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School districts and cooperatives have discovered significant advantages in hiring a dedicated individual to assist students as they transition from high school to adulthood. This role, often known as a transition coordinator, is essential for bridging the gap between high school and adulthood, providing students with the necessary support and resources to succeed.

We invite you to consider the following roles for transition coordinators:

School Partner

Transition coordinators work closely with students, families, and other educators to develop the Transition Individualized Education Plan (IEP) that addresses each student's strengths, needs, and postsecondary goals.

Collaboration Facilitator

Transition coordinators facilitate communication and collaboration among all involved in a student's education. By fostering strong relationships and open lines of communication, transition coordinators ensure everyone is working towards the same objectives. This collaborative approach creates a support system that can adapt to student needs as they progress toward life after postsecondary education.

Community Connector

Transition coordinators connect students and families with community resources, which include Vocational Rehabilitation, internships, job placements, community rehabilitation providers, benefits counselors, independent living centers, and postsecondary education options. Providing students with access to these resources helps build skills and confidence. They also assist with navigating the complex landscape of adult services and supports.

Passionate Advocator

Finally, transition coordinators advocate for the needs and rights of students with disabilities. They work to ensure that students receive appropriate accommodations and support services, both within the school setting and in the broader community. By focusing on the transition to adulthood and postsecondary goals, transition coordinators help to create more accessible and inclusive environments for students with disabilities. Their efforts empower students to achieve their full potential and live fulfilling lives.

All school districts should have a transition coordinator or someone assigned to manage transition and postsecondary-related issues. Many colleges and universities offer transition-focused endorsements or majors. The University of Kansas offers a Master’s program in Secondary Special Education and Transition Program. This online degree program provides educators with the fundamentals and education they need to become a transition coordinator. CCLC offers a 10-week course titled Transition Educators Facilitating Employment designed to provide a connective framework, tools, and strategies to facilitate successful adult vocational transition.

Bonus Tips:

CCLC is excited to offer virtual Family Employment Awareness Training throughout May. Join all six sessions to learn about local, state, and federal resources supporting young adults with disabilities who want to work in their communities. Families, transition-age students, young adults with disabilities, and the professionals supporting them are welcome to attend. All sessions will be held from 6-8 p.m. ET.

Training Dates:

  • May 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, & 21

To sign up for this training, visit the CCLC FEAT registration form.

Transition teams support students’ postsecondary goals in the areas of employment, education, and independent living. This intentional planning and collaboration process is referred to as Seamless Transition. Teams utilize seven key steps to guide this process with students and families.

  1. Encourage Families to Apply for Benefits 

As soon as a child is diagnosed, families should begin to apply for:

  1. Social Security
  2. Medicaid
  3. Medicaid Waiver
  1. Create an Interagency Team

Engage the student's stakeholders to build a collaborative network. Integrate your expertise with other providers to promote shared planning, strategy alignment, and the development of actionable next steps.

  1. Map the Vision

Use tools like the Positive Personal Profile or LifeCourse Framework. By aligning the student's current position and future aspirations, the team can create, support, and monitor goals. Advocate for the consistent use of these person-centered planning tools and resources.

  1. Enroll the Student in Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS)

Pre-ETS offers invaluable resources for students. Promote its benefits to families of students aged 14 to 22, emphasizing its role in developing job readiness, self-advocacy, and work experience.

  1. Help Families Apply to Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS)

Refer students to VRS. You’ve done so much work to make sure students’ goals are met; help families keep the momentum going! Remember, students can receive services from VR and Pre-ETS simultaneously.

  1. Address the Financial Impact of Employment

Decisions and choices about employment often involve financial planning. Pre-ETS providers, VRS, educators, and families can assist the student with this process.

  1. Discuss ABLE Accounts.
  2. Seek a Benefits Analysis.
  3. Provide information on Rep Payees.
  1. Discuss Adult Decision-Making

Before the 10th grade, inform families of the various types of legal guardianship. To ensure the student's best interests are served, families need sufficient time to review and express their concerns regarding future supports.

Share the Seamless Transition Map and Timeline with families and consider it a key resource for your own planning.

Resources:

Prevalence 

According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are a common condition. More importantly for educators, nearly one-third of teens experience an anxiety disorder, resulting in poor school performance. The National Institute of Mental Health’s data confirms that anxiety occurs more often in female teens. There is no single cause for anxiety. Educators can expect one in every three students to suffer from an anxiety disorder. More sobering is that this anxiety can be well-masked by the student, but no less devastating.

What to Look Out For

Feelings of anxiousness are normal for all teens. Anxiety rises and falls in response to different situations. Students can overcome anxiety through emotional support and skill-building. An anxiety disorder is persistent. For students experiencing ongoing anxiety, the impacts can be profound and may include, and not be limited to:

  • Physical complaints such as headaches and nausea
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Resistance to being in unfamiliar physical spaces/avoidance
  • Lack of concentration
  • Poor decision-making
  • Unrealistic thinking patterns, such as expecting self-perfection
  • Anger/agitation
  • Excessive concern about what others think

What You Can Do

  • Communicate with the family. Coordination and collaboration with families ensures ongoing support, especially when the student is under medical care.
  • Develop opportunities to teach the student coping and adaptation skills, such as relaxation techniques.
  • Identify safe places for the student to calm down.
  • Provide structure to minimize anxiety production. Before a schedule changes, rehearse transition skills with the student.
  • Be understanding.
  • Consider pairing the student with a peer partner.
  • Collaborate with the school guidance counselor. It takes a team.
  • Use accommodations

Resources

Bonus Tips

We're excited to offer the Transition Educators Facilitating Employment course, starting April 7, 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.

When meeting with families, explaining employment programming can be challenging. Understanding each program and what it offers is key to helping students with disabilities and their families navigate the world of employment. Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) are employment programs available to assist students and adults with disabilities.

What is Pre-ETS, and how is VR involved?

VR provides services for students who are still enrolled in school through Pre-ETS. The program's goal is to assist students in understanding their employment interests, abilities, and strengths. 

What services does Pre-ETS provide?

Pre-ETS services include five core components:  

  • job exploration counseling,  
  • workplace readiness training,  
  • instruction in self-advocacy, 
  • counseling on post-secondary education opportunities, and  
  • work-based learning experiences.

What services does VR provide?

VRS can help someone:

  • identify and recognize interests and abilities,
  • acquire and refine skills,
  • investigate job options,
  • enter the workforce, and
  • launch a career.

VR can also provide services to those who have exited school but still need help with job exploration, placement, or advancement.

How can teachers help connect students to VR and Pre-ETS?

With student and family permission, school professionals can help students access services by: 

  • Inviting the Pre-ETS and VR counselor to the student’s case conference during their junior and senior years.
  • Referring the student for VR services no later than the last semester of their exit year.
  • Ensuring a student applies for VR as a part of their Transition IEP Services and Activities or as a part of their participation in Pre-ETS services.

Resources

Bonus Tips:

Join Hands in Autism for a Three-Day Transition Training designed to empower Pre-ETS Providers, VR Counselors, Transition Coordinators, and Secondary Educators with the skills and knowledge to support successful transitions for individuals with autism. All individuals in the roles mentioned above will receive a 30% discount after registering.

  • Date: April 16, 17, & 18, 2025.
  • Location: HANDS Center, 1002 Wishard Blvd, Suite 1021, Indianapolis, IN 46202.

Don't miss out on this chance to enhance your expertise and make a difference. To learn more, visit the registration page.

Meeting the needs of students transitioning from high school is a complex process. Supporting students in the transition to adulthood is beyond the capacity of any one person or agency and is shown to be less effective in isolation. Effective transition planning demands collaboration, a shared vision, diverse expertise, and integrated services to achieve beneficial outcomes for teams and students.

What is an Interagency Transition Team (ITT)?

An ITT is a collaborative group of stakeholders who work together to support students with disabilities’ vision for a meaningful life after high school. They prioritize preparation for employment and/or further education and training.

Why are Interagency Teams needed?

Successful teams provide comprehensive support, improved coordination, and the sharing of knowledge and resources. When education professionals, adult service agencies, students, and families manage transition programming together, students receive comprehensive services that may lead to better postsecondary outcomes.

Who do Interagency Teams include?

Team members include the student and family, school professionals including teachers, administrators, related service personnel such as occupational, physical, and speech therapists, mental health or benefits counselors, as well as Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), Vocational Rehabilitation, case managers, and other community members as needed.

What do Interagency Teams do?

Professionals collaborate with students and families to develop a personalized pathway, ensuring students graduate with the skills necessary to achieve their postsecondary goals. Collaborative strategies strengthen relationships and build effective partnerships that contribute to a return on investment in effort, time, money, and most importantly student success.

Collaborative interagency teamwork from schools, agencies, students, and families, is a strong predictor of positive post-school outcomes including paid employment (Test et al., 2009; Wehman, et al., 2014).

Learn more from the following resources.

Despite the cold, it’s time to start planning for summer. You can encourage students to build transition-related skills by sharing opportunities available in their local area! Explore various camps by using the Indiana Disability Resource FINDER, otherwise known as FINDER.

To find free, day, overnight, and disability-specific camps, open the FINDER homepage. On the FINDER homepage, find the keyword search bar in the top right corner and type “camps.” You will see over 100 organizations offering a variety of camps across Indiana and beyond, such as  My Summer Camps. You may print or save a list by clicking on the printer icon in blue. From there, you can select all, click print, and then save as a PDF for email sharing with families. If there is a specific camp you know they would be interested in, just copy the link, and send it to parents via your preferred classroom communication tool.

Check out a few Indiana camps below.

Camp Red Cedar is an inclusive summer camp located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Enjoy the beautiful scenery in an entirely wheelchair accessible environment. From arts and crafts, canoeing, games, horseback riding, and swimming, every camper will make lasting memories and friendships.

Camp Millhouse located in South Bend, Indiana, offers campers a full day of fun with music, time at the pool, dancing, and outdoor activities. Camp Millhouse offers campers a place where they are “free to be themselves.” 

Bradford Woods is the home of Camp Riley. Camp Riley offers 8 unique camping experiences. With generous support from the Riley Children’s Foundation, sponsorships for campers are available.

Happiness Bag Camp in Terre Haute, Indiana offers the only camp for individuals with disabilities in the Wabash Valley! An 8-week summer day camp, offering options to attend full day, or a few hours. Happiness Bag features quality adaptive education and recreation experiences that inspire personal growth and create lasting memories.

Start planning a fun-filled summer now with FINDER.

Bonus Tips:

We're excited to offer the Transition Educators Facilitating Employment course, starting April 7, 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.

Transition teams should prioritize building strong, reciprocal relationships with families, transforming parent involvement into true collaborative partnerships. This foundation of trust, respect, and shared purpose creates powerful opportunities for students to thrive.

Consider the following questions from the SWIFT Education Center’s Trusting Family Partnerships Resource:

  1. How are family partnerships defined at our school?
  2. What roles do family members currently hold at our school?
  3. Are family partnerships important to student outcomes? Why or why not?
  4. What are our school’s goals for partnering with family members?

We invite you to consider the following roles for parents during the transition process.

Parents As Transition Team Members

Parents are core members of the case conference committee, particularly for transition planning, impacting their child's education, safety, and future. To truly address student needs, all team members must actively collaborate with families, fostering a foundation of trust built upon consistent, open communication.

Parents Provide a Unique Perspective

Parents provide critical insights into a child's academic, behavioral, and personal needs. Their observations from home and social settings, coupled with understanding the family's values and environment, are essential for supporting the child's development.

Parents Champion Their Child

A parent’s perspective may differ from other team members, and that’s okay. When parents are seen as active team members, they are more likely to share concerns and offer solutions. Parents can continue the momentum towards meeting academic and behavioral goals in the home by reinforcing strategies and services.

Parents are a Second Set of Eyes

Consistent and transparent communication from schools allows parents to effectively monitor their child's progress toward academic and developmental benchmarks. A parent’s valuable feedback, detailing what is working well and what needs revision, enables educational professionals to tailor their strategies effectively.

Center on Community Living and Careers Resources:

The resources below will guide you toward actionable steps and strategies for communication between parents and school staff.

Bonus Tips:

The virtual Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) concludes this week. English language FEAT will take place today, Tuesday, March 4. Spanish language FEAT will take place on Thursday, March 6. To register, visit the English FEAT registration and Spanish FEAT registration webpages.

Alternative diplomas have become a common option for high school students in many states. Designed for those who may not follow the traditional graduation route, alternative diplomas can be a beneficial goal for some students. Depending on specific state guidelines and requirements, alternative diplomas could be an option for those who face challenges in typical learning environments such as students with disabilities, those at risk of dropping out, or individuals who need a more flexible schedule. 

These diplomas may have different requirements compared to standard high school diplomas but that does not mean alternative diplomas are somehow less valuable or require less from the student. Alternative diplomas may focus on practical skills, vocational training, or personalized learning plans to meet the individual needs of each student. These diplomas are designed to provide an equitable education, preparing students for success in their postsecondary goals.

A specific example is the Indiana Alternative Diploma. In Indiana, the alternate diploma is a standards-based diploma available to students with the most significant cognitive disabilities who participate in the state’s alternate assessment. There are additional requirements for the Indiana alternative diploma, including:

A student must:

  • Earn a minimum of 40 high school credits, applied units, or a combination of both.
  • Complete one of the following activities:
    • Complete an industry-recognized certification, one year certificate, or state-approved alternative,
    • Complete a project-based or work-based learning experience as determined by the Career and College Counselor (CCC),
    • Earn a work ethic certificate, or
    • Participate in part-time employment or other work-related activities as determined by the CCC.
  • Develop a transition portfolio that demonstrates work experience, credentials, or work certificates that the student completed during high school.

A case conference committee must determine that the alternative diploma is appropriate for the student.

Alternative diplomas are a good option for students when traditional school structure and/or diplomas do not meet their needs. To learn more about specific diploma options, contact your state's Department of Education.

Resources:

 

Bonus Tips:

We're excited to offer the Transition Educators Facilitating Employment course, starting April 7, 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 all make mistakes. It's a fundamental part of life. Rather than viewing mistakes as failures, we can see them as valuable learning opportunities. They show us what doesn't work, guiding us toward better approaches and fostering personal growth. While learning from our errors isn't always easy, it's often the most effective way to grow and develop.

Students with disabilities, especially those with higher learning needs, are sometimes overprotected by well-meaning adults, including educators. This can create environments where students aren't given the chance to make mistakes, take risks, and learn from their experiences—essentially denying them the dignity of learning through trial and error.

Dignity of risk is the right for individuals to make informed choices and experience the consequences, both positive and negative, of those decisions. As an educator, this means empowering students to learn, take calculated risks, and understand the outcomes of their actions. This process, even when it involves facing less desirable consequences, is crucial for building self-confidence and resilience.

Educators must champion the dignity of risk for their students, both inside and outside the classroom. This may involve educating parents about the importance of this concept and the valuable learning opportunities it provides for student growth and maturity. It's also beneficial for all members of a student's transition team to understand and support this principle.

Resources

Bonus Tips:

Join us for the “From Transition IEP Knowledge to Portfolio Application” webinar series. All sessions will include breakout rooms 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 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.

Attention, educators! The Center on Community Living and Careers (CCLC) along with the Family Employment First Coalition (FEFC), a group of key disability advocacy organizations across the state, have developed several new resources for schools and families and we are excited to share them with you.

We're excited to share four new resources available on the CCLC website and would love your feedback! As educators, your insights on the content, quality, and usefulness of these resources are invaluable in helping us promote competitive integrated employment.

Please take a few minutes to review one or more of the resources linked below and share your thoughts in this short survey: Transition Resources Feedback Survey. We would like your feedback by February 28, 2025.

  • What is Transition? Main Messages: This document highlights the keys to a successful transition from high school, including the Transition Individualized Education Program (IEP), the case conference team, and connecting to adult services.
  • Transition Planning and Processes: This document assists students in successfully transitioning from school to work.
  • The Transition IEP: This guide emphasizes each part of the Transition IEP and its role, encouraging families to promote self-advocacy skills and early planning.
  • Transition Best Practices from School to Work: This guide explains key features of exemplary transition practices, from school to competitive integrated employment.

We've also developed a variety of other resources on transition-related topics. Visit the Information for Students and Families webpage to learn more. Thank you for your time and for sharing these resources with others who may benefit.

Bonus Tip:

The virtual Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) continues this week! Sessions are being offered in English and Spanish from January 28 through March 4, 2025. To learn more, visit the English FEAT registration and Spanish FEAT registration webpages.