Video: What Really Matters for Effective Transition Planning

This short video breaks down the key areas in special education transition planning that really matter for student success as they prepare for life after high school. See what skills to prioritize for your students to create meaningful, student-centered transition plans that lead to post-secondary success.

Made for special education teachers, transition coordinators, and school administrators working with students with disabilities ages 14-21. You'll get an overview of the core areas to focus on when preparing your students for life after high school and essential skills for student postsecondary success.

Transcript:

00:00:00
Let's talk about what happens after high school. For many students with disabilities, it can feel like a cliff. And the stats, they're pretty sobering. We're talking unemployment rates that are double that of their peers. This huge gap makes you ask, right? So, what's the missing piece of the puzzle here? Well, the answer is all about solid, comprehensive transition planning. That's the bridge to success. And that means we've got to move beyond just checking boxes. It's about real

00:00:25
empowerment. So research tells us there are seven key areas that really build that foundation for success. It all starts with this one cornerstone, self- advocacy. Get this right and everything else follows. Because once they leave our support system, they absolutely have to be able to speak up for themselves. Okay, let's jump to the next piece of the puzzle, career discovery. We need to shift away from that any job will do mindset to one that focuses on their strengths. All right, next up,

00:00:55
employment readiness. You know, hard skills get you hired, but soft skills keep you there. And employers say this all the time. They can teach the job, but not these foundational workplace skills. So things like communication and teamwork, we have to teach these skills directly. They're that important. And speaking of independence, let's talk about financial literacy. This is the real gateway to living on their own. Because without these money skills, our students are just, well, they're

00:01:22
vulnerable after they graduate. Which brings us to the IEP. It can't just be a compliance document. It has to be a personalized road map. And the secret, the student has to be in the driver's seat, helping to set their own goals. Okay, now for a big one. Work-based learning. Seriously, nothing predicts success better than real world experience. Internships build confidence and skills and help students really figure out what they're good at. And finally, entrepreneurial thinking. And

00:01:50
no, this isn't just about starting a business. It's a mindset. It's about teaching creativity and problem solving skills that help any student on any career path. But here's the thing. Most programs are strong in a couple areas. But that leaves some pretty big gaps. So our goal is to look at our own programs, find those gaps, and then intentionally fill them. Because at the end of the day, our students deserve way more than a diploma. They deserve a pathway. So I'll leave you with this question. As

00:02:18
you reflect, what's just one gap you can start to close?