In support of Secretary Cardona’s mission to improve equity across our nation’s schools, Director Williams is pleased to announce a new initiative to improve postsecondary outcomes for students with disabilities — Expect, Engage, and Empower: Successful Transitions for All!

This initiative will challenge the field to join OSEP to raise expectations, engage families earlier, and empower all who support transition services to measurably and significantly improve postsecondary outcomes for children and youth with disabilities and their families. Every family that has an infant, child, or youth identified with a disability must be exposed to high expectations from day one. In order for improvement to occur three things must happen:

1. the education and vocational rehabilitation systems must work together,
2. critical discussions about the future and transition planning process must start sooner, and
3. ALL students with disabilities should have the opportunity to learn about all post-secondary opportunities and make the best choice for themselves.

OSEP believes that systems should be prepared to make their vision a reality by providing information about any needed support services, and proactively address needs.

Save the Date Event Details

• When: TBD, Winter 2023
• Where: Virtual
• Who: While the initiative is grounded in secondary transition, the planning can begin at a very young age. Therefore, all OSEP grantees from the IDEA Part B and C communities are invited and encouraged to attend.

Additional information will be shared in the upcoming weeks

Have you ever wondered who should be at an IEP meeting? Or, why someone was at the IEP meeting? Or, whether someone else should be at the IEP meeting? Or how to help a student, family, or school personnel understand those things?

Check out this new series of short, animated videos that explains the many people who can, or should be, part of the meeting. Two new videos are released each week until the series is complete. Follow PaTTAN on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn to see the new releases or check out this YouTube playlist to see them all!

These videos can be used as an introduction and way to provide information to families, youth, and professionals about the IEP team members. They can be sent out with a photo and contact information of the person from your school that fulfills that role. They can be added to presentations when seeing who is in the crowd. They can be used at career fairs, looped on media/monitors, or in job exploration meetings. Each animation is less than 3 minutes long and is easy to add as an icebreaker or check out point. Don't miss the Student Video that is coming soon - they are the focus of the team! If the student with the IEP can explain who is coming, what that person can contribute, and why they should be there, then the student understands the IEP team. These videos can help support that learning and the building of an effective IEP team for the student.

Ever wonder about disclosing your disability in the work place?

Check out this great resource from the Department of Labor that walks youth through they Why, When, What and How of disability disclosure.

Looking for a way to stay up to date on the latest Transition research?

Transition in Practice, a new open-access, peer-reviewed journal from the Zarrow Institute and DCDT, is issuing a call for manuscripts. The journal features the latest on research-based instructional strategies, procedures, and techniques to prepare special education teachers and students. Review the About the Journal page and the Author Guidelines page for more information.

Are you looking to learn more information about transition?

The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition: The Collaborative (NTACT:C) provides information, tools, and supports to assist multiple stakeholders to provide effective services and instruction for students and out-of-school youth with disabilities.

Check out their Training Resource Library.

If you're new to transition, be sure to check out Transition 101!

The PaTTAN Literacy for Low Incidence work group is asking for YOUR support in understanding literacy instruction for students with complex learning needs. The survey (link and QR code below) will ask you questions about the current status of reading and writing instruction for your students. The survey information will be used to help PaTTAN develop and provide continued and targeted literacy support for educators and care givers. Thank you in advance for all your hard work and providing us with information that can support students, educators, and families. YOU are making a DIFFERENCE!

Use this link to complete the survey: https://bit.ly/pattanlitforall

Are you looking for transition events across PA?

Don't forget to check the events calendar to stay up to date on all of the great events happening in PA and nationally related to secondary transition!

The Pennsylvania Community on Transition is a group of various stakeholders from across Pennsylvania who work collaboratively to ensure appropriate transition outcomes for Pennsylvania youth and young adults.

The Pennsylvania Community on Transition is a state leadership team consisting of representative from: the State Departments of Education, Health, Labor and Industry, and Human Services; Various Serving Agencies, Young Adults, Parent Organizations, Advocates, Higher Education, and Employers.

The shared vision and common goals of the Pennsylvania Community on Transition is achieved when all PA youth and young adults with disabilities:

• Successfully transition to the role of productive and participating adult citizens
• Are empowered to recognize their talents, strengths, and voice
• Have equal access to resources that will promote their full participation in the communities of their choice.

Email: pasecondarytransition@gmail.com
Website: https://www.pasecondarytransition.com/
Phone: 4128266878
Twitter: @hmangiskuntz