Transition Resources Help Agencies and Service Providers Support Youth with Disabilities

Logo - National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT)

This is the first blog in a series of three blogs in October from the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) to honor National Disability Employment Awareness Month. In this series, NTACT will share resources and success stories of NTACT-supported agencies and providers and individuals whom the agencies and providers assist.


The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) assists state and local education agencies, state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies and VR service providers in implementing evidence-based and promising practices to help ensure students with disabilities, including those with significant disabilities, graduate prepared for success in postsecondary education and employment.

NTACT, funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), identifies effective practices to improve employment preparation and employment outcomes for students with disabilities.

In celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, NTACT wants to remind the field of some resources available on its website that focus on preparing students for successful careers after high school and college.

  • Guide to Developing School-Community-Business Partnerships
    Guidance for various audiences including families, community organizations, employers, schools, and agencies to develop and sustain partnerships focused on employment preparation and success for young people with disabilities.
  • Competitive Integrated Employment Toolkit A compilation of resources, focused on achieving competitive integrated employment and meaningful careers.
  • Predictors of Post-School Success
    Links to descriptions of researched factors and attributes and skills correlated with post-school success in employment and other post-school outcomes.
  • School to Work Timeline
    Timeline to consider for planning career development activities with students.
  • Wow! Success Stories
    A collection of video resources for students, families, and other stakeholders, featuring individuals with disabilities experiencing successful employment and other adult outcomes.

Blog articles provide insights on the activities of schools, programs, grantees, and other education stakeholders to promote continuing discussion of educational innovation and reform. Articles do not endorse any educational product, service, curriculum or pedagogy.

1 Comment

  1. As an advocate in Chicago, IL and a parent of three children with special needs, my oldest two weren’t provided transitional support. My oldest son Summary of Performance (SOP) was completed during the last days of school. I requested a copy of is SOP via email and only received two worksheets which clearly displayed a law compliant SOP wasn’t conducted.

    In advocating for a client and their child 14.5 years old or older, transitional goals fail to address the transitional requirements under IDEA. The post-secondary goals aren’t based on assessments. It appears the goals are chosen from a drop down menu. The IEP will state the student’s post secondary goal, for example, to attend a four year college/university and major in Psychology to become an Educational Psychologist, however, the student isn’t enrolled in courses to prepare them or supports aren’t given. In addition, the students who have chosen to pursue employment immediately upon high school graduation or other career paths goals to assist these students are not written in the IEP. Regardless of student’s post secondary choices, transitional assessments are not completed and skills/activities are listed but there is no data to show the student worked toward the transitional goals.

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