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The checklist in this document is intended to provide schools, districts, or other stakeholders in secondary transition with a framework for determining the degree to which their program is implementing practices that are likely to lead to more positive post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. A team should consider the definition of the predictor and each individual program characteristic, as well as the Degree of Implementation and the Evidence of Implementation scales, to guide decisions regarding program strengths, needs, and priorities for change. Teams may find it helpful to consider the predictors in clusters. The following clusters are suggestions for grouping the predictors by similar topics or themes to facilitate discussion: (1) Student Skills; (2) Career Development; (3) Collaborative Systems; and (4) Policy. [This document was originally developed by the National Post-School Outcomes Center. For "Predictor Implementation School/District Self-Assessment Instructions and Action Planning Guide," see ED629042.]

This document provides information about the process a school-level team will use to complete the Predictor Implementation School/District Self-Assessment (PISA) (ED629041). This process involves four major steps including (1) identifying team members, (2) establishing a location and time for the meeting, (3) preparing for the meeting, and (4) creating a process for conducting the meeting with the school-level team. [For "Taxonomy for Transition Programming 2.0: A Model for Planning, Organizing, and Evaluating Transition Education, Services, and Programs," see ED628978.]

This practical guide has been developed to help facilitate collaboration and build effective partnerships at the local level between local educational agency (LEA) and vocational rehabilitation (VR) personnel. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula that will instantly create these partnerships; however, there are proven strategies and processes that when established, will help facilitate building effective collaborative partnerships. This guide is divided into four sections with a variety of resources provided in the appendix. The four sections are: (1) A Shared Understanding of Transition Services which provides an overview of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) amendments to the Rehabilitation Act and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), offering a foundation to begin or enhance collaboration between VR and LEAs and schools; (2) Building Local Partnerships where day-to-day and annual practices are outlined that can be incorporated into local level collaboration to improve effectiveness of the partnership; (3) Coordination and Collaboration for Individualized Student Planning which outlines ways partners can identify roles and responsibilities to support the students as they guide their transition planning towards desired post-school goals; and (4) Partnering with Families: Reimagining the Possibilities is devoted to the importance of family involvement and provides practical strategies on new ways to collaborate with families. The Guide sections are designed to provide the processes and steps necessary to build effective collaboration at the local level; specifically between educators, VR counselors, parents, and other staff involved in assisting students with disabilities in preparing for, obtaining, and maintaining competitive integrated employment. The information and resources found in this guide include evidenced-based and promising practices, resources gathered from collaborative teams working across the country, and tools developed by federally funded national technical assistance centers. [This report was produced in partnership with Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center (WINTAC) and TransCen, Inc.]

The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition's (NTACT) Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) Toolkit was developed in accordance with the requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehabilitation Act), as amended by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as a resource for use by educational and vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies to improve post school employment outcomes for students with disabilities. The toolkit was developed to facilitate the collaboration necessary to implement secondary transition services across agencies at the state, community and student levels and increase the use of evidence based practices (EBPs). It has been developed as a framework to assist state and local teams in collaboratively implementing transition services to improve post school employment outcomes for students with disabilities. The Framework is comprised of four areas: (1) Competitive Integrated Employment Overview; (2) Transition Services; (3) Interagency Collaboration; and (4) Professional Development. When combined, the four sections can assist education and VR agencies to collaboratively implement Pre-Educational Testing Services (ETS), and transition services. Each section of the Framework begins with "At a Glance" that provides a short introduction on how to best use that particular section of the Toolkit. Readers will then find content based on federal legislation and research followed by resources and tools relevant to that section as well as implications for practices that are areas to consider for teams or individuals using the Toolkit. The toolkit is dynamic in nature and as such, it continues to evolve as resources and tools that are useful in the implementation of Evidence Based Practices (EBPs) specific to Pre-ETS and transition services are implemented. [This toolkit was originally prepared in 2017.]

Transition planning officially begins between the ages of 14 and 16 for most students with an IEP. However, the process is lifelong. Job Exploration Counseling, or Career counseling/guidance includes a wide variety of activities which help students explore career options and opportunities available. Job exploring options are intended to foster motivation, consideration of opportunities and informed decision-making. National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) provides resources and tools to guide the process of transition planning - encompassing assessment and skill development to plan for success beyond school. Recently a GAO-18-502 report titled "Students with Disabilities: Additional Information from Education Could Help States Provide Pre-Employment Transition Services" noted states indicated the need for "additional assistance with identifying best practices" (p. 26). This table from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) Competitive Integrated Employment Toolkit provides a starting point for state and local Vocational Rehabilitation and Special Education agencies. [For "Students with Disabilities: Additional Information from Education Could Help States Provide Pre-Employment Transition Services. Report to the Ranking Member, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, U.S. Senate. GAO-18-502," see ED590824. For "Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) Toolkit," see ED601255.]

Educational and vocational rehabilitation programs both have key roles and responsibilities in improving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. Both entities must be involved in creating opportunities for students to develop skills and knowledge to prepare for careers in the 21st Century. To help facilitate understanding and promote local discussion and planning, this Teacher's Guide has been developed for educators to use in partnership with their local vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselor. The information and planning questions are based on practices that work to facilitate purposeful collaboration, which is focused on improving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. Even though the implementation of the practices discussed in this guide will take some upfront planning and time, the rewards of this initial commitment will pay dividends down the road as educators and VR counselors are working jointly with students and their families. Specifically, this planning effort will assist with: (1) promoting a coordinated effort between the local education agency (LEA) and VR counselor; (2) creating processes to facilitate delivery of transition services, including pre-employment transition services to students with disabilities; and (3) eliminating duplication of efforts. This guide contains a list of resources. [Cover title varies: "Teachers Guide to Vocational Rehabilitation."]

Recently researchers have begun focusing on young adults with mental health disorders transitioning into adulthood. Research exploring the importance of mental health support in secondary transition have yielded positive outcomes. For example, strong collaboration between educational and mental health agencies ensuring academic, employment, and mental health needs that are specifically addressed through well-designed transition planning has demonstrated a higher level of success for individuals identified with emotional and/or behavioral disorders (Davis, Jivanjee, & Koroloff, 2010). Styron (2006) conducted a survey and review of historical data of six young adults with mental health disorders receiving comprehensive services supporting transition through Young Adult Services, a program designed to support individuals over 18 who had moderate to severe symptoms of mental illness. Results revealed the longer young adults are involved with wrap around support during transitional periods, the higher quality of life and/or improved community integration. Providing ongoing support is critical for young adults with mental health disorders, particularly during times of transition. For each individual the level of support and from whom the support is provided varies. Awareness of the individual needs by each supporting member or entity is a key element in facilitating positive post-school outcomes for persons with mental health disorders. This guide assists young people with mental health conditions, their families, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and mental health practitioners by providing information for locating resources that are available to assist them in building better lives. Awareness of the individual needs by each supporting member or entity is a key element in facilitating positive post-school outcomes for persons with mental health disorders.

The "gold standard" of youth outcomes is when they are achieving employment and pursuing a clear career path. The activities transition and employment initiatives, and the partnerships that support them, are most appropriately judged against this standard. This Guide presents approaches and considerations for the development and implementation of broadly inclusive partnerships that strive for this standard. The authors are calling them School-Community-Business partnerships. This designation recognizes that in addition to schools and their business partners playing essential roles, a host of other partners from the community will be also be important to youth success. The strategies and perspectives presented here are based on approaches to partnerships that have been observed in action, learned from a variety of effective practitioners and professional partners, and gleaned from relevant research. These strategies may suggest adjustments in how local collaborating systems have typically operated. The intention is that schools, businesses and employers, vocational rehabilitation, government agencies, youth services, disability employment programs, families, youth, and any involved partner will jointly realize that process-oriented "meetings to meet" are no measure of collaboration and are certainly no measure of progress. Rather, we should be ultimately counting how many students exit school with jobs and a clear career path. The Guide covers important considerations for implementing an effective collaborative process for both individual and systems level outcomes. Thus, the Guide will focus on useful approaches, policies, and strategies necessary to facilitate partnerships that result in better outcomes for students and youth with disabilities and tangible mutual benefits for collaborating partners. [This document was developed by TransCen, Inc. in partnership with The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT), Charlotte, NC.]