customized assessments that demonstrate mastery

Using industry standards, microcredentials allow students to highlight and validate specific job skills that meet employer needs. Students earning an alternate diploma or certificate of completion can use microcredentials within their transition portfolio and on resumes.

With appropriate accommodations and support, CTE programs can significantly enhance the postsecondary outcomes of students with disabilities.

  • Increased graduation rates - Research shows that students with disabilities who participate in CTE are more likely to graduate high school.
  • Improved academic performance - Students with disabilities who participated in CTE programs made significant progress in academic proficiency.
  • Enhanced career and college readiness - Students who have earned three or more sequential credits in any state-approved CTE program in grades 9 through 12 are expected to pass technical skill assessments that align with industry-recognized standards, if available and appropriate.
  • Employment - Research states that students from varying disability groups who had three or more semesters of CTE are more likely to be employed.
  • Competitive and integrated employment - Earning CTE microcredentials provides greater leverage for customized employment in competitive, integrated employment, including opportunities for career advancement.

Would you like to learn more about participating in our microcredential pilots in the areas of Early Childhood Education and Auto Mechanics? Contact us at INSTRC@IU.edu.

Bonus Tips:

The Transition Educators Facilitating Employment course starts on January 13, 2025! This 10-week, comprehensive online training gives educators, specialists, Pre-ETS providers, transition coordinators, and other professionals the foundation, techniques, and effective strategies necessary for successful adult vocational transition.

Course modules include:

  • Developing Transition Programs within the Traditional School Environment
  • The Evolution of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Principles of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Roles, Responsibilities, and Expectations
  • Discovery and Customized Employment
  • Marketing for Employment Services
  • Job Development, Training, and Workplace Supports
  • Assistive Technology
  • Federal Programs for Businesses and People with Disabilities
  • Criminal Justice Involvement

This online, self-paced course costs $250. For more information and to register, visit the CCLC Transition Educators Training webpage.

The Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Indiana, a project of the Center on Education and Lifelong Learning (CELL), is hosting a training series focusing on restorative practices. Restorative practices focus on building positive relationships and addressing the root causes of conflict. They offer schools an alternative to exclusionary discipline by emphasizing healing, repairing harm, and restoring relationships rather than punishment. To learn more and register, visit the PBIS Indiana website.

 

Indiana is undergoing an employment systems transformation. Important changes may affect the students you support, especially those with significant disability impacts. These changes mean students using an Indiana waiver will no longer be able to attend state-funded, facility-based prevocational services (sheltered employment). Helping students understand their postsecondary employment options is critical. As they progress, developing an employment vision becomes increasingly important.

How Educators Can Empower Informed Choice Regarding Employment

Transition services and activities within the IEP offer a powerful avenue for developing students' employment visions. By incorporating concrete, action-oriented goals, students can articulate their future aspirations more clearly. Transition services and activities to consider might include:

  1. Facilitating and creating job shadowing opportunities for students.
  2. Developing and coordinating informational interviewing with local industry leaders.
  3. Helping students research the goods and services Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) offers.
  4. Collaborating with students to create one dedicated transition portfolio page that includes the:
    • Ideal conditions a student optimally needs at work.
    • Student’s most persistent strengths, including soft and hard skills.
    • Kind of supports, both at work and outside of work, a student will need to be successful and maintain a job.
  5. Exploring meaningful day options to ensure each student has balanced and holistic well-being.  ​

As always, connect students to VR as early as possible, no later than their junior year of high school. Students may now concurrently receive VR and Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS). Lastly, make sure the student can access his/her electronic transition portfolio after graduation.

Bonus Tips:

The Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) starts January 28 and runs through March 4, 2025. These sessions are offered in both Spanish and English. To learn more, visit the English FEAT registration and Spanish FEAT registration webpages.

The Indiana School Mental Health Initiative (ISMHI), part of the Center on Education and Lifelong Learning (CELL), will host Indiana’s 7th Annual Educating the Whole Child Summit on February 7, 2025, at the Embassy Suites Plainfield Indianapolis Airport Hotel. The keynote speaker, Cornelius Minor, a Brooklyn-based educator, will provide valuable insights on fostering equitable literacy reform. To learn more and register, visit the ISMHI events page.

Psychologist William James notes, "A chain is no stronger than its weakest link, and life is after all a chain." Each link is vital to the strength and connectedness of the whole. This Thanksgiving, we extend our gratitude for your dedication to traveling alongside students whose lives are comparatively more challenging and complex. Your efforts strengthen our interconnected community by supporting and enabling students toward personal achievement.

You empower students to take control of their lives and set ambitious goals. By fostering their courage and confidence, you inspire them to pursue a life of achievement and personal fulfillment. Your unwavering commitment strengthens our community and enables us to overcome challenges together.

You may not hear this very often but know that we are thankful for your contributions and value the impact you make in the lives of the children in our community—and we are proud to partner with you.

With heartfelt thanks,

Your friends at the Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center (INSTRC)

Bonus Tip:

The Transition Educators Facilitating Employment course starts on January 13, 2025! This 10-week, comprehensive online training gives educators, specialists, Pre-ETS providers, transition coordinators, and other professionals the foundation, techniques, and effective strategies necessary for successful adult vocational transition.

Course modules include:

  • Developing Transition Programs within the Traditional School Environment
  • The Evolution of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Principles of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Roles, Responsibilities, and Expectations
  • Discovery and Customized Employment
  • Marketing for Employment Services
  • Job Development, Training, and Workplace Supports
  • Assistive Technology
  • Federal Programs for Businesses and People with Disabilities
  • Criminal Justice Involvement

This online, self-paced course costs $250. For more information and to register, visit the CCLC Transition Educators Training webpage.

By now you’ve heard the exciting news that the Transition IEP Guidebook has a new look with updated features to guide you through writing a transition IEP. One exciting new component in the Transition IEP Guidebook is the case studies of two students receiving special education services.

Lucy is a 15-year-old high school student with significant impacts of disability. She has a severe cognitive disability and is on an alternative diploma track.

Rita is a high school senior on a diploma track that receives speech services for a speech impairment classified as stuttering. She has frequent problems with the normal fluency and flow of speech that inhibit her ability to speak and communicate frequently.

As you make your way through the Guidebook, you will learn how to create a quality and useful document in each section of the transition IEP. Follow Lucy and Rita's journeys to understand each section of the transition IEP, including:

  • Present Levels of Academic and Functional Performance
  • Summary of Findings of Age-Appropriate Transition Assessments
  • Postsecondary Goals
  • Transition Services and Activities
  • Annual Goal Statements

Lucy and Rita’s examples, the direct transition services and annual goal examples, and other transition information included make the Guidebook a valuable resource for educators.

Bonus Tips:

The Transition Educators Facilitating Employment course starts on January 13, 2025! This 10-week, comprehensive online training gives educators, specialists, Pre-ETS providers, transition coordinators, and other professionals the foundation, techniques, and effective strategies necessary for successful adult vocational transition.

Course modules include:

  • Developing Transition Programs within the Traditional School Environment
  • The Evolution of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Principles of Supported and Customized Employment
  • Roles, Responsibilities, and Expectations
  • Discovery and Customized Employment
  • Marketing for Employment Services
  • Job Development, Training, and Workplace Supports
  • Assistive Technology
  • Federal Programs for Businesses and People with Disabilities
  • Criminal Justice Involvement

This online, self-paced course costs $250. For more information and to register, visit the CCLC Transition Educators Training webpage.

We invite you to participate in Comprehensive Transition Open Office Hours every Thursday from 2:30 to 4:30 PM Eastern Time. During these sessions, you can speak with subject matter experts in dedicated breakout rooms. CCLC staff can address inquiries concerning transition portfolios, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Social Security Work Incentives, Vocational Rehabilitation, and other transition-related topics. To join, use the Zoom link.

The Transition IEP Guidebook is a new resource from the Indiana Secondary Transition Resource Center (INSTRC) to help educators develop quality transition IEPs. This Guidebook also includes useful resources and examples, replacing the Transition IEP Rubric. Parents may use this resource to better understand different components of a transition IEP.

As you explore each section of the Guidebook, you'll get to know Lucy and Rita.

Lucy, a 15-year-old tenth grader with multiple severe cognitive disabilities, and Rita, a senior on the diploma track who receives speech services, are the focus of the case studies.

The case studies illustrate each section of the IEP, including:

  • Present Levels of Academic and Functional Performance (PLAFP)
  • Transition Assessments
  • Postsecondary Goals
  • Transition Services and Activities
  • Annual Goals

Appendix A provides examples of Transition Services and Activities. This section includes quick reference guide that demonstrates how postsecondary goals and transition services align within an IEP. Additionally, it explains the rationale behind each service and provides both quality and non-compliant examples.

Appendix B includes examples of Annual Goals for a diverse range of student needs. These goals are both skill-based and measurable, making them a valuable resource for comparing compliant and quality IEP components. Under each goal topic, you'll find non-compliant, compliant, and quality examples, along with explanations for each.

Share this great new resource with your friends and colleagues!

Bonus Tips:

The virtual Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) starts in January! Join us for free English and Spanish sessions from 6:00–8:00 p.m. ET. All sessions are open to families, transition-age students and young adults with disabilities, and the professionals who support them.

Upcoming English sessions:

  • January 28
  • February 4, 11, 18, 12
  • March 4

Upcoming Spanish sessions:

  • January 30
  • February 6, 13, 20, 27
  • March 6

For more FEAT information and to register for these and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage.

Drumroll, please…. We’re excited to announce that the new Transition Individualized Education Program (IEP) Guidebook, formerly known as the Transition IEP Rubric, is here!

So, what’s different besides the name? A few features of the Guidebook have changed. 

The new features include:

  • An expanded table of contents.
    • The Guidebook features a detailed table of contents with twelve numbered sections for easy navigation.
  • Considerations for student-led IEP meetings.
    • Want to get your student more involved in participating and leading their own case conference? The Guidebook contains some practical tools and resources for you to do just that!
    • Remember, the goal is for students to feel knowledgeable and be active members of the team. Start with small steps and gradually increase their involvement as they become more comfortable.
  • Thorough descriptions of each section of the Transition Individualized Education Program (IEP).
    • Each component of the transition IEP is explained in detail with examples to guide you along the way. Need a refresher on a particular section? We’ve got you covered.
    • Information from Transition Services and Activities: Making the Connection is now included in this guidebook. To reference the full document and its case studies visit: Transition Services and Activities: Making the Connection.
  • Written statements or case studies that illustrate quality components and alignment of the transition.
    • Get ready to meet Lisa and Rita. As you explore the Guidebook, their real-world stories will bring each component of the transition IEP to life. You'll learn how to document these components effectively through case studies.
  • Diploma decisions and graduation pathways for Indiana students.
    • The Guidebook has been updated with the most recent Indiana diploma options. Check the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) website regularly as diploma information is continuing to develop.
  • Principles and process of supported decision-making.
    • The Guidebook includes new information and resources on supporting students and parents when discussing supported decision-making and guardianship.
  • Appendices with valuable insights and key points.
    • Appendices include information about quality annual goals and transition services, including examples of each.

Coming soon!  An updated Indiana Diploma Decisions Guide that will explain diploma and graduation options for Indiana students.

 

Bonus Tips:

The virtual Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) starts in January! Join us for free English and Spanish sessions from 6:00–8:00 p.m. ET. All sessions are open to families, transition-age students and young adults with disabilities, and the professionals who support them.

Upcoming English sessions:

  • January 28
  • February 4, 11, 18, 12
  • March 4

Upcoming Spanish sessions:

  • January 30
  • February 6, 13, 20, 27
  • March 6

For more FEAT information and to register for these and other events, visit the CCLC FEAT webpage