Transition planning and services
As a secondary educator, knowing when to start supporting students with disabilities on the post-secondary transition journey can be challenging. Do we begin in high school? Or, do we plan from the beginning with the end in mind? Morningstar and Clavenna-Dean (2018) wrote a book, Your Complete Guide to Transition Planning and Services, that guides […]
Administration and transition
Administrators play a vital role in fostering and sustaining excellence in transition IEPs and it has become essential that they provide guidance, support, and coaching to maintain compliance. The Council of Administrators of Special Education Essential (CASE) provides a guide to help administrators support transition within the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. By creating an […]
Myths and facts about assistive technology: New guidance
Assistive technology (AT) offers a multitude of benefits across all age groups by fostering independence, supporting inclusion, facilitating friendships, and leading to improved overall quality of life. For young children, it facilitates opportunities for play, learning, friendships, and development by providing tailored educational tools, enhancing communication skills through augmentative and alternative communication, and enabling access […]
Learn by listening: Explore the world of podcasts
Are you looking for an easy and accessible way to learn new information and hear people talk about practices they are implementing to help students be successful? Listen to a podcast! Podcasts are audio recordings typically played on demand on your smartphone or computer (Prince, B.F., 2020; Tobin & Guadagno, 2022). The number of people […]
Be a light for yourself and others
Teachers and leaders continue to rebuild many aspects of the academic experience following the pandemic. Many of them can benefit from strategies to combat stress during the instructional day. In 2021, Elizabeth Steiner and Ashley Woo reported findings on teacher job stress. The results indicated that 78 percent of teachers experienced frequent job-related stress and […]
Decide, act, believe! Promoting self-determination for students
Soft skills such as navigating interpersonal relationships, time management, problem-solving, and decision-making are essential for all students. These skills are part of self-determination, “acting or causing things to happen as a person sets and works toward goals in their life” (Raley et al., 2023, p.403). Self-determination predicts positive classroom and post-school outcomes and improves access […]
The future is now!
New to Secondary Transition? What do you need to know? The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) offers a comprehensive website for Secondary Transition Services for students with disabilities. The website provides a guide for transition support, information, and resources designed to improve the outcomes of students with disabilities in transitioning from middle and high school […]
